System and method in a radar level gauging system

• US 6,828,930 B2
• Filed: 03/21/2003
• Issued: 12/07/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/21/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rosemount Tank Radar AB (Emerson Electric Company)
• Original Assignee: Rosemount Tank Radar AB (Emerson Electric Company)
• Inventors: Hägg, Lennart
• Primary Examiner(s): Gregory, Bernarr E.
• Application Number:
  US10/393,371
• Publication Number:
  US 20040183718A1
• Time in Patent Office: 627 Days
• Field of Search: 324/71.1, 73/645.5, 731/49, 738/61, 738/610--86, 732/90.R, 733/04.R, 733/04.C, 732/90.B, 732/90.V, 342/22, 342/59, 342/118, 342/124, 342/165-175, 342/192-197
• US Class Current: 342/124
• 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

Abstract

The present invention relates to the field of radar level gauging systems, in which a level of a surface of a product stored in a container is measured. The gauging system comprises: a radar level gauge arranged above the surface of the product which is arranged to transmit a microwave signal towards the product surface and receive a reflected microwave signal from the product surface; a calculation unit arranged to determine a measured value of the product level based upon the received signal; means for comparing the measured value of the product level with a predetermined value; and a second level gauge arranged closed to the bottom of the container and arranged to determine the product level when the measured value is below the predetermined value.

Claims

1. A method for measuring a level of a surface of a product stored in a container comprising the steps of:

transmitting a microwave signal towards the product surface using a radar level gauge arranged above the product surface;

receiving in said radar level gauge a microwave signal reflected from the product surface;

determining in a calculation unit a measured value of the product level based upon the received signal;

comparing the measured value of the product level with a predetermined product level value;

determining the product level using a second level gauge arranged close to the bottom of the container when the measured value is below or equal the predetermined product level value.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of measuring by means of the second level gauge a level of an interface between the product and a by-product in the container when the product level is above the predetermined product level value.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of using the dielectric constant of the product and the dielectric constant of air in order to determine the product level.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of determining the product level by means of a capacitive probe which calculates the dielectric constant of the product surrounding the probe.

5. The method according to claim 4, further comprising the steps of calibrating the capacitive probe by

using the dielectric constant of air as a neutral point;

providing by the radar level gauge a value of the length of the probe being immersed in the product;

calculating by means of the capacitive probe the actual value of the dielectric constant; and

using said calculated dielectric constant as a span calibration point corresponding to said length.

6. A radar level gauging system for measuring a level of a surface of a product stored in a container comprising:

a radar level gauge arranged above the surface of the product and arranged to transmit a microwave signal towards the product surface and receive a reflected microwave signal from the product surface;

a calculation unit arranged to determine a measured value of the product level based upon the received signal;

means for comparing the measured value of the product level with a predetermined product level value;

a second level gauge arranged closed to the bottom of the container and arranged to determine the product level when the measured value is below or equal the predetermined product level value.

7. The radar level gauging system according to claim 6, wherein the second level gauge is arranged to measure a level of an interface between the product and a by-product in the container when the product level is above the predetermined product level value.

8. The radar level gauging system according to claim 7, wherein the second level gauge is a capacitive probe arranged to determine the product level by calibration of the capacitive probe from being arranged to measure the interface between the product and a by-product in the container to being arranged to measure the product level and, wherein a neutral point, which is the dielectric constant of air, and a span calibration point, which is a calculated dielectric constant corresponding to a value of the length of the probe being immersed in the product provided by the radar level gauge, is used in the calibration process.

9. The radar level gauging system according to claim 6, wherein the dielectric constant of the product and the dielectric constant of air are arranged to be used in order to determine the product level.