RU104307U1 - ULTRASONIC FLUID LEVEL SENSOR IN THE RESERVOIR - Google Patents

Abstract

 An ultrasonic liquid level sensor in the tank, containing an electro-acoustic transducer located on the outer surface of the bottom of the tank, and a control module including a processor, as well as analog and digital interfaces, the input and output of the electro-acoustic transducer being electrically connected to the output and input of the processor, the outputs of which are connected to inputs of analog and digital interfaces, characterized in that the electro-acoustic transducer additionally includes an electronic angle sensor at whose output is electrically connected to the processor input.

Description

The utility model relates to a control and measuring technique, designed to measure the liquid level in tanks and can be used to measure the fuel level in a fuel tank in order to control fuel consumption and the technical condition of the vehicle. Moreover, the device can be used both autonomously and as part of GLONASS / GPS vehicle monitoring systems as a source of telematics information.

A device for measuring the level of fuel in a fuel tank "float type" (RF patent No. 55973, IPC G01F 23/36, priority date 04/10/2006, published 08/27/2006), installed on an electric gasoline pump. In this device, the movement of the float located on the fuel surface depends on the fuel consumption and is converted through various transmission systems to the movement of the potentiometer brush, the resistance of which is a function of the fuel level in the tank. The disadvantage of the described device is the low reliability of the design during operation and the low accuracy of the measurements.

A device for measuring the fuel level in a fuel tank is known (RF patent No. 68124, IPC G01F 23/00, priority date 06/19/2007, published 10/11/2007), which contains a capacitive sensor, analog-to-digital converter, microprocessor and interface converter. The sensor leads are connected to the input of an analog-to-digital converter, the output of which is connected to the input of the microprocessor. The microprocessor output is connected to the input of the interface converter, the output of which is connected to a single-wire data transmission line to the data collection and transmission unit.

A known ultrasonic device for measuring the liquid level in tanks (RF patent No. 30974, IPC G01F 23/28, priority date: 01/14/2003, published 10.07.2003), containing an electro-acoustic transducer in contact with the outer surface of the bottom of the tank, connected to the first input of the electronic block transmit-receive and analysis of information, as well as a pipe of constant cross-section, placed inside the tank coaxially on the contact surface of the electro-acoustic transducer and having perforation along the entire length. The specified pipe is rigidly connected to the bottom of the tank at the point of contact with the electro-acoustic transducer. This ultrasonic device contains an electronic angle sensor, the output of which is connected to the second input of the electronic unit for transmitting and analyzing information.

Closest to the claimed utility model and selected as a prototype is an ultrasonic fuel level sensor (RF patent No. 90195, IPC G01F 23/00, priority date: 09/08/2009, published 12/27/2009) containing an electro-acoustic transducer located on the outer surface of the bottom reservoir, and a control module, and the electro-acoustic transducer is equipped with ultrasonic and temperature sensors, and the control module includes a processor, as well as analog and digital interfaces, and the outputs of ultrasonic and tempera The sensors are electrically connected to the inputs of the processor, the outputs of which are connected to the inputs of the analog and digital interfaces. Acceptable accuracy of fluid level control using a prototype can only be achieved in fixed tanks. In those cases when it is required to reliably determine the liquid level in the tank during its transportation (for example, the fuel level in the vehicle’s tank while driving), the prototype does not provide the required measurement accuracy.

The disadvantage of the prototype is the low accuracy of measuring the liquid level in the tank during its transportation.

The technical result, which the proposed utility model is aimed at, is to increase the accuracy of measuring the liquid level in the tank during its transportation.

The specified technical result is achieved by the fact that in the proposed device containing an electro-acoustic transducer located on the outer surface of the tank bottom, and a control module including a processor, as well as analog and digital interfaces, the input and output of the electro-acoustic transducer are electrically connected to the output and input of the processor, outputs which are connected to the inputs of the analog and digital interfaces, and the electro-acoustic transducer additionally includes an electronic angle sensor it, whose output is electrically connected to the processor input.

