Using a pressure measurement instrument to measure fuel level is very common, however most are scaled in bar or psi pressure ranges, and if they do happen to be scaled in level units, they are typically water level based, such as mH2O or ftH2O.
There are many different grades of liquid fuels which vary in density, plus changes in tank temperature will affect the density of one fuel type. So it is important to carefully consider the pressure range required to ensure that the level being measured never exceeds the operating range of the measurement device.
Featured tank level pressure measurement products
Diesel exhaust fluid (DEF) level sensor for fleet management storage tanks - Monitor adblue® levels in storage tanks with the lmp307 sensor. Stainless steel construction, fkm seals, and 4-20ma output for seamless integration.- HVO and FAME biofuel storage tank submersible level sensor - Explore a solution for reliably measuring the level of biodiesel fuels such as HVO and FAME. A submersible level transmitter was specified with carefully selected wetted parts, including an FEP cable and FKM seals, to ensure long-term chemical compatibility in alternative fuel storage tanks.
The conditions which will produce the maximum hydrostatic pressure, are the lowest tank temperature and the maximum tank level. If you know the density of the fuel at the lowest tank temperature and the maximum possible fuel height in the tank, then you can calculate the pressure range needed to ensure the instrument will never go over-range.
For an example, let’s say you have a Kerosene fuel tank that is 1,385 mm deep, with a maximum specific gravity of 0.82 corresponding to the lowest tank temperature of 15.6 degC. If you convert this to a hydrostatic pressure, it will come out as 0.1114 bar, 1135.7 mmH2O or 3.726 ftH2O pressure.
Featured tank level pressure measurement products
Yacht diesel fuel and water level sensor for non-uniform shaped marine tanks - Submersible level sensors for irregularly shaped fresh water, grey water, black water, and fuel oil tanks on a classic sailing yacht.
High temperature mini sewage tank level sensor - Submersible level sensor for low-range sewage applications in small, high-temperature wastewater tanks.
Related Help Guides
- Measuring liquid level in a sealed tank with a hydrostatic pressure sensor
- Difference between vented and non-vented water level measurement
- Determining water tank volume using hydrostatic pressure
- Measuring the volume of liquid in a horizontal cylinder tank
- How do you measure the volume of a liquid using pressure
- Measuring liquid level in a tank using a dp sensor
Related Technical Terms
- cmH2O – Centimetres of Water Column at 4 deg C Pressure Unit
- ftH2O – Feet of Water Column at 4 deg C Pressure Unit
- Hydrostatic Pressure
- mH2O – Metres of Water Gauge at 4 deg C Pressure Unit
- mmH2O – Millimetres of Water Column at 4 deg C Pressure Unit
- Specific Gravity
Related Online Tools
- Liquid Level to Hydrostatic Pressure Calculator
- Fluid Depth, Density, Gravity, and Pressure Calculator
- Pressure to Liquid Level Calculator
