Temperature Sensor Reasonability Check Using Tank Level Correlation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing procedures for reasonability checks of temperature sensors in HWL tanks require additional hardware, such as a second temperature sensor, making them costly and inefficient.
Innovation Solution
Utilizing the existing tank level sensor to perform a reasonability check of the tank temperature sensor signal, eliminating the need for additional hardware by correlating tank level and temperature sensor signals within default limits, and employing pressure buildup to detect sensor failures.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a second temperature sensor is provided for reasonability check, then the reliability of temperature sensor monitoring is improved, but the device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The tank level sensor is made multi-functional by using it not only for determining tank filling level but also for controlling and verifying the temperature sensor signal. The control unit compares the level sensor signal with expected temperature profiles based on filling level, enabling reasonability check without additional hardware.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs self-verification by using its existing sensors (level sensor) to monitor and validate the functionality of another sensor (temperature sensor). The control unit analyzes whether the temperature sensor signal behaves reasonably according to the detected filling level, allowing the system to detect sensor failures without external verification equipment.
2Reliability
If a second temperature sensor is provided for reasonability check, then the manipulation detection capability is improved, but the manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The existing level sensor is utilized for dual purposes: tank level monitoring and temperature sensor verification. By analyzing the correlation between filling level and temperature sensor readings, the system can detect manipulations or malfunctions without requiring expensive additional sensors or complex verification systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The control unit acts as an intermediary that processes signals from the level sensor and uses this information to evaluate the plausibility of temperature sensor readings. This indirect verification method provides manipulation detection capability without direct physical intervention or additional sensing hardware.
3Measurement precision
If additional hardware is used for sensor verification, then the measurement precision of sensor functionality is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The control unit continuously monitors the relationship between tank filling level (from level sensor) and temperature sensor readings. It provides feedback by comparing actual temperature measurements with expected temperature profiles corresponding to different filling levels, thereby verifying temperature sensor functionality with high precision using only existing sensors and computational analysis.
Data Source
AI summary
A procedure for a reasonability check of the signal of a temperature sensor that is arranged in a reducing tank, in particular a HWL-tank, is thereby characterized, in that the tank level is detected by a tank level sensor that is arranged almost at the same filling level position as the temperature sensor, in that the tank level sensor signal is compared to the temperature sensor signal and then, if default tank level sensor signals correlate within default limits with default temperature sensor signal values, a functioning temperature sensor and/or a functioning tank level sensor are indicated.