In cement processing, mixing/batching, food processing, oil and gas, and agriculture, precision isn’t just nice to have — it’s a must-have. Whether you’re managing bulk materials, ensuring safe operations or optimizing processes, tank load cells are the technology behind accurate real-time measurement.
Tank load cells are a key component of tank weighing systems, helping businesses achieve better inventory tracking, process monitoring, and operational efficiency. But how exactly do these systems work? And why are they so important for your business?
In this blog, we’ll break down the basics of tank load cells, explain why they’re important, and show you how they can benefit your business.
What are Tank Load Cells?
Tank load cells are highly specialized sensors that measure the weight of the material inside tanks, silos, hoppers or other large containers. They are part of tank weighing systems used across many industries such as food and beverage, agriculture, pharmaceuticals and chemicals.
Tank load cells work by converting the force of the weight into an electrical signal that can be measured and monitored. The signal is then processed to calculate the exact weight of the material in the tank. There are different types of load cells used in tank weighing, compression and tension load cells depending on the application.
Key Features of Tank Load Cells
- High Accuracy: Tank load cells measure weight accurately so you can track your materials.
- Durable: Built to withstand industrial environments, extreme temperatures, vibrations and corrosive substances.
- Real-time Monitoring: They allow real-time weight monitoring for applications that require it.
Tank load cells can be customized to fit any tank size, load capacity and environmental conditions that are required for your application.
What Are Tank Weighing Systems?
Tank weighing systems use load cells—transducers that convert mechanical force into electrical signals—to measure the weight of a tank’s contents. These are integrated with mounting hardware, junction boxes and weight indicators to give real-time weight measurements.
Advantages of Tank Weighing Systems
- Accuracy: Gives you precise measurements regardless of material properties or tank shape.
- Versatility: Suitable for various tank sizes and materials, including aggressive or non-free-flowing substances.
- Safety: Prevents overfilling and ensures safe loading practices.
Why Tank Weighing Systems Need Weigh Modules
Traditional tank weighing systems are limited by the complexity and inflexibility of their mounting. This is where weigh modules come in, a complete assembly offering flexibility, safety, and increased accuracy.
Benefits of Weigh Modules
- Built-In Safety Features: Weigh modules often come with built-in overload protection, side load compensation and anti-lift mechanisms to keep the system secure even in environments with vibration or movement.
- Increased Accuracy: Weigh modules are often used with NTEP/OIML certified load cells to achieve legal for trade accuracy and certification.
- Easier Installation: With self-aligning mounts and integrated guides, weigh modules simplify the setup, saving you time and reducing the risk of mistakes.
Real-Life Example of a Weigh Module
Imagine a brewery that needs to weigh large fermentation tanks. By using advanced weigh modules, the brewery can install and calibrate quickly and get accurate readings even as the tank expands and contracts with temperature changes.
Components of Massload’s Tank Weighing Solutions
Load Cells
Massload offers a range of load cells, compression, and tension types designed for harsh industrial environments. Our load cells are manufactured and calibrated in-house through our VCAP-certified Quality Management System to ensure high quality and reliability.
Weigh Modules
Our weigh modules combine load cells with mounting hardware to give you a complete solution for converting tanks, hoppers or silos into scales. They have built-in safety features to handle side loads and prevent lifting to keep the system stable and accurate.
How to Choose the Right Load Cells for Tank Weighing Systems
The key to a successful tank weighing system is the right selection and sizing. Here’s what to consider:
- Capacity and Overload Margin: Always choose load cells with a capacity that’s 20-30% more than the combined weight of the tank and maximum contents. This margin accounts for dynamic forces like agitation, filling and mixing, ensuring your system remains accurate under variable conditions.
- Environmental Factors: Is your tank outside? Will it be exposed to extreme temperatures or humidity? Choose load cells that are temperature-compensated and made from corrosion-resistant materials like stainless steel.
- Application Specific Needs: Different industries have different challenges. For example, the food and beverage industry often requires hermetically sealed load cells to maintain hygiene and prevent contamination. Assess your specific needs to choose load cells that are tailored to your industry.
- Innovative Solutions: Consider using digital load cells with built-in temperature and tilt compensation, which can give you much better accuracy, especially in environments where conditions change.
How to Install and Calibrate Tank Weighing Load Cells
Things to consider when implementing tank weighing systems:
- Capacity Selection: Choose load cells with a capacity of 20% more than the combined weight of the tank and maximum contents to account for dynamic forces and overloads.
- Environmental Factors: Consider wind, seismic activity and temperature fluctuations that can affect accuracy and safety. For outdoor installations, choose load cells with higher capacity ratings to withstand environmental stresses.
- Installation and Calibration: Install load cells on a flat surface and ensure all cells are on the same horizontal plane. Calibrate regularly to maintain accuracy over time.
- Installation is key to getting reliable readings from your tank weighing load cells. Here are some top tips:
- Flat and Level Surface: Install load cells on a stable level surface to prevent misalignment and uneven loading.
- Even Load Distribution: For tanks with multiple load cells ensure each cell carries an equal share of the load. This may require adjustable height weigh modules or physical shimming. Uneven loading can cause inaccurate readings and wear out the load cells faster.
- Calibrate Regularly: Don’t neglect calibration. Check and recalibrate your system regularly to maintain long term accuracy and reliability.
Pro Tip: Hire a professional company to calibrate your system. It may seem like more work and money at first, but it can save you a lot of time and headaches in the long run. A weighing system is only as good as its calibration.
Common Pitfalls to Avoid in Tank Load Cells
Even the best-designed systems can fail if not used correctly. Here’s what to watch out for:
- Ignoring Dynamic Forces: Activities like filling, mixing or agitation can introduce extra forces that aren’t part of the actual weight. Use load cells designed for dynamic applications to avoid inaccuracies.
- Neglecting Environmental Changes: Temperature changes can cause tank expansion, affecting weight readings. Temperature-compensated load cells and protective enclosures can help mitigate these effects.
- Overloading the System: Overloading the load cell is one of the fastest ways to break the system. Implement overload protection and monitor capacity regularly to avoid costly repairs.
- Locking Mechanisms for Mobile Systems: Mobile systems may experience shock loading during transportation. It is essential that the load cell system includes a locking mechanism to ensure the load cells do not experience dynamic overloading.
Why Choose Tank Weighing Systems Over Traditional Measurement Methods?
Tank weighing systems have several advantages over level sensors or flow meters:
- Precision: Measures the actual mass of the contents, unaffected by temperature, density or tank shape.
- Versatility: For tanks, hoppers, silos and vessels of all sizes and materials.
- Safety and Efficiency: Prevent overloading, reduce the risk of accidents, and get real-time inventory data for better process control.
Discover How Tank Load Cells Can Transform Your Industrial Weighing Systems
Tank load cells are more than just measurement tools—they are an integral part of modern process control.
Whether you’re handling delicate materials in food production, or monitoring chemicals in oil and gas applications, a well-implemented tank weighing system can save time, reduce waste, and boost efficiency.
With over four decades of experience, Massload Technologies is Canada’s only VCAP-certified load cell manufacturer.
Our commitment to quality and innovation ensures that our tank weighing load cells meet the highest industry standards, providing reliable and accurate measurements for your operations.
For more information on how we can help design a tank weighing system for your application, please visit our website or contact us directly.
