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Title: Electronic multi-purpose material level sensor

Abstract

The present electronic multi-purpose material level sensor is based on time domain reflectometry (TDR) of very short electrical pulses. Pulses are propagated along a transmission line that is partially immersed in a liquid, powder, or other substance such as grain in a silo. The time difference of the reflections at the start of the transmission line and the air/liquid interface are used to determine levels to better than 0.01 inch. The sensor is essentially independent of circuit element and temperature variations, and can be mass produced at an extremely low price. The transmission line may be a Goubau line, microstrip, coaxial cable, twin lead, CPS or CPW, and may typically be a strip placed along the inside wall of a tank. The reflected pulses also contain information about strata within the liquid such as sludge-build-up at the bottom of an oil tank.

Inventors:
 [1]
  1. Livermore, CA
Issue Date:
Research Org.:
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)
OSTI Identifier:
870854
Patent Number(s):
5609059
Assignee:
Regents of University of California (Oakland, CA)
Patent Classifications (CPCs):
E - FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS E05 - LOCKS E05F - DEVICES FOR MOVING WINGS INTO OPEN OR CLOSED POSITION
E - FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS E05 - LOCKS E05Y - INDEXING SCHEME RELATING TO HINGES OR OTHER SUSPENSION DEVICES FOR DOORS, WINDOWS OR WINGS AND DEVICES FOR MOVING WINGS INTO OPEN OR CLOSED POSITION, CHECKS FOR WINGS AND WING FITTINGS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR, CONCERNED WITH THE FUNCTIONING OF THE WING
DOE Contract Number:  
W-7405-ENG-48
Resource Type:
Patent
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
electronic; multi-purpose; material; level; sensor; based; time; domain; reflectometry; tdr; electrical; pulses; propagated; transmission; line; partially; immersed; liquid; powder; substance; grain; silo; difference; reflections; start; air; interface; determine; levels; 01; inch; essentially; independent; circuit; element; temperature; variations; mass; produced; extremely; price; goubau; microstrip; coaxial; cable; twin; lead; cps; cpw; typically; strip; placed; inside; wall; tank; reflected; contain; information; strata; sludge-build-up; bottom; oil; reflected pulses; material level; domain reflectometry; temperature variations; level sensor; transmission line; coaxial cable; electrical pulses; inside wall; time domain; circuit element; temperature variation; partially immersed; time difference; electrical pulse; reflected pulse; multi-purpose material; liquid interface; mass produced; electronic multi-purpose; /73/342/

Citation Formats

McEwan, Thomas E. Electronic multi-purpose material level sensor. United States: N. p., 1997. Web.
McEwan, Thomas E. Electronic multi-purpose material level sensor. United States.
McEwan, Thomas E. Wed . "Electronic multi-purpose material level sensor". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/870854.
@article{osti_870854,
title = {Electronic multi-purpose material level sensor},
author = {McEwan, Thomas E},
abstractNote = {The present electronic multi-purpose material level sensor is based on time domain reflectometry (TDR) of very short electrical pulses. Pulses are propagated along a transmission line that is partially immersed in a liquid, powder, or other substance such as grain in a silo. The time difference of the reflections at the start of the transmission line and the air/liquid interface are used to determine levels to better than 0.01 inch. The sensor is essentially independent of circuit element and temperature variations, and can be mass produced at an extremely low price. The transmission line may be a Goubau line, microstrip, coaxial cable, twin lead, CPS or CPW, and may typically be a strip placed along the inside wall of a tank. The reflected pulses also contain information about strata within the liquid such as sludge-build-up at the bottom of an oil tank.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Wed Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1997},
month = {Wed Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1997}
}