Experimental Investigation of Liquid-Level Measuring Accuracy in a Low Pressure Environment

摘要

Dip Tubes which are used for determining liquid level in many processes at SRS will be used to measure the liquid level of the Am/Cm solution in the Feed Tank at the MPPF. The Feed Tank operates under a vacuum, therefore the Dip Tubes will operate under a vacuum. Uncertainty in how accurate the Dip Tubes would perform in a vacuum environment led to testing. The Am/Cm Melter Liquid- Feed Tank measurement test was mocked-up per Figure 1. The Feed Tank was designed to simulate actual conditions in which the Dip Tubes would measure the differential pressure. The Feed Tank was made of Stainless Steel with a Lexan window to view inside the tank during testing. The Feed Tank was built per Drawing SRT-ETF-DD-96008, Revision A. The accuracy of the Dip Tubes was checked first by filling the Feed Tank at a flow rate of 3.5 L/min and venting it to the atmosphere. Figure 2 shows that the Dip Tubes were responsive and accurate when compared to the data from the measuring scale on the view window. Then tests were conducted with 23y Hg vacuum inside the tank and water flow rates of 3.9 L/min, 1.8 L/min, and 0.7 L/min being fed to the tank. The data from each test are depicted in Figure 3, Figure 4, and Figure 5, respectively. The Dip Tubes responded accurately for the three test with a maximum error range of +0.31y to -0.19y when compared to the measuring scale located next to the view window on the Feed Tank.