RADAR LEVEL GAUGE FOR MEASURING THE VOLUME OF BULK PRODUCTS IN TANKS

Abstract

Radar level gauge for measuring the volume of bulk products in tanks comprises a level sensor, a primary antenna, a microwave module, a software module, an interface converter and a control unit, and further comprises at least two supplementary antennas with microwave modules; two switches that are structurally joined with the primary antenna and the microwave module into a multichannel transceiver module (TRM) having a signal output connected to the level sensor, and a monitoring output connected to input of the control unit, a control input and a channel number selection input of the multichannel MRP being connected to respective outputs of the control unit.

Claims

1. A radar level gauge for measuring the volume of bulk products in tanks, comprising a level sensor, a primary antenna, a microwave module, a software module, an interface converter and a control unit, characterized in that the radar level gauge comprises at least two supplementary antennas with microwave modules; two switches that are structurally joined with the primary antenna and the microwave module into a multichannel transceiver module (TRM) having a signal output connected to the level sensor, and a monitoring output connected to input of the control unit, a control input and a channel number selection input of the multichannel MRP being connected to respective outputs of the control unit.

2. The radar level gauge according to claim 1, characterized in that the multichannel TRM comprises five antennas, five microwave modules and two switches.

3. The radar level gauge according to claim 2, characterized in that all the antennas are enclosed in the multichannel TRM housing and radiating side of the antennas is oriented to the surface being studied.

4. The radar level gauge according to claim 3, characterized in that the supplementary antennas are equidistant from the center of the TRM and spaced apart at the same distance over the circumference.

5. The radar level gauge according to claim 3, characterized in that all the antennas are formed as a set of microstrip radiators and a focusing lens is mounted under each of the microstrip radiators.

6. The radar level gauge according to claim 3, characterized in that the supplementary antennas are mounted at a certain fixed angle with respect to walls of the tank, and radiation of the primary antenna disposed in the center is directed parallel to the tank walls.

7. The radar level gauge according to claim 5, characterized in that the microwave modules are disposed above the focusing lenses at a fixed distance from them.

8. The radar level gauge according to claim 7, characterized in that the microwave module and the focusing lens form an integral structure.

9. The radar level gauge according to claim 7, characterized in that the microwave module is made in the form of a printed circuit board embodying circuitry of the module and the set of microstrip radiators, which form, together with the focusing lens, an antenna.

10. The radar level gauge according to claim 2, characterized in that the switches are accommodated in the housing of the five-channel TRM and mounted on a separate printed circuit board.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0019] The invention is further explained in the description of the preferred embodiment with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0020] FIG. 1 is a structural diagram of a radar level gauge with a multichannel TRM having five channels in the depicted embodiment;

[0021] FIG. 2 is an external side view of a multichannel TRM having five channels;

[0022] FIG. 3 is an external bottom view of a multichannel TRM having five channels;

[0023] FIG. 4 is an external view of a tank with a level sensor mounted therein.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0024] A radar level gauge for measuring the volume of bulk products in tanks comprises a level sensor 1 (FIG. 1), a software module 2 coupled to the sensor 1, an interface converter 3 connected to output of the software module 2. A multichannel transceiver module (TRM) 4 and a control unit 5 are connected to the level sensor 1.

[0025] The multichannel TRM 4 comprises five microwave modules 6-1, 6-2, 6-3, 6-4, 6-5, five antennas 7-1, 7-2, 7-3, 7-4, 7-5 connected to respective microwave modules 6, and two switches 8 and 9. Each microwave module 6 comprises a printed circuit board made of a layered microwave material. A set of microstrip radiators is arranged on the external side of the printed circuit board facing a focusing lens 10 (FIG. 2) and forms, together with the focusing lens 10, an antenna 7. Two switches 8 and 9 are disposed on a printed circuit board 11 accommodated in the multichannel TRM 4.

[0026] The multichannel TRM 4 is enclosed in a metal housing in the form of an open-side cylinder 12 that has a protective screen 13 in the form of a round plate made of radio-transparent material. Supplementary antennas are disposed at distance R (FIG. 3) from the center of the TRM 4 and spaced apart at the same distance over the circumference at an angle of 90° and additionally at an angle a (FIG. 4) with respect to a tank wall 14.

[0027] The angle a determines the position of the radiation pattern of four supplementary antennas 7-2, 7-3, 7-4, 7-5 relative to the tank 14 wall and is calculated based on the geometric data of the particular tank.

