Exemplary embodiments include an apparatus for imaging a volume of material contained inside a vessel. The apparatus includes a plurality of synchronized acoustic sensors positioned at a periphery of an inner volume of the vessel. A processor combines the outputs of the acoustic sensors to identify at least one ambient noise source of the industrial process generating a noise field that illuminates an internal volume of the vessel and to provide an image of the material by temporal and spatial coherent processing of the transmission and reflection of the noise field generated by the noise source.

An apparatus for measuring liquid volume in a container includes a plurality of light sources for emitting electromagnetic radiation (EMR) toward the container, a plurality of sensors optically coupleable to the plurality of light sources, each sensor of the plurality of sensors for detecting the EMR emitted by at least a portion of the plurality of light sources, a temperature sensor for measuring at least one temperature associated with a liquid in the container, and at least one processor for receiving data representative of the portion of the detected EMR from each of the plurality of sensors, comparing the at least one measured temperature to a temperature guideline to identify any temperature events associated with the received data; normalizing the received data based on any temperature events associated with the received data; and converting the normalized data into a signature representative of the EMR detected by the plurality of sensors.

The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for monitoring the water level within a pipe. The present specification discloses a method for monitoring the water level in a pipe, comprising the steps of: transmitting ultrasonic waves generated at a plurality of ultrasonic transducers, which are spaced apart from each other in the outside of the pipe, to the inside of the pipe via a solid contact medium; checking whether echoes corresponding to respective ultrasonic waves are present; and determining the water level on the basis of the presence of the echoes corresponding to the respective ultrasonic waves. The present invention can simply and conveniently install water level monitoring equipment within a pipe on a long term basis using a nondestructive method.

A vibronic sensor for monitoring a flowable medium, comprising: an oscillator to which a medium surrounding the oscillator can be applied; at least one electromechanical transducer for exciting the oscillator to mechanical vibrations in accordance with driver signals and/or for outputting transducer signals that depend on vibrations of the oscillator; an operating and evaluating unit for providing the driver signals for driving the electromechanical transducer, for capturing the transducer signals, and for determining the presence, the density, and/or the viscosity of the medium in accordance with the transducer signals, wherein the operating and evaluating unit is designed to detect whether the medium in the pipe has a flow velocity above a limit value on the basis of time-varying modifications of the transducer signals.

In a device for measuring a fill level of a liquid in a reservoir with an ultrasonic sensor, wherein the ultrasonic sensor is arranged at the bottom end of a damping cup with a measuring tube, wherein electronic components are assigned to the ultrasonic sensor, the electronic components are encapsulated in sealing manner against the liquid that is to be measured between a floor of an electronics installation space and a cover arranged above the floor, so that the electronics installation space forms and encapsulated area. At least one support is provided inside the electronics installation space and connects the cover in force-fitting manner with the electronics installation space.

All interface position determining apparatus includes a transmitter that transmits au acoustic wave from a plurality of positions in an accumulating direction in which impurities contained in a liquid accumulate, from an outside of a wall surrounding the liquid; a receiver that receives the acoustic wave transmitted from the transmitter at a plurality of positions; and a determining unit that determines a position of an interface between a liquid layer and a sludge layer in the accumulating direction based on a condition of the acoustic wave received by the receiver.

The invention relates to a compensation device for the compensation of a phase shift caused a component of an electronic system unit of a vibronic sensor. The compensation device includes a bridging unit for the electrical bridging of at least the electromechanical converter; a signal generator for generating a test excitation signal; a phase detection unit for determining the phase shift between the test excitation signal and a test receive signal that passes through the bridging unit and the component of the electronic system unit; and a computer unit which determines a phase compensation instruction from the first phase shift.

Systems, apparatuses, and methods for evaluation of fluid quality are provided. The system includes a vessel containing a quantity of fluid. At least one sensor is positioned to emit at least one signal into the quantity of fluid. A temperature sensor is configured to sense a temperature of the quantity of fluid. A computerized device is in communication with the at least one sensor and the temperature sensor. The processor of the computerized device calculates at least a fluid identity of the quantity of fluid and determines a quality of the quantity of fluid based on the at least one signal from the at least one sensor and the sensed temperature of the quantity of fluid. The system may have a particular benefit in evaluating dielectric fluid degradation used in liquid cooled centers and other settings.

The acoustic waveguide has a flexible metal rod with a cylindrical waveguide rigidly attached to each end of the same through a conical acoustic concentrator. One cylindrical waveguide is capable of being attached to an electroacoustic transducer and the other cylindrical waveguide is capable of being attached to an acoustic oscillation receiver. The structure provides for the enhanced functional capabilities of the acoustic waveguide by utilizing it in devices operating under conditions of high temperature, radiation, strong electromagnetic interferences and other negative factors.

An apparatus and method for multi-bounce acoustic signal material detection is provided. The apparatus includes a container containing a quantity of material therein, wherein the quantity of material has at least two segmented layers. First and second acoustic sensors are positioned on a sidewall of the container, wherein the first acoustic sensor is positioned at a different height along the sidewall than the second acoustic sensor. An acoustic signal is transmitted into the sidewall of the container from the first acoustic sensor. The acoustic signal reflects between an interior surface of the sidewall and an exterior surface of the sidewall until it is received at the second acoustic sensor. A border between the at least two segmented layers of the quantity of material is detectable based on the acoustic signal.