Jogler Continued Training Experience: Module 001
Oversized Chambers
With Guide Rods
start
When Do We Use It?: Flashing Service
Oversized Chambers with Guide Rods are required for flashing service, but what is flashing service? Flashing is when a part of a liquid, under a certain set of conditions, begins to turn into vapor. Think about your everyday propane tank. The propane in the tank is a liquid. The only reason it is a liquid is because it is under positive pressure.
When you open the valve, however, liquid doesn't escape, gas does. This is because when we open the valve, we reduce the pressure acting on the liquid. This causes it to flash into vapor.
When Do We Use It?: Flashing Service
We will most commonly see that light hydrocarbons, cryogenic liquids, and volatile organic solvents will require usage of the Oversized Chamber with Guide Rods. Examples of these fluids may be: Propane, Butane, Hexane, Ammonia, Freon, Methanol, Ethanol, Liquid Nitrogen, and Liquid Natural Gas. When the fluids flash, it is similar to boiling in a pot where you see the vapors bubbles move from the bottom of the vessel to the top
These bubbles will struggle to move past the float due to the small gap between the float OD and the chamber ID. This will cause the bubbles to hit against the bottom of the float and push it upward past its natural buoyancy point.
When Do We Use It?: Flashing Service
But the bubbles will only be able to push it up so far before gravity pulls it back down. Due to this the float will bob up and down in the chamber, causing the flags to flip in a bobbing motion as well. Of course, this is not suitable for proper level measurement, so we must design the chamber in such a way that the vapors have an unimpeded path around the float.
We do this by welding two guide rods opposite of the flag assembly. When we do this, we push the float close to the bargraph and have empty space for vapor to bypass the float opposite the bargraph. This either completely eliminates or drastically reduces the bobbing and allows for constant, reliable level measurement
When Do We Use It?: Flashing Service
Many of these flashing fluids will operate at very cold temperatures below ambient. If we recall, propane will flash with a decrease in pressure. Similarly, many fluids will flash with an increase in temperature. Since many of the fluids are liquid at cold temperatures below ambient or even sub-zero, the oversized chamber alone is not enough. For these sub-zero fluids, if the ambient air around the magnetic level gauge heats the liquid up, it will flash extremely violently. So violently, that the float will bob up and down even with the oversized chamber.
In these cases, we must cover the entire magnetic level gauge in hard-skinned cryogenic insulation to keep the liquid as cold as possible to reduce or eliminate the flashing.
When Do We Use It?: Solids
Another case where we will need an Oversized Chamber with Guide Rods is when a liquid has solids in it. The most common process where you will see this is with slug catchers. The liquid that enters the slug catcher can have many different types of solids. These include sand, salt crystals, waxes, iron oxides and iron sulfides. As solids enter the magnetic level gauge, they can accumulate in the piping or, in the case if iron oxides and sulfides, they will stick to the float itself.
Over time, this will cause the float to stick and render the unit non-functional.
When Do We Use It?: Solids
Due to this, we manufacture these units with an Oversized Chamber with Guide Rods to allow space for the float to pass by solid accumulation. In the case of slug catchers, we also use magnetic particle traps in the bottom side process connection branch to capture any iron oxides or iron sulfides before it can stick to the float and weigh it down. As an additional preventative measure, optional Teflon S coated can be offered. Teflon S coating the float with a non-stick layer will help keep any other fouling buildup on the float. Always pay attention if the customer mentions solids, as we will always want to quote guide rods at a minimum.
When Do We Use It?: Non-Standard Chamber/Float Combinations
Sometimes a customer will require a specific size and schedule chamber. Normally, the gap between the float OD and chamber ID is anywhere from 0.017" to 0.025". Depending on the chamber size and schedule requested, we may not have a float that fits with the proper gap. In these cases, we can make a smaller float and push it close to the indicator by using guide rods. On occasions, we will require a specific float design for a set of process conditions that we cannot fit in any chamber size with the standard gap. While this example is not driven by a specific customer request, we will use an Oversized Chamber with Guide rods when required by the float design.
We Can Do What Others Refuse to Do
We have a set standard list of chamber sizes, guide rod diameters, and float sizes that work. Competitors will often refuse to do any custom work that it is outside of their set standards. We are not like this. For example, our most common guide rod diameter is 5/8", but there was one particular occasion where the gravity was 0.38 and the service was flashing. We had to go to a 4" chamber with 1.25" guide rods to get it done. Others had refused the application -- we never refuse what is possible. We figure out what is needed to solve the problem and then we solve it. That is was makes us different than our competitors. If we successfully do what is hard, we inspire confidence in our abilities to the customer.
CTE Module 001: Quiz
Bonus: Communication Etiquette
We've all called a customer, rep, or reseller, and they sound like they've just lost their puppy. Talking to someone who speaks in this way is offputting and generally unenjoyable. We cannot control how others speak, but we can control ourselves. We must always think of this before we speak to our customers. Strive to speak to our customers like you're speaking to a friend. Start off every conversation with energy. People will generally be more willing to buy from someone they enjoy talking to. That said, recognize when a customer doesn't seem to be receptive to your tone. Try other tones (serious, analytical, apologetic, etc.) until you find one that seems to work.
Jogler Continued Training Experience Module 001 Completed!
