Ultrasonic fuel quantity gauging system

• US 4,815,323 A
• Filed: 01/09/1987
• Issued: 03/28/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/1985
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: EDO Corporation (ITT, Inc.), PepsiCo Incorporated, Simmonds Precision Products, Inc. (Raytheon Technologies Corporation d/b/a RTX)
• Original Assignee: EDO Corporation (ITT, Inc.), Simmonds Precision Products, Inc. (Raytheon Technologies Corporation d/b/a RTX)
• Inventors: Ellinger, S. Michael, Jones, Howard P.
• Primary Examiner(s): YASICH, DANIEL
• Application Number:
  US07/004,750
• Time in Patent Office: 809 Days
• Field of Search: 73/290 V, 73/291, 73/292, 73/32 A, 374/142, 364/509
• US Class Current: 73/290.00V
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 22/00 Methods or apparatus for measuring volume of fluids or fluent solid material, not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 23/2962 Measuring transit time of reflected waves
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 9/24 by observing the transmission of wave or particle radiation through the material

Abstract

A method of measuring aircraft fuel quantity and density in a fuel container using an ultrasonic transducer; a stillwell liquid fuel; a computer control, an indicator and an altitude sensor. The computer control includes a central processing unit connected to each of the ultrasonic transducers. The altitude sensor is connected to the central processing unit. The indicator means is connected to the central processing unit. The stillwell is supported by the container. Each ultrasonic transducer is supported within the stillwell by the container. The liquid fuel is supported within the container. An ultrasonic signal is transmitted from the transducer within the stillwell. The reflected ulrasonic signal is received by the transducer within the stillwell. The round-trip time period from sending to reciving the signal is measured. The quantity of fuel in the container is determined from the round-trip time period and stored data on the container volume in the central processing unit.

Claims

1. A method of measuring aircraft fuel quantity and density comprising:

(a) providing a fuel container means a stillwell,

an ultrasonic transducer,

a temperature sensor means,

liquid fuel,

a computer control means,

indicator means,

said computer control means comprising a central processing unit and memory means, said memory having container volume and fuel temperature data stored therein,

said central processing unit being connected to each said ultrasonic sensor means, said central processing unit being connected to said temperature sensor means,

said indicator means being connected to said central processing means,

said stillwell being supported by said container means;

said ultrasonic transducer being supported within said stillwell by said container means;

said liquid fuel being supported within said container means;

(b) transmitting an ultrasonic signal from said transducer within said stillwell;

(c) receiving said ultrasonic signal by said transducer within said stillwell;

(d) measuring the round-trip time period from said transmitting to said receiving said signal;

(e) determining the quantity of fuel in said container means from said round-trip time period and said stored data on the container volume in said central processing unit;

(f) determining the density of said fuel from said stored temperature data.

2. A method of measuring the mass of aircraft fuel in an aircraft fuel container, comprising:

providing a fuel container, a stillwell,

an ultrasonic transducer,

a temperature sensor,

liquid fuel,

a computer control,

an indicator,

said computer control comprising a central processing unit and a memory, said memory having container volume and fuel temperature data stored therein,

said central processing unit being connected to each said ultrasonic transducer, said central processing unit being connected to said temperature sensor,

said indicator being connected to said central processing unit,

said stillwell being supported by said container;

said ultrasonic transducer being supported within a stillwell by said container means;

said liquid fuel being supported within said container;

transmitting an ultrasonic signal from said transducer within said stillwell;

receiving said ultrasonic signal by said transducer within said stillwell;

measuring the round-trip time period from said transmitting to said receiving of said signal;

determining the velocity of sound in said fuel;

determining the temperature of said fuel;

determining the density of said fuel from said velocity and said temperature,

determining in said central processing unit the volume of fuel in said container from said round-trip time period and said data on container volume stored in said memory

determining the mass of said fuel from said fuel density and said volume of said fuel.