Bubble level meter and related method
First Claim
1. A bubble level meter, comprising:
- a pneumatic tube submersible in part and having opposite lower and upper openings;
a gas generator connected to the upper opening of the pneumatic tube;
a pressure sensor connected to the upper opening of the pneumatic tube in order to measure a pressure in the pneumatic tube;
a deflection valve interposed along the pneumatic tube above and at a predetermined distance from the lower opening, the deflection valve having a port for communication with an external liquid milieu in which a submerged portion of the pneumatic tube is located, and closed and open positions wherein the upper opening of the pneumatic tube communicates respectively with the lower opening of the pneumatic tube and the port of the deflection valve; and
a control circuit connected to the gas generator, the pressure sensor and the deflection valve, the control circuit being configured for;
processing pressure measurements obtained from the pressure sensor;
controlling the deflection valve and the gas generator as a function of preset settings;
verifying a calibration coefficient of the pressure sensor as a function of the pressure measurements obtained from the pressure sensor when the deflection valve is alternately in closed position and in open position, and as a function of the distance between the lower opening of the pneumatic tube and the port of the deflection valve; and
generating level data as a function of the processed pressure measurements and the calibration coefficient.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The invention concerns bubble level meter having a pneumatic tube connected to a gas generator and to a pressure sensor. A deflecting valve is interposed along the pneumatic tube, for deflecting the air outlet at a predetermined height from the usual lower outlet of the tube. A control circuit controls the deflecting valve and the gas generator based on predetermined set values, processes the pressure measurements obtained from the pressure sensor, checks the calibration of the sensor on the basis of the measurements and the differences in height between the tube outlet, and generates level data based on the processed pressure measurements and a calibrating coefficient. Another valve interposed between the sensor and the tube and monitored by the circuit control, enables to take into account the possible drift of the sensor.
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Citations
16 Claims
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1. A bubble level meter, comprising:
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a pneumatic tube submersible in part and having opposite lower and upper openings;
a gas generator connected to the upper opening of the pneumatic tube;
a pressure sensor connected to the upper opening of the pneumatic tube in order to measure a pressure in the pneumatic tube;
a deflection valve interposed along the pneumatic tube above and at a predetermined distance from the lower opening, the deflection valve having a port for communication with an external liquid milieu in which a submerged portion of the pneumatic tube is located, and closed and open positions wherein the upper opening of the pneumatic tube communicates respectively with the lower opening of the pneumatic tube and the port of the deflection valve; and
a control circuit connected to the gas generator, the pressure sensor and the deflection valve, the control circuit being configured for;
processing pressure measurements obtained from the pressure sensor;
controlling the deflection valve and the gas generator as a function of preset settings;
verifying a calibration coefficient of the pressure sensor as a function of the pressure measurements obtained from the pressure sensor when the deflection valve is alternately in closed position and in open position, and as a function of the distance between the lower opening of the pneumatic tube and the port of the deflection valve; and
generating level data as a function of the processed pressure measurements and the calibration coefficient. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method for improving pressure measurements in a bubble level meter comprising a pneumatic tube submersible in part having opposite lower and upper openings, a gas generator connected to the upper opening of the pneumatic tube, a pressure sensor connected to the upper opening of the pneumatic tube, and a control circuit connected to the gas generator and the pressure sensor and configured for processing measurements obtained from the pressure sensor and generating level data as a function of the processed measurements, the method comprising:
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interposing a deflection valve along the pneumatic tube above and at a predetermined distance from the lower opening, the deflection valve having a port for communication with an external liquid milieu in which a submerged portion of the pneumatic tube is located, and closed and open positions wherein the upper opening of the pneumatic tube communicates respectively with the lower opening of the pneumatic tube and the port of the deflection valve;
connecting the deflection valve to the control circuit; and
configuring the control circuit for;
controlling the deflection valve as a function of preset settings;
verifying a calibration coefficient of the pressure sensor as a function of pressure measurements obtained from the pressure sensor when the deflection valve is alternately in closed position and in open position, and as a function of the distance between the lower opening of the pneumatic tube and the port of the deflection valve; and
generating the level data as a function of the calibration coefficient. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16)
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Specification