Potential separation for filling level radar

• US 20070188396A1
• Filed: 07/31/2006
• Published: 08/16/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/04/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: VEGA Grieshaber KG (Grieshaber Verwaltungsgesellschaft mbH)
• Original Assignee: VEGA Grieshaber KG (Grieshaber Verwaltungsgesellschaft mbH)
• Inventors: Schultheiss, Daniel, Fehrenbach, Josef, Griessbaum, Karl
• Application Number:
  US11/496,592
• Publication Number:
  US 20070188396A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 343/786
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 23/284 Electromagnetic waves
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/88 Radar or analogous systems specially adapted for specific applications electromagnetic prospecting or detecting of objects, e.g. near-field detection, G01V3/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/03 Details of HF subsystems specially adapted therefor, e.g. common to transmitter and receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/1207 for fastening a rigid aerial element
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/225 used in level-measurement devices, e.g. for level gauge measurement
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 19/08 for modifying the radiation pattern of a radiating horn in which it is located corrugated horns H01Q13/0208; producing a circular polarisation H01Q13/0241

Abstract

For safety reasons the potential of an electrical supply line of a radar sensor should be separate from the potential of the filling level container. An arrangement for potential separation for a filling level radar includes a separation element for insulating the waveguide from the antenna. The separation element, corresponding to the cross section of the waveguide, is ring shaped. In this way rotatability between the sensor housing and the antenna subassembly is provided without influencing the signal line between the antenna and the waveguide.

Claims

1. A filling level radar with potential separation to determine a filling level in a tank, the filling level radar comprising:

an antenna for transmitting or receiving electromagnetic waves;

a feed device for feeding the electromagnetic waves to the antenna;

a separation element for insulating the feed device from the antenna;

wherein the separation element comprises a recess in a longitudinal direction of the feed device; and

wherein the separation element comprises a region of overlap for overlapping in longitudinal direction at least one of the feed device or the antenna.

2. The filling level radar according to claim 1,

wherein the feed device comprises a first waveguide and a radiation source;

wherein the radiation source is designed to generate the electromagnetic waves; and

wherein the first waveguide is designed to guide the electromagnetic waves from the radiation source to the antenna.

3. The filling level radar according to claim 1,

further comprising a second waveguide that is connected to the antenna;

wherein the separation element is arranged between the first waveguide and the second waveguide.

4. The filling level radar according to claim 3,

wherein a connection between the separation element and the feed device, between the separation element and the second waveguide, or between the separation element and the antenna, is designed such that the feed device is rotatably held relative to the antenna.

5. The filling level radar according to claim 3,

wherein the cross section of the first waveguide differs from that of the second waveguide.

6. The filling level radar according to claim 2,

further comprising a cross-section adaptor between the first waveguide and the antenna or the second waveguide in the region of the separation element;

wherein the first waveguide in relation to the frequency of the signals to be transmitted is monomode-dimensioned;

wherein the second waveguide and/or the antenna are/is multimode-capable;

wherein the cross-section adaptor is dimensioned in such a way that it generates no higher modes or only insignificantly higher modes than a fundamental mode.

7. The filling level radar according to claim 6,

wherein the cross-section adapter and the separation element are designed in the form of a waterproof or gasproof connection between the first waveguide and the second waveguide or between the first waveguide and the antenna.

8. The filling level radar according to claim 1,

wherein the antenna is designed as a horn antenna, parabolic antenna or bar antenna.

9. The filling level radar according to claim 1,

wherein the waveguide is designed as a round waveguide or a rectangular waveguide.

10. The filling level radar according to claim 3,

wherein a region of overlap is provided between the first waveguide and the second waveguide;

wherein the first waveguide is insulated from the second waveguide in the region of overlap by means of the separation element;

wherein the feed device and the antenna are designed to transmit a signal with a wavelength of λ

; and

wherein in the region of overlap there is a gap which is approximately λ

/4 in length.

11. The filling level radar according to claim 1,

wherein the connection between the separation element and the feed device, between the separation element and the second waveguide, or between the separation element and the antenna, is constructed in the form of a plug-type connection so that the feed device can be unplugged from the antenna or from the second waveguide.

12. The filling level radar according to claim 1,

wherein the separation element is designed for electrically insulating the feed device from the antenna up to a defined voltage.

13. The filling level radar according to claim 1,

wherein the separation element is designed for thermally insulating the feed device from the antenna.

14. The filling level radar according to claim 1,

wherein the separation element comprises a dielectric.

15. The filling level radar according to claim 14,

wherein the separation element is designed as a dielectric barrier that comprises a layer of rigid dielectric material.

16. An antenna for transmitting or receiving electromagnetic waves;

wherein the antenna comprises a separation element to insulate the antenna from a feed device;

wherein the feed device is designed to feed the electromagnetic waves to the antenna;

wherein the separation element comprises a recess in longitudinal direction of the waveguide; and

wherein the separation element comprises a region of overlap for overlapping in longitudinal direction at least the feed device or the antenna.

17. The antenna according to claim 16,

wherein the feed device comprises a first waveguide and a radiation source;

wherein the radiation source is designed to generate the electromagnetic waves; and

wherein the first waveguide is designed to guide the electromagnetic waves from the radiation source to the antenna.

18. The antenna according to claim 16,

further comprising a second waveguide that is connected to the antenna;

wherein the separation element is arranged between the first waveguide and the second waveguide.

19. The antenna according to claim 16,

wherein a connection between the separation element and the feed device, or between the separation element and the antenna, is designed such that the first waveguide is rotatably held relative to the antenna.

20. The antenna according to claim 16,

further comprising a cross-section adaptor between the first waveguide and the second waveguide and/or the antenna in the region of the separation element, wherein the first waveguide in relation to the frequency of the signals to be transmitted is monomode-dimensioned;

wherein the second waveguide and/or the antenna are/is multimode-capable;

wherein the cross-section adaptor is dimensioned in such a way that it generates no higher modes or only insignificantly higher modes than a fundamental mode.

21. The antenna according to claim 20,

wherein the cross-section adapter and the separation element are designed in the form of a waterproof or gasproof connection between the first waveguide and the second waveguide or between the first waveguide and the antenna.

22. The antenna according to claim 16,

wherein the antenna is designed as a horn antenna, parabolic antenna or bar antenna.

23. A method to determine the filling level in a tank, the method comprising the following steps:

feeding electromagnetic waves to an antenna by way of a feed device;

transmitting or receiving the electromagnetic waves by way of an antenna;

insulating the feed device from the antenna by way of a separation element;

wherein the separation element comprises a recess in longitudinal direction of the feed device; and

wherein the separation element comprises a region of overlap for overlapping in longitudinal direction at least the feed device or the antenna.

24. The method according to claim 23, further comprising the step of:

guiding the electromagnetic waves through a first waveguide of the feed device;

guiding the electromagnetic waves through a second waveguide that is connected to the antenna;

wherein the separation element is arranged between the first waveguide and the second waveguide.

25. The method according to claim 23, further comprising the step of:

cross-section adaptation between the first waveguide and/or the antenna and the first waveguide in the region of the separation element;

wherein the first waveguide in relation to the frequency of the signals to be transmitted is monomode-dimensioned;

wherein at least one of the second waveguide and the antenna is dimensioned so as to be multimode-capable;

wherein the cross-section adaptor is dimensioned in such a way that it generates no higher modes or only insignificantly higher modes than a fundamental mode.