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White paper: Originally published in ISA InTech Magazine
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Improving Differential Pressure Diaphragm Seal
System Performance and Installed Cost
Tuned-Systems; Deliver the Best Practice Diaphragm Seal Installation
To Compensate Errors Caused by Temperature ariations!
Tuned-Systems are the est practice for differential pressure diaphragm seal system configurations.
Tuned-Systems contrast significantly to traditional symmetrical configurations! achieving the lowest
temperature-induced errors" est time response" and lowest installed cost when measuring level in closed
vessels.
Differential pressure seal systems have traditionally een specified with identical capillary lengths and
seal configurations on oth the high and low pressure process connection. Specifying symmetrical
systems was once elieved to achieve est total system performance. #ctually" the asymmetry of Tuned-
Systems compensates for temperature-induced errors. The following discussion will e$plore how a
diaphragm seal system wor%s and prove the theory ehind Tuned-Systems.
What are Tuned-Systems?
Tuned-Systems are an asymmetric configuration of a differential pressure diaphragm seal system. The
simplest form of a Tuned-System directly mounts the diaphragm seal to the high pressure process
connection. &limination of the e$cess high pressure capillary immediately improves response time" and
performance" while reducing installed cost. Total system error is compensated y leveraging diaphragm
induced temperature errors against head effect temperature errors. 'urther performance improvements
are achieved y ad(usting configuration variales as detailed elow. Installed cost is reduced y
eliminating the e$cess high pressure capillary. )ecause the transmitter is direct mounted to the vessel"
neither mounting stand nor mounting rac%et are re*uired for further reduce installed cost.
How Do Seal Systems Work?
Diaphragm seal systems respond to changes in oth process pressures as the level changes" and in
static pressure over the li*uid. These variations in pressure are transmitted through an oil- filled capillary
to a differential pressure transmitter-sensor. The capillaries and seals are filled with incompressile oil
compatile with the process temperature" pressure" and media composition. The transmitter is commonly
mounted at grade" or in close pro$imity to the high-pressure process connection. 'or applications under
vacuum" the transmitter is mounted elow the high-pressure connection to reduce vacuum effects on the
transmitter fill fluid. The minimum capillary length is dictated y the distance etween the mounting
position of the transmitter and the low-pressure connection. #ll cavities within the assemly are oil-filled
including the diaphragm" capillary" and transmitter ody. #lthough manufacturing techni*ues help ensure
a high-*uality fill" temperature-induced errors are inherent to diaphragm seal systems.
Diaphragm Seal System Elements:
)ecause the transport mechanism of a diaphragm seal system is the fill fluid" it is important to understand
the fill fluid physical characteristics. The fill fluid oil is an incompressile fluid and a change in pressure
within the process is directly translated to the transmitter-sensor. Proper fill fluid and assemly
preparation are critical to achieve a high *uality filled system. Proper preparation re*uires removing all
gases from oth the fill fluid and the un-filled transmitter-seal assemly. # successful fill process prevents
amient air from entering the assemly. #ir or other gases in the system are compressile fluids and
cause erratic transmitter output shifts.

&ach fill fluid has it own uni*ue physical characteristics and play the largest role in total system
performance. The physical characteristics include+ viscosity" coefficient of thermal e$pansion" and specific
gravity.
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White paper: Originally published in ISA InTech Magazine
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'ill fluid viscosity is a measure of velocity flow rate and dictates the response time of the diaphragm seal
system. # temperature increase causes the fill fluid to ecome less viscous and yields a faster response
time" while a decrease in temperature slows the response time. Capillary inside diameter and length also
impact system response time. # small inside diameter restricts the fill fluid flow causing slower response
time. Capillary length relates to the time for a change in pressure to reach the transmitter-sensor.
Seal Temperature Effect Error:
The fill fluid coefficient of thermal e$pansion is the rate a fill fluid volume e$pands or contracts in response
to temperature changes. # larger coefficient of thermal e$pansion factor e*uates to higher response rate
to the change. The fill fluid volume e$pands to an increase in temperature and contracts to a decrease in
temperature. The larger fill fluid volume within the seal system" the greater the total volume e$pansion or
contraction. System volume is highly dependent on capillary inside diameter" capillary length" and seal
cavity volume.
