Cooling tower intake & basin levels

The hyperbolic cooling tower releasing clouds of water vapor is the iconic image of nuclear power. Warm water from the condenser is pumped to the natural draft cooling tower, distributed to remove waste heat to the ambient atmosphere through evaporation, and collected in a basin prior to being recycled back to the condenser.

Challenge

The cooling tower’s intake structure, typically a vertical wet pit, requires level sensing and pump control. Water basin level controls maintain level through the addition of make-up water and are frequently configured with high and low level alarms.

Related products

Displacer Switch
Magnetrol

Displacer switches – single, dual and tri-switch series

Single-Stage Switches

Series A10 displacer type level measurement units are wide differential units calibrated to actuate as a liquid level reaches a given displacer and to deactuate when the level reaches a second displacer. Single stage, wide differential displacer switches are factory calibrated yet field-adjustable to operate over a wide level differential band.

The minimum differential band is approximately 6 inches (152 mm) in water and varies somewhat with liquid specific gravity. The maximum differential is determined by the length of the displacer suspension cable. Series A15 units are calibrated to operate over a narrow level differential band and are ideally suited for liquid level alarm applications on either high or low level.

Dual-Stage Switches

Series B10 displacer type level measurement units are wide differential tandem switches that are factory calibrated with a choice of several switch operating sequences designed to meet virtually any application.

Series B15 units are narrow differential tandem switches that are factory calibrated. Each switch actuates at a different level.

Tri-Stage Switches

Series C10 displacer type level measurement units utilize three electrically separate control signals in a selected sequence in response to liquid level changes.

Series C15 units are wide differential switches with a choice of several operating sequences combining wide and narrow level differential and are factory calibrated.

Other applications

Do you want personal advice for your specific control process? 

Contact your local AMETEK Level Measurement Solutions representative!

Find my local representative

Related articles

October 15, 2025

AMETEK Magnetrol USA LLC Appoints TechStar LLC as Exclusive Channel Partner for Oklahoma

March 28, 2025

New Partnership Serving The U.S. Midwest Region

March 10, 2025

The New Old-Fashioned: Enhancing Traditional Level Measurement Techniques

February 24, 2025

Cut Monitor Technologies and Factors that Affect Their Performance

February 12, 2025

Plugged Chute Detection

January 20, 2025

Why Drexelbrook's Level Technology Stands Out Universally

November 7, 2024

BrightTEK™ – Transforming Remote Monitoring and Industrial Efficiency

October 23, 2024

Maximize ROI with Drexelbrook® branded Water Cut Meters: An Investment That Pays Off

October 10, 2024

Why Mechanical Instruments Remain Essential for Industrial Level Measurement

September 23, 2024

Case Study: Not All Guided Wave Radar Transmitters are Created Equal