Level sensors

Level sensors

In Australian industrial environments, level sensors support high and low level detection, inventory monitoring and process control across industries including water and wastewater, food and beverage, manufacturing, mining, chemical processing and OEM machinery.

Selecting the appropriate measurement principle depends on the medium, installation constraints and operating conditions. Factors such as foam, condensation, build-up, dust, vibration, temperature variation and vessel geometry can all influence measurement performance.

Level sensors help operators and engineers

• Monitor storage tanks, vessels, pits and silos where manual inspection is difficult, infrequent or unsafe
• Prevent tank overflows, dry-running pumps and unplanned process interruptions
• Provide continuous level information for inventory management, batching and process control
• Reduce maintenance associated with mechanical floats and moving components
• Integrate level data into PLC, SCADA, HMI and industrial automation systems using switching, analogue or IO-Link communication, depending on the application

What is a level sensor?

Level sensors are used to detect or measure the level of a liquid, slurry, or bulk material within a tank, vessel, silo or piece of equipment. Depending on the application, the sensor may provide a discrete switching output when a set level is reached or a continuous measurement value that can be monitored by a control system. Measurement prinicples commonly used in industrial applications include capacitive, guided wave radar, hydrostatic pressure, ultrasonic and radar technologies.

Capacitive level sensors

• Capacitive level sensors detect changes in the electrical properties of a medium and can be used for both point level detection and continuous level measurement. They are commonly applied in coolant tanks, lubricant reservoirs, hydraulic systems and selected chemical storage applications where a compact, robust sensing solution is required.

Guided wave radar level sensors

• Guided wave radar sensors measure level using microwave pulses guided along a probe. They provide continuous measurement and are commonly used in process vessels, storage tanks and hygienic applications where reliable measurement is required despite changing process conditions.

Hydrostatic level sensors

• Hydrostatic level sensors determine liquid level from the pressure generated by the liquid column above the sensing element. They are widely used in water and wastewater infrastructure, process tanks, pumps, pits, wells and storage vessels where pressure-based measurement provides a practical installation method.

Non-contact level sensors

• Radar and ultrasonic sensors measure the distance to the product surface without contacting the medium. They are commonly used in applications where product build-up, contamination, abrasive media or installation access make contact measurement less desirable. Non-contact technologies are frequently used for water storage, wastewater treatment, bulk material handling and process storage applications.

Common applications

Level sensors are used throughout Australian manufacturing and process industries including:

• Water and wastewater treatment plants
• Food and beverage production and storage
• Brewries, wineries, and beverage manufacturing facilities
• Chemical storage and dosing systems
• Coolant, lubricant and hydraulic oil monitoring
• Bulk material silos, hoppers and storage bins
• OEM machinery and process equipment
• Mining and quarry processing infrastructure
• Utilities, reservoirs, pits and pump stations
• Industrial manufacturing and processing facilities