Hybrid Resistive-Capacitive Fluid Level Sensor
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing fluid level sensing devices for engines, such as gas turbine engines, face challenges in accurately monitoring fluid levels due to various physical and application variables, necessitating improved methods and systems that can handle multiple fluid types and provide redundancy.
Innovation Solution
A hybrid fluid level sensing device with both resistive and capacitive portions, coupled with an engine controller having multiple channels, generates and applies input signals to measure varying outputs from both portions, translating these into fluid levels for accurate monitoring, with redundancy in case of channel failure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a single fluid level sensing device is used, then the device complexity is reduced, but the reliability decreases due to lack of redundancy
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines both resistive and capacitive sensing portions into a single integrated fluid level sensing device. This merging approach provides redundancy through multiple sensing mechanisms while maintaining a unified device structure, thereby improving reliability without proportionally increasing device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The sensing device performs multiple functions by incorporating both resistive and capacitive sensing capabilities. This multi-functionality allows the device to detect fluid levels through different physical principles, providing redundancy and improved reliability while using a single device rather than multiple separate sensors.
2Reliability
If only resistive sensing is used, then the device complexity is reduced, but the reliability decreases due to susceptibility to channel failure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates a capacitive sensing portion as a backup or complementary mechanism to the resistive sensing portion. This beforehand cushioning approach ensures that if the resistive channel fails, the capacitive channel can continue to provide fluid level monitoring, thereby cushioning against the impact of channel failure.
3Adaptability or versatility
If a hybrid resistive-capacitive system is used, then the adaptability to different fluid types is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent utilizes different physical parameters (resistive and capacitive) to detect fluid level across different fluid types. By changing the sensing parameter from purely resistive to a combination of resistive and capacitive, the system adapts to various fluid properties while maintaining a manageable device complexity through integrated design.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The hybrid system provides accurate and redundant fluid level monitoring, capable of handling different fluid types, with the capacitive portion being less susceptible to failures and offering duplex functionality, thus enhancing reliability and efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
measuring a first varying output of the resistive portion of the fluid level sensing device through a first channel of a controller of the engine
Implementation Method 2
measuring a second varying output of the capacitive portion of the fluid level sensing device through a second channel of the controller of the engine
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and systems for sensing a fluid level associated with an engine are described. The method comprises generating an input signal and applying the input signal to a resistive portion and a capacitive portion of a fluid level sensing device, measuring a first varying output of the resistive portion of the fluid level sensing device through a first channel of a controller of the engine, measuring a second varying output of the capacitive portion of the fluid level sensing device through a second channel of the controller of the engine, and translating at least one of the first varying output and the second varying output into a level of fluid and outputting the level of fluid.