[0028] The radar level gauge operates in the following manner. The level sensor 1 mounted on the roof of the tank 14 generates, in cooperation with the control unit 5 and the multichannel TRM 4, a probing signal that is emitted alternately by one of five antennas 7-1, 7-2, 7-3, 7-4, 7-5 in the direction of the surface of the bulk material 15. Signal reflected from the surface of the bulk material 15 returns to the level sensor 1. Frequency of the probing signal is varied in linear fashion over a specified period of time. Probing signal is a frequency modulation of continuous wave (FMCW) signal. Interaction of the probing and reflected signal in one of mixers of the microwave modules 6-1, 6-2, 6-3, 6-4, 6-5 produces a distance signal D whose frequency carries information about the distance to the surface of the bulk material 15 and depends on frequency deviation and duration and propagation speed of the probing signal. The mixer is a standard unit of the microwave module.

[0029] The method for determining the distance with the FMCW (frequency modulation of continuous wave) signal is not the subject of the invention, it is described in detail in numerous sources e.g. in electronic edition of Radar Technology Encyclopedia by D. K. Barton and S. A. Leonov, Artech House (ISBN 0-89006-893-3), pp. 11, 332, and on the applicant's website www.limaco.ru.

[0030] After appropriate processing of the distance signal D in the level sensor 1, the calculated distance value is sent to the software module 2, where the volume of the bulk material 15 is determined based on the entered physical parameters of the reservoir 14. The calculated volume V of the bulk material 15 is transmitted via the interface converter 3 to a computer, controller, etc. for further processing and rendering. The interface converter 3 is designed to couple a standard port, e.g. USB, RS-232, of a device receiving data from the radar level gauge with RS-485 interface of the level sensor 1. For example, the interface converter 3 can be UPort 1150I converter manufactured by Moxa (www.moxa.com).

[0031] Position of the radiation pattern of the multichannel TRM 4 is varied by alternately turning on one of five channels: microwave module 6-1, 6-2, 6-3, 6-4, 6-5—antenna 7-1, 7-2, 7-3, 7-4, 7-5. Channel number is selected by appropriate command sent to the switches 8 and 9 from the control unit 5. The switch 8 is used to select distance signal

[0032] D of the desired channel, and the switch 9 is used to select respective monitoring channel to supply to the control unit 5 a signal whose frequency is proportionally related to the current frequency of the probing signal P of the particular microwave module 6. Monitoring circuit 16, control circuit 17 and data exchange bus 18 are designed to generate probing signal P with linearly varied frequency. Frequency of the probing signal P generated in each channel is controlled through a control circuit 19 that connects the control unit 5 to all the microwave modules 6-1, 6-2, 6-3, 6-4, 6-5 at the same time.

[0033] The above structure of the multichannel TRM 4 determines the fixed number, equal to five, of angular positions of radiation patterns of antennas 7-2, 7-3, 7-4, 7-5 in the interior of the tank 14. Radiation pattern of the primary (central) antenna 7-1 is parallel to walls of the tank 14. Radiation patterns of the other four supplementary antennas 7-2, 7-3, 7-4, 7-5 are directed at fixed angle α, whose value is determined by the geometric dimensions and shape of the tank 14, e.g. diameter, coordinates of the line of transition of cylindrical part of the tank into a conical (FIG. 4).

[0034] The algorithm for determining the volume of bulk materials based on level measurements at five different points ensures more reliable data compared with the conventional single-channel method. The use of an operating frequency of about 130 GHz enables designing a small-size transceiver module 4 with a narrow radiation pattern of antennas 7. In light of this and also due to the absence of any mechanically movable parts, the volume of bulk products in tanks can be accurately and reliably measured even in dusty conditions.

[0035] Calculations and experiments led to the conclusion that increasing the number of supplementary antennas over four would complicate the hardware of the level gauge, increase its size and cost, but without any significant affect on its technical characteristics, i.e. without enhancing the achieved technical effect. On the other hand, decreasing the number of supplementary antennas significantly impairs the reliability of measurements of the volume of bulk products in tanks, i.e. the embodiment with four antennas supplementary to a single primary antenna is optimal in terms of the achieved technical effect/radar level gauge cost ratio.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

[0036] The present radar level gauge for measuring the volume of bulk products in tanks can be used in chemical, mining, construction industries and at the enterprises operating with tanks that are filled with bulk materials. Tests of the level gauge have confirmed its efficiency and advantages over the existing level gauges.