Magnetic Liquid Level Indicator vs. Sight Glass

There are many types of liquid level indicators, including transparent level indicator, reflex level indicator, and magnetic level indicator. A magnetic liquid level indicator is often used in applications and situations where a glass sight gauge is unsafe, difficult to use, unreadable, or environmentally risky.

Advantages of Using Magnetic Level Indicator

The common disadvantages of using sight glass gauges include the following:
• Extreme temperature, high pressures, and toxic or corrosive materials may result to acquiring a risk of fugitive emission of dangerous substances.
• Some chemical materials within a process vessel or storage tank can attack the glass, causing discoloration of the sight gauge and decrease level visibility.
• Liquid-liquid interfaces can be very difficult to read in a sight glass, particularly if the fluids are of similar color. Clear liquids, in addition, are also difficult to see in a sight glass.

Thus, when you are trying to measure liquid levels, including toxic and corrosive substances, in high pressures or extreme temperature, a magnetic level indicator is your best bet. The major reasons for selecting a magnetic level indicator over a sight glass include improved safety, reduced maintenance, increased visibility, easier initial installation, easier addition of transmitters and switches, and lower long-term cost of ownership

Safety and Maintenance

The obvious safety advantage of using magnetic liquid level indicator is reduced chance ofbreakage compared to sight glasses. If the process fluid is under extreme pressures or temperatures, the likelihood of sight glass breakage increases. The pressure boundary of the former, on the other hand, ismade of robust metal, frequently the same as the vessel piping, making it as safe and strong as the vessel. The indicators, transmitters, and switches are allmounted externally and, therefore, are unaffected by toxicity, corrosiveness, orother process fluid characteristics.

Magnetic level indicators are virtually maintenance free once installed, because the indicator never touches the process fluid. With sight glasses, the gauges must be periodicallychecked for leaks and leaned. Scale and build-up on the glass from the process fluid can cause the sight glass to become unreadable. For more information about magnetic liquid level indicator, visit http://questtecsolutions.com/liquid-level-indicators.