Union Pacific Railroad, Council Bluffs Iowa
An oil water separator tank with alarm.    Home Page

Flow Control owner, Richard "Dick" Watkins

Phone402-738-8515  or fax  402-738-8516

Object:  To sound an alarm before oil level builds deep enough to flow under a baffle allowing it to enter city waste water.  This tank is filled from storm water pits located throughout a major railroad yard.

Solution:  The Delta Controls Model 173 transmits a 4-20 mA DC signal proportional to the level or volume in a vessel. Up to 10 fluid elevations can be programmed in to linearize an irregularly shaped tank. The unit is self checking and provides diagnostics. It is potted for service in severe environments. It will handle the most difficult services.

 

 

A Kessler-Ellis INT69PM2 display shows the oil depth in inches and provides two relays.One relay is set for the alarm function.  The second relay can be used to control a skimmer to remove oil at a level set by the operator.

 

The Delta 173                         4-20 mA, 2 wire, loop powered. Simple, two point calibration.  No need to empty or fill the tank to calibrate accurately.  User interface LCD digital display with 4 key input.   Insensitive to process coatings and buildup.               Supply voltage 11 to 35 VDC                              

Ambient Operating Temperature: -20 to +175°F (+80°C)                                                                  

Process Temperature: -460 to +1500°F (-270 to +810°C)

It will accurately measure almost any kind of liquid, including: water, oil, gasoline, acid, caustic, soup, milk, gear lube, and antifreeze. It is particularly advantageous when used on fuel oil tanks, cooling tower basins, fruit juice, chlorine storage tanks, irrigation channels, and pharmaceutical reactors.

  The oil water interface system met the needs of Union Pacific well enough for them to now have a second system on order for St. Paul MN.  We expect to install and do the set-up mid December 2006.  

 

The INT69PM2----Featuring 41/2 digits of bright, 7-segment LED displays, the Intellect-69PM2 is a process monitor which accepts analog signal inputs. The unit can be field programmed to accept 0-20mA, 4-20mA, 0-5V, 0-10V or 1-5V signals. Two assignable set points are standard for high/low alarmoutputs.

Back in March 2007 we finished installing this interface detection system in five more locations for UPRR !  Total now installed---7

 
  AGAR ID-200 SERIES
INTERFACE CONCENTRATION DETECTOR SYSTEM

Can detect 0 to 100% Hydrocarbon / Water by volume.

This system installed at the UPRR Council Bluffs yard to detect oil/water emulsion below the oil water interface detected by the Delta system above.

The best way to tell you are about to turn a slug of oil loose when draining water off the bottom of a tank.  Stop the flow before the oil has gone to far down that pipe. Use an automated valve to shut off the flow or use an alarm to let you know it is time to shut off the drain.