Although we can find tons of papers on how to control the fluid level of coupled-tanks, I spent hours and couldn't find many real applications of this often-mentioned apparatus.

Can anyone give me a few examples of how it can used in bioprocesses, biomedical, or mechanical related processes? I want to explain this to my students to make my lecture/labs more sensible.

 

Most paper machines use a closed water system, which means that water from one tank moves through the process to the next tank etc. When 1 tank overflows it will typically overflow into another tank. Eventually the last tank in the system will either overflow or feed back into the first tank. Only very small makeup and discharge flows are allowed.

This real world application is typically much more complicated than simple teaching examples of only two tanks. A typical large machine might have dozens of different possible places to store water (sometimes including the basement floor) - all of them linked in a loop or multiple loops - and all of them requiring level controls.

Rob
Www(.)lymac.co.nz

 

We use radar level monitor for measure of level of big tank because only that way we can measure it. usually use endress hauser instrument, capacity tank 1000metric ton. i think it can help you

 

Ahh yes…the REAL world ! We have several liquid sugar reservoirs all linked together at the base. so the levels are all self equalizing. Level is measured by hydrostatic pressure at the base of the tank with an Endress & Hauser sensor. System works very well once calibrated. We use it to verify quantity usage and also delivery confirmation.

Only issues we had were with sugar crystallization in the bottom of the tank and on the sensor which affected the reading. Solution was to move the sensor a little higher on the tank. This creates a bit of a dead zone in the bottom but for our purposes…was not a problem.

 

Thanks Rob. It is interesting that I had also worked in the paper-making industry for years, but that was in China in the 90s.

I understand what you said about the water system for paper machines. Yes, we have a lot of tanks in paper plants, more in pulp plants. An example closer to the COUPLED-TANKS in the question is probably a "buffer tank" connected to a tanks supplying pulp, if I remembered correctly.

Do you happen to know typical sizes of water/pulp tanks? Rough numbers are fine as they should give students some ideas.

Thanks again.

JC.

 

Thanks.

> We use radar level monitor for measure of level of big tank because only that
> way we can measure it. usually use endress hauser instrument, capacity tank
> 1000metric ton. i think it can help you

 

This is very close to what I was looking for. Glad to learn something new. Thanks a lot.

> Ahh yes…the REAL world ! We have several liquid sugar reservoirs all
> linked together at the base. so the levels are all self equalizing. Level is
---- snip ----