Optical Liquid Level Sensor with Fiber Bundle Segmentation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing liquid level sensors for tanks and containers, especially those with inflammable liquids, face challenges in providing continuous and precise level measurements without introducing electricity, ensuring safety and crash tolerance, and achieving high resolution without complex or expensive components.
Innovation Solution
An optical liquid level sensor using a multitude of small-diameter optical fibers with support and guidance elements, where light intensity thresholds determine liquid presence, allowing for compact, modular, and crash-worthy design with self-monitoring capabilities.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a conventional optical sensor with glass rod lenses is used, then the sensor can detect liquid level, but it cannot provide continuous measurements of varying levels and is only suited for predefined level detection
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor uses a bundle of individual optical fibers instead of a single glass rod lens, with each fiber acting as an independent sensing element. This segmentation allows continuous level measurement by detecting light transmission through multiple discrete fiber positions along the liquid column, enabling both precise detection and continuous monitoring capability.
2Ease of operation
If electricity is introduced into the tank for sensor operation, then the sensor can function, but it creates safety hazards with inflammable liquids
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces electrical sensing mechanisms with an all-optical fiber system. Light transmission through the optical fibers provides the sensing function without requiring any electrical components inside the tank, eliminating spark hazards while maintaining full sensor operation capability for liquid level detection.
3Reliability
If a robust sensor design is used to withstand crashes, then the sensor meets safety requirements, but it may cause damage to the tank/container
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses flexible optical fibers enclosed in a soft protective sheath that can deform during crashes without transmitting damaging forces to the tank. The flexible construction absorbs impact energy through deformation, protecting both the sensor components and the tank structure from crash-related damage.
4Measurement precision
If high-resolution liquid level sensing is achieved, then precise computation of liquid consumption is possible, but the sensor becomes more complex and expensive
Solution Approach 1:
The optical fiber bundle provides high-resolution measurement by using multiple discrete fiber positions along the liquid column, with each fiber contributing to the overall level measurement. This segmented approach achieves precise liquid level detection and consumption computation through simple light transmission detection, avoiding complex sensor architectures.
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
Enables continuous, high-resolution liquid level sensing without electricity introduction, ensuring safety and crash tolerance, and allowing for precise computation of liquid consumption and self-monitoring.
Implementation Method 1
at least one optical fiber with one input side of it assigned to a light source and reaching from the light source into said container or tank, and at least one output side assigned to the light detector and reaching from inside said container or tank to the light detector
Implementation Method 2
optical fiber with one input side of it assigned to a light source and reaching from the light source into said container or tank
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
Figure 4~5(b)
AI summary
The invention is related to an optical level sensor (1) for detection of liquid levels, said sensor (1) being mounted to a container or tank (9) comprising: a light source (2), a light detector (5) with a processing unit (6), and optical fibers (3), said fibres (3) comprising at least one input side (3.3) of the optical fibre, assigned to the light source (2) and reaching from the light source (2) into said container or tank (9), and at least one output side (3.4) of the optical fibre (3), assigned to the processing unit (6) via the light detector (5) and reaching from inside said container or tank (9) to the light source (2). A fibre collecting tube (12) is provided with support and guidance elements (4) which collect and guide all of the optical fibres (3, 3.3, 3.4) to different heights of the tank/container (9), each optical fiber (3) sensing a different liquid level.