Phase track system for monitoring fluid material within a container
First Claim
1. A method of monitoring an unknown volume of a fluent material within a container, having a specific resonance frequency at a given volume, which comprises directing acoustical energy at an excitation frequency at or near the Helmholtz resonance frequency of the container into the container, sensing acoustical vibrations emitted therefrom having phase characteristics, and measuring the phase relationship of the acoustical vibrations relative to a reference electrical input, and determining the unknown volume of the fluent material within the container based on the thus measured phase relationship for the excitation frequency utilized.
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Abstract
Acoustical energy is directed into a vessel containing an unknown volume of fluid at a frequency at or near the Helmholtz resonance of the vessel. The signal generated within the vessel is analyzed to compare its phase relationship to an electrical reference input signal. The volume of fluid in the vessel may then be determined from said phase relationship, such as by previous empirical calibration of the vessel.
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Citations
21 Claims
- 1. A method of monitoring an unknown volume of a fluent material within a container, having a specific resonance frequency at a given volume, which comprises directing acoustical energy at an excitation frequency at or near the Helmholtz resonance frequency of the container into the container, sensing acoustical vibrations emitted therefrom having phase characteristics, and measuring the phase relationship of the acoustical vibrations relative to a reference electrical input, and determining the unknown volume of the fluent material within the container based on the thus measured phase relationship for the excitation frequency utilized.
- 9. A system for monitoring the quantity of fluid material within a container having a specified resonance frequency for a given volume, said system comprising means for directing acoustical energy into the container at an excitation frequency at or near the resonance frequency of the container, means operatively mounted on the container for detecting acoustical vibrations having phase characteristics, said acoustical vibrations being emitted from said container while said acoustical energy is directed into said container, comparison means operatively connected to the detecting means for determining the phase relationship of the acoustical vibrations to a reference signal, and data processing means operatively connected to said comparison means for calculating the volume of said fluid material as a function of the registered phase relationship for the excitation frequency utilized.
Specification