)ecause a diaphragm seal assemly is a closed system" the e$panding fill fluid volume presses against
the seal diaphragm. The seal diaphragm restricts the e$pansion causing a ac%-pressure on the fill fluid.
The diaphragm ac%-pressure is highly dependent on diaphragm stiffness" or spring rate. Diaphragm
spring rate is a function of the diaphragm pattern" thic%ness" material modulus of elasticity" and diameter.
# more fle$ile diaphragm with a high spring rate minimi-es the ac%-pressure e$erted on the transmitter-
sensor. The variations in ac%-pressure e$erted on the transmitter-sensor are commonly referred to as
Seal Temperature &ffect &rror.
Head Temperature Effect Error:
The fill fluid specific gravity is the ratio of the fill fluid density compared to the density of water. #s
temperature changes" the specific gravity of the fill fluid changes! an increase in temperature lowers the
specific gravity while a decrease in temperature increases the specific gravity. The seal elevation e$erts
pressure on the differential pressure transmitter-sensor and is referred to as .ead Pressure. The fill fluid
specific gravity" comined with seal elevation" are the primary variales re*uired to determine the head
pressure /.ead Pressure 0 Specific 1ravity $ .eight2. The initial head pressure can e calculated and is
-eroed out of the differential pressure system during caliration and commissioning. .owever" variations
in temperature cause changes in fill fluid specific gravity and suse*uent variations in head pressure from
original commissioning. These variations in head pressure are commonly referred to as .ead
Temperature &ffect &rror.
Harnessing System Elements:


Direct-mount
High Side Seal
Low Side
Seal
Low side
Sensor
High Side
Sensor
Distance between
process taps
Figure 1. Tuned-System used to measure level in a closed vessel.
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White paper: Originally published in ISA InTech Magazine
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Traditional systems apply e*uivalent seals and capillary lengths to either side of the differential pressure
transmitter-sensor" this creates identical /or nearly identical2 pressure changes due to seal temperature
effect error. )ecause the pressure changes are e*ual" and on opposite sides of the transmitter-sensor"
the net seal temperature effect error is cancelled. Therefore" the net error is completely a function of the
head temperature effect error. The symmetric design was considered to deliver the est total system
performance. .owever" traditional symmetric configurations ignore the largest source of error! head
temperature effect error does not reali-e the opportunity to reduce total system error. Tuned-Systems
harness the physical characteristics of the fill fluid" and the mechanical design features of the diaphragm
seal system to deliver est total system performance.
)oth head and seal temperature effect errors occur simultaneously within the system in response to
temperature changes. The differential transmitter-sensor cannot differentiate the error type. Therefore"
the Total System &rror is the sum of the seal temperature effect plus the head temperature error" and
represents the error transmitted to the differential pressure transmitter-sensor. It can e concluded that
differential pressure diaphragm seals must e viewed as a system to effectively compensate for total
system errors induced y temperature changes.
Consider a Tuned-System that eliminates e$cess high-pressure capillary" and e$periences an increase in
temperature from original -ero. The head temperature error causes a net positive error and is identical in
magnitude to a symmetrical system installation" under the same temperature variation conditions.
.owever" the Tuned-System seal temperature effect errors yield a net negative error. The fill fluid volume
on the high-pressure side of the system has less volume compared to the low- pressure side of the
system. Therefore" the volumetric displacement" and resulting diaphragm ac%-pressure" is dominated y
the low pressure side" thus proving total system error for Tuned-Systems is less than traditional systems.
The detailed mathematical proof is outlined elow.
Minimiing Total System Errors:
To ta%e the theory of Tuned-Systems a step further" total system errors can e compensated" and in some
cases eliminated. 4inimi-ing total system errors re*uires creating seal temperature effect errors that are
e*ual" and opposite in magnitude to head temperature effect errors. In addition to reducing high-pressure
capillary fill fluid volume" the following can e varied for additional performance improvements! decrease
high-pressure diaphragm stiffness" increase low-pressure fill fluid volume" increase fill fluid e$pansion
coefficient" and5or increase low-pressure diaphragm stiffness. Due to the numer of variales" achieving
a fully compensated differential pressure seal system re*uires an automated software tool" such as
6osemount Instrument Tool%it. Instrument Tool%it has the capaility to *uic%ly and easily calculate
numerous potential compensated seal systems for any given application condition.
