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
Generator diesel tank height level sensor for 1 metre height - Prevent generator downtime and fuel theft with this easy-to-install diesel level sensor. 0.5 to 4.5Vdc output for seamless integration with MCUs.
Underground rain water storage tank level sensor and readout for 2 metre depth - Water level indicator for a 2 metre deep rain water storage tank located underground.
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
Screw-in 2m height onboard marine vessel diesel tank base mount level sensor - Monitor fuel levels in marine diesel tanks with the DMK 458 hydrostatic level sensor. Marine-approved and designed for viscous fluids.
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.
Related Help Guides
- Measuring liquid level in a sealed tank with a hydrostatic pressure sensor
- Measuring the volume of liquid in a horizontal cylinder tank
- Determining water tank volume using hydrostatic pressure
- 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
- Fluid Depth, Density, Gravity, and Pressure Calculator
- Pressure to Liquid Level Calculator
- Liquid Level to Hydrostatic Pressure Calculator
