Level Sensor With Pressure Sensors For Fuel Tanks
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing level senders for monitoring liquid levels in tanks face inaccuracies and wear issues due to mechanical components and are affected by hysteresis and corrosion, especially in dynamic fuel systems.
Innovation Solution
A level sender system utilizing a sensor device with primary, reference, and correction pressure sensors, along with a processor, to determine liquid levels based on pressure measurements, eliminating the need for mechanical wipers and resistive arrays, and incorporating inertial-motion sensors for accurate fuel level detection and vehicle inclination compensation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If mechanical wipers and resistive arrays are used in level senders, then the device can monitor liquid levels, but the mechanical components experience wear and hysteresis errors occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical wipers and resistive arrays with a pressure sensor system. The level sender uses a pressure sensor, reference pressure sensor, and correction pressure sensor to measure liquid level through pressure differential, eliminating mechanical contact components that cause wear and hysteresis. This substitution of mechanical systems with sensor-based measurement resolves the contradiction between reliability and device complexity.
2Reliability
If pressure sensors are used to measure liquid level, then mechanical wear is reduced, but hysteresis errors and corrosion issues persist
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a correction pressure sensor as an intermediary element to compensate for hysteresis errors and environmental effects. The correction pressure sensor measures ambient pressure conditions and allows the system to differentiate between actual liquid level changes and pressure-induced measurement variations. This intermediary sensor improves measurement precision while maintaining the non-mechanical advantage of the pressure-based system.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses feedback from the reference pressure sensor and correction pressure sensor to adjust and compensate for measurement errors in the primary pressure sensor. By continuously monitoring environmental pressure conditions and comparing readings across multiple sensors, the system compensates for hysteresis effects and improves overall measurement accuracy without requiring mechanical components.
3Device complexity
If a single pressure sensor is used, then the device is simpler, but it cannot compensate for vehicle inclination or environmental pressure changes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the pressure measurement function into three separate sensors: a primary pressure sensor for liquid level measurement, a reference pressure sensor for environmental pressure monitoring, and a correction pressure sensor for hysteresis compensation. This segmentation allows each sensor to specialize in a specific measurement aspect, enabling the system to compensate for vehicle inclination and environmental pressure changes while maintaining manageable device complexity through modular sensor architecture.
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 system provides more accurate and reliable liquid level monitoring with reduced hysteresis errors and mechanical wear, suitable for dynamic fuel systems, and can compensate for vehicle inclination, enhancing the precision and durability of fuel level determination.
Implementation Method 1
a primary pressure sensor, a reference pressure sensor, and a correction pressure sensor, wherein the board carries the primary, reference and correction pressure sensors
Implementation Method 2
a primary pressure sensor, a reference pressure sensor, and a correction pressure sensor, wherein the board carries the primary, reference and correction pressure sensors
Implementation Method 3
a primary pressure sensor, a reference pressure sensor, and a correction pressure sensor, wherein the board carries the primary, reference and correction pressure sensors
Implementation Method 4
a processor that is coupled to the primary, reference, and correction pressure sensors and is configured to determine a level of liquid within the tank based on pressure measurements within the primary, reference, and correction tubes
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3~4
AI summary
A level sender for a tank includes a sensor device. The sensor device includes a primary pressure sensor, a reference pressure sensor, and a correction pressure sensor. A primary tube at least partially encloses the primary pressure sensor and extends from an upper region of the tank to a lower region of the tank. A reference tube at least partially encloses the reference pressure sensor and extends from the upper region to the lower region. A correction tube at least partially encloses the correction pressure sensor. The correction tube at least partially enclose the correction pressure sensor in the upper region. The sensor device further includes a processor coupled to the primary, reference, and correction pressure sensors to determine a level of liquid within the tank based on pressure measurements within the primary, reference, and correction tubes.