Measuring Solution

Status
Not open for further replies.
D

dpslusser

Member
Location
Somewhere, USA
Hey guys,

I am looking for a hand-held solution to measure liner distances. Without the use of a physical tape measure. I first thought of a laser measure, but I need to measure the height of fluid in an open-top tank. Can laser measures accurately measure fluid levels (of varying consistences)? I found some ultrasonic hand-helds, but they seem cheap and I can't find a quality one. If ultrasonic is the way I should go, does anyone have any experience with them? How reliable are they?

Thanks

Dave
 
dpslusser said:
Hey guys,

I am looking for a hand-held solution to measure liner distances. Without the use of a physical tape measure. I first thought of a laser measure, but I need to measure the height of fluid in an open-top tank. Can laser measures accurately measure fluid levels (of varying consistences)? I found some ultrasonic hand-helds, but they seem cheap and I can't find a quality one. If ultrasonic is the way I should go, does anyone have any experience with them? How reliable are they?

Thanks

Dave
Click to expand...

Permanently installed radar, ultrasonic and other wave type level measuring instruments are your solutions.

El cheapo:

http://www.omega.com/googlebase/product.html?pn=LVU-2002&gclid=CJTbqreExbsCFaTm7Aod4R0AAw
 
Have I missed how big the tank is?
Back when my dad ran a gas station checking the gas tanks each day was done with a long stick with marks on it. He stuck the stick down to the bottom of the tank, pulled it out and noted where the liquid wet the stick. Of course a sonar or radar depth senser would have made his job much easier.
 
Last edited:
weressl said:
Permanently installed radar, ultrasonic and other wave type level measuring instruments are your solutions.
Click to expand...

You may have miss understood. I actually install the quoted above and am looking for a hand-held version to aid in the installation of these types of instruments. When commissioning and calibrating them in the field, a standard dip tank tape measure isn't the quickest and cleanest. Especially on municipal waste treatment jobs :thumbsdown:

templdl said:
Have I missed how big the tank is?
Click to expand...

I didn't state, becuase they are never the same. The could be 150k gallon "swimming pool" style bio reactors to 2,000 gallon fiberglass chemical tanks.

I just need something hand-held that will give me the measurement of where every I hold my hand, pointed to what ever distance I shoot. But it has to be able to be used against the clearest of water, to something as thick as mud.
 
dpslusser said:
I didn't state, becuase they are never the same. The could be 150k gallon "swimming pool" style bio reactors to 2,000 gallon fiberglass chemical tanks.

I just need something hand-held that will give me the measurement of where every I hold my hand, pointed to what ever distance I shoot. But it has to be able to be used against the clearest of water, to something as thick as mud.
Click to expand...
Even though I haven't the slightest clue what instrument could be used to accomplish your abjective I have gained an appreciation of your challenge.
With a liquid that is opaque I wound be inclined to use as laser type device. I would question how well that would work on a transparent liquid where a sonar type device using sound may be better.
As such would a sonar type device work for both?
 
Could you apply some math to the solution ? Machinery's Hand Book I know has formulas for tank capacity. diameter of tank X depth X something = equals capacity in gallons or liters or ?? Do the math then paint lines on tank at different levels denoting capacity.
 
If you know the refractive index of the water or other fluid you can calculate the liquid depth from the apparent tank depth.

Sent from my XT1080 using Tapatalk
 
dpslusser said:
Hey guys,

I am looking for a hand-held solution to measure liner distances. Without the use of a physical tape measure. I first thought of a laser measure, but I need to measure the height of fluid in an open-top tank. Can laser measures accurately measure fluid levels (of varying consistences)? I found some ultrasonic hand-helds, but they seem cheap and I can't find a quality one. If ultrasonic is the way I should go, does anyone have any experience with them? How reliable are they?

Thanks

Dave
Click to expand...

sewage treatment plant.... hm.
could you just drop a sheet of paper on top of the liquid, and use it as a target
for a laser rangefinder?

i've got a laser rangefinder for long distances that is optical, but it's
not going to have the resolution you require... reads in meters, and
is accurate to 18" at 500 meters or so, reads to 1,000 meters.
 
dpslusser said:
You may have miss understood. I actually install the quoted above and am looking for a hand-held version to aid in the installation of these types of instruments. When commissioning and calibrating them in the field, a standard dip tank tape measure isn't the quickest and cleanest. Especially on municipal waste treatment jobs :thumbsdown:
Click to expand...
Calibrate on tank dimensions, you never 'calibrate' an ultrasonic with another one.
 
weressl said:
Calibrate on tank dimensions, you never 'calibrate' an ultrasonic with another one.
Click to expand...

I do agree, but lately I have ran into a few "underprivileged" municipal customers that don't have a big enough plant to handle a complete shutdown and clean-out. In which case I would create a complete tank matrix for the ultrasonic level sensor.

For example, the job i was just at only had one digester tank. Even if they could empty the tank, they couldn't do a clean-out of about 8" of sludge off the bottom. Using elevation drawings I was able to figure the tank depth to an accuracy of +/- 6". This wasn't a very big job for my company so I didn't have a ton of time to buy the right tools to measure the tank accurately. This was also the first time were a dip tape would of been a perfect solution and time saver.

I was just wondering if there was something faster than a dip tape for grabbing levels in a tank, and were I don't have to worry about cross contamination. Now that my company is heading more and more into the instrumentation and municipal treatment side of the market, I will have to look at purchasing such equipment. I was am just probing the forum's for ideas :D


Thanks,

Dave
 
dpslusser said:
I was just wondering if there was something faster than a dip tape for grabbing levels in a tank, and were I don't have to worry about cross contamination. Now that my company is heading more and more into the instrumentation and municipal treatment side of the market, I will have to look at purchasing such equipment. I was am just probing the forum's for ideas :D


Thanks,

Dave
Click to expand...

just consider that you are coming to THIS forum to find out how deep in chit you are.

most of us don't look at a range finder to see how deep in chit we are, we look at our
bid sheets.

and those often are so far off the level in the tank you need a spotting scope just to see
them, as you stand there in a pile of chit.

and judging by the collective opinions here, you can listen for how long it takes to splash,
freeze it and measure it, or for that matter, walk on it, measure how wide it is, and guess
how deep it could be, or extrapolate between your coffee cup, and the bottom of the digester
tank.

someone will chime in about letting it hit the fan, and measuring how far it flies......

one thing is for certain, if you are here, you are in deep chit.


Merry Christmas.....
 
I have only been doing this type of work for about 1 year. One of the first things I asked myself...why does some chit sink and some chit float??? Answer....its a "density" issue. Lol. Google it and your see.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top