The essence of the claimed utility model is illustrated by drawings.

In figure 1. a functional diagram is shown, which includes an electro-acoustic transducer 1 with an electronic angle sensor 2, as well as a control module 3 containing a processor 4, analog 5 and digital 6 interfaces. The input of the electro-acoustic transducer 1 is connected to the output of the processor 4, and its output is connected to the input of the processor 4. The output of the electronic angle sensor 2 is connected to the input of the processor 4.

On figa, b shows the arrangement of structural elements of the inventive device. The diagram of FIG. 2a shows a tank 7 with a liquid whose surface height H is to be measured 8, as well as an electro-acoustic transducer 1 located on the outer surface of the bottom of the tank 7 and connected to the control module 3. FIG. 2b shows a tank 7 filled with liquid tilted angle α position. On figa, b solid and dashed lines schematically shows, respectively, probing and reflected from the surface 8 of the liquid ultrasonic pulses. It can be seen from Fig.2a, b that with the inclined position of the tank 7, the shortest geometric distance from the electro-acoustic transducer 1 to the liquid surface 8 is less than the distance from the electro-acoustic transducer 1 to the liquid surface 8 with the horizontal position of the tank 7. The magnitude of the decrease in the distance is determined by the angle of inclination of the tank 7.

The inventive device operates as follows. At the command of the processor 4, the electro-acoustic transducer 1 generates acoustic ultrasonic pulses, which through the bottom of the tank 7 penetrate into the liquid filling the tank 7. These ultrasonic pulses propagate in the liquid, reach its surface 8 and partially reflect from it. The reflected acoustic pulses are recorded by the electro-acoustic transducer 1, converted into electrical signals and fed to the input of the processor 4. The processor 4 is equipped with an internal timer, which makes it possible to measure the delay time T of the arrival of the acoustic signal reflected from the liquid surface 8 at the input of the electro-acoustic transducer 1 relative to the radiation moment electro-acoustic transducer 1 of the probing ultrasonic pulse. The liquid level in the tank 7, thus, can be defined as the distance H from the bottom of the tank 7 to the surface of the liquid 8 and is calculated by the formula H = VT / 2cos (α), where V is the speed of sound in the liquid, α is the angle of inclination of the tank 7 relative to the horizon (Fig.2b). It is known that the surface of the liquid remains horizontal at any inclination of the reservoir 7. During transportation of the reservoir 7 in real conditions, it is inevitable that it will incline relative to the horizon, which may be caused, for example, by road irregularities or accelerated traffic. When the tank 7 is inclined, the measured level of the liquid contained in it differs from the real one, and to a lesser extent. To increase the accuracy of measuring the real liquid level according to the calculation, it is necessary to control the current (at the time of measurement) value of the angle of inclination of the tank 7 relative to the horizon. In this device, the value of the specified angle is determined using a pre-calibrated electronic sensor of the angle of inclination 2. The processor 4 of the device calculates the real liquid level in the tank 7, taking into account the data received at its input from the output of the electronic sensor of the angle of inclination 2, and then transmits the calculated level value to the inputs of analog 5 and digital 6 interfaces. From the outputs of these interfaces, data on the liquid level in the tank 7 can be transmitted, for example, via wireless telecommunication channels to a dispatching service that monitors the transportation and technical condition of the transported tanks.

Claims (1)

An ultrasonic liquid level sensor in the tank, containing an electro-acoustic transducer located on the outer surface of the bottom of the tank, and a control module including a processor, as well as analog and digital interfaces, the input and output of the electro-acoustic transducer being electrically connected to the output and input of the processor, the outputs of which are connected to inputs of analog and digital interfaces, characterized in that the electro-acoustic transducer additionally includes an electronic angle sensor at whose output is electrically connected to the processor input.