Jogler CTE Module 001
Tyler Harper
Created on October 29, 2025
Oversized Chamber with Guide Rods
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Transcript
Jogler Continued Training Experience: Module 001
Oversized Chambers
With Guide Rods
start
When Do We Use It?: Flashing Service
Oversized Chambers with Guide Rods are required for flashing service, but what is flashing service? Flashing is when a part of a liquid, under a certain set of conditions, begins to turn into vapor. Think about your everyday propane tank. The propane in the tank is a liquid. The only reason it is a liquid is because it is under positive pressure.
When you open the valve, however, liquid doesn't escape, gas does. This is because when we open the valve, we reduce the pressure acting on the liquid. This causes it to flash into vapor.
When Do We Use It?: Flashing Service
We will most commonly see that light hydrocarbons, cryogenic liquids, and volatile organic solvents will require usage of the Oversized Chamber with Guide Rods. Examples of these fluids may be: Propane, Butane, Hexane, Ammonia, Freon, Methanol, Ethanol, Liquid Nitrogen, and Liquid Natural Gas. When the fluids flash, it is similar to boiling in a pot where you see the vapors bubbles move from the bottom of the vessel to the top
These bubbles will struggle to move past the float due to the small gap between the float OD and the chamber ID. This will cause the bubbles to hit against the bottom of the float and push it upward past its natural buoyancy point.
When Do We Use It?: Flashing Service
But the bubbles will only be able to push it up so far before gravity pulls it back down. Due to this the float will bob up and down in the chamber, causing the flags to flip in a bobbing motion as well. Of course, this is not suitable for proper level measurement, so we must design the chamber in such a way that the vapors have an unimpeded path around the float.
We do this by welding two guide rods opposite of the flag assembly. When we do this, we push the float close to the bargraph and have empty space for vapor to bypass the float opposite the bargraph. This either completely eliminates or drastically reduces the bobbing and allows for constant, reliable level measurement
When Do We Use It?: Flashing Service
Many of these flashing fluids will operate at very cold temperatures below ambient. If we recall, propane will flash with a decrease in pressure. Similarly, many fluids will flash with an increase in temperature. Since many of the fluids are liquid at cold temperatures below ambient or even sub-zero, the oversized chamber alone is not enough. For these sub-zero fluids, if the ambient air around the magnetic level gauge heats the liquid up, it will flash extremely violently. So violently, that the float will bob up and down even with the oversized chamber.
In these cases, we must cover the entire magnetic level gauge in hard-skinned cryogenic insulation to keep the liquid as cold as possible to reduce or eliminate the flashing.
When Do We Use It?: Solids
Another case where we will need an Oversized Chamber with Guide Rods is when a liquid has solids in it. The most common process where you will see this is with slug catchers. The liquid that enters the slug catcher can have many different types of solids. These include sand, salt crystals, waxes, iron oxides and iron sulfides. As solids enter the magnetic level gauge, they can accumulate in the piping or, in the case if iron oxides and sulfides, they will stick to the float itself.
Over time, this will cause the float to stick and render the unit non-functional.
When Do We Use It?: Solids
Due to this, we manufacture these units with an Oversized Chamber with Guide Rods to allow space for the float to pass by solid accumulation. In the case of slug catchers, we also use magnetic particle traps in the bottom side process connection branch to capture any iron oxides or iron sulfides before it can stick to the float and weigh it down. As an additional preventative measure, optional Teflon S coated can be offered. Teflon S coating the float with a non-stick layer will help keep any other fouling buildup on the float. Always pay attention if the customer mentions solids, as we will always want to quote guide rods at a minimum.
When Do We Use It?: Non-Standard Chamber/Float Combinations
Sometimes a customer will require a specific size and schedule chamber. Normally, the gap between the float OD and chamber ID is anywhere from 0.017" to 0.025". Depending on the chamber size and schedule requested, we may not have a float that fits with the proper gap. In these cases, we can make a smaller float and push it close to the indicator by using guide rods. On occasions, we will require a specific float design for a set of process conditions that we cannot fit in any chamber size with the standard gap. While this example is not driven by a specific customer request, we will use an Oversized Chamber with Guide rods when required by the float design.
We Can Do What Others Refuse to Do
We have a set standard list of chamber sizes, guide rod diameters, and float sizes that work. Competitors will often refuse to do any custom work that it is outside of their set standards. We are not like this. For example, our most common guide rod diameter is 5/8", but there was one particular occasion where the gravity was 0.38 and the service was flashing. We had to go to a 4" chamber with 1.25" guide rods to get it done. Others had refused the application -- we never refuse what is possible. We figure out what is needed to solve the problem and then we solve it. That is was makes us different than our competitors. If we successfully do what is hard, we inspire confidence in our abilities to the customer.
CTE Module 001: Quiz
Bonus: Communication Etiquette
We've all called a customer, rep, or reseller, and they sound like they've just lost their puppy. Talking to someone who speaks in this way is offputting and generally unenjoyable. We cannot control how others speak, but we can control ourselves. We must always think of this before we speak to our customers. Strive to speak to our customers like you're speaking to a friend. Start off every conversation with energy. People will generally be more willing to buy from someone they enjoy talking to. That said, recognize when a customer doesn't seem to be receptive to your tone. Try other tones (serious, analytical, apologetic, etc.) until you find one that seems to work.
Jogler Continued Training Experience Module 001 Completed!