!onclusion:
Temperature-induced errors are inherent to differential pressure diaphragm seal systems. The errors are
caused primarily y the fill fluid physical characteristics responding to a change in temperature. Total
system error is also a function of the distance etween vessel process connections and the mechanical
design of the diaphragm seal system. Total system error is uncompensated in traditional symmetrical
system configurations.
The asymmetry of Tuned-Systems compensates total system error y reducing the high pressure side
capillary volume. 'urther performance improvements can e achieved y varying diaphragm spring rate"
system fill volumes" and fill fluid type. The reduced volume and configuration variations compensate for
changes in fill fluid specific gravity" therey providing improved performance in differential pressure
diaphragm seal applications.
4ichelle #. .ursh" 4ar%eting 4anager" &merson Process 4anagement
Mathematic Proof:
E! Sg! "! #
E$! Sg$! "$" #$
Assumed #ariables:
D1 0 Distance etween high-pressure connection and transmitter
D, 0 Distance etween low-pressure connection and transmitter
71 0 'ill fluid volume within high-pressure capillary-seal assemly
7, 0 'ill fluid volume within low-pressure capillary-seal assemly
T 0 6elative change in temperature from original -ero
Sg 0 'ill 'luid Specific 1ravity! #ssume Sg1 0 Sg,
& 0 'ill 'luid Coefficient of Thermal &$pansion! #ssume &1 0 &,
61 0 Spring rate of seal diaphragm on high-pressure connection.
6, 0 Spring rate of seal diaphragm on low-pressure connection.
8ote+ Spring rate is the fill fluid volume change divided y corresponding
change in diaphragm ac%-pressure. Therefore" a diaphragm with a larger 6-
value is more fle$ile.
%ead Pressure Error on Transmitter Sensor :
.igh-side Sensor .ead Pressure /.12+ .10 /D1 $ Sg $ & $ T2
9ow-side Sensor .ead Pressure /.,2+ ., 0 /D, $ Sg $ & $ T2
.ead Pressure 0 .1 - .,
.ead Pressure 0 /D1 $ Sg $ & $ T2 - /D, $ Sg $ & $ T2
0 /D1 - D,2 /Sg $ & $ T2
D, : D1 therefore" D1 - D, 0 -D
.ead Pressure 0 - D $ Sg $ & $ T
Seal Pressure Error on Transmitter Sensor:
.igh-Pressure Seal+
7olumetric Displacement 0 71 $ & $ T
Pressure Change 0 71 $ & $ T
61
9ow-Pressure Seal+
7olumetric Displacement 0 7, $ & $ T
Pressure Change 0 7, $ & $ T
6,
Total Seal Pressure &rror+
Seal Pressure &rror 0 71 $ & $ T - 7, $ & $ T
61 6,
0 { 71 - 7, }&T
61 6,
Total System Error &TSE':
Total system seal error is eliminated when head pressure error e*uals
seal temperature error. Therefore" Tuned-Systems performance
improvement is proven y solving the Total System &rror e*uation
elow.
TS& 0 -D $ Sg $ & $ T - { 71 - 7, }&T
61 6,
'actor out li%e variales and *ualitatively compare results of the
traditional system scenario versus Tuned-System scenarios+
TS& 0
{
- DSg - { 71 - 7, }&T
61 6,
Symmetrical System (ase:
If"
71 0 7, and 61 0 6, then" TS& 0 - DSg&T
#ll of the total system error is caused y head pressure error acting on
the transmitter-sensor.
Tuned)Systems (ase:
If"
71 ; 7, or 71 ; 7, or 71 0 7,
61 0 6, 61 : 6, 61 : 6,
Then" Tuned-Systems are proven. #ll scenarios have improved total
system error. Instrument Tool%it provides further proof and *uantitatively
solves e*uation.
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White paper: Originally published in ISA InTech Magazine
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In summary" apply the following asic rules to prove additional compensation of diaphragm seal systems+
#pply an asymmetrical system configuration
6educe the high pressure side fill fluid volume
4inimi-e the high pressure diaphragm stiffness /increase spring rate2
Increase the low pressure side fill fluid volume
Increase the low pressure diaphragm stiffness /decrease spring rate2
=se 6osemount Instrument Tool%it to optimi-e total system performance