Measuring and testing – Liquid level or depth gauge – Immersible electrode type
Reexamination Certificate
2000-06-26
2001-12-25
Williams, Hezron (Department: 2856)
Measuring and testing
Liquid level or depth gauge
Immersible electrode type
C073S29000R, C340S514000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06332358
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to fluid-gauging systems and methods.
Aircraft fuel tanks usually have several probes disposed to measure the height of fuel within the tank at different locations. The probes may be of any conventional kind, such as capacitive or ultrasonic probes. The probes are preferably located in a non-linear fashion, that is so that the locations of no three probes lie on a straight line. In this way, the maximum information can be obtained about the orientation of the surface plane of the fuel. In practice, however, it is not usually possible to locate all probes within a tank so that no three are arranged in a straight line or an almost straight line because of limited availability of fixing points, intrusions into the tank and other factors. The construction of fuel-gauging probes can make them prone to false readings if, for example, there is a blockage of fuel flow into or out of the probe, an accumulation of foam within the probe, adverse thermal stratification conditions, water contamination, damage to the probe or the like. Because of the movement of the fuel surface within the tank, it is not always immediately apparent when a probe is providing a false height reading.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide an alternative fluid-gauging system and method.
According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a fluid-gauging system including a set of at least three substantially colinear probes arranged to provide respective outputs indicative of the height of fluid at three different locations, the system being arranged to extrapolate the height of fluid at a first of the locations from the outputs of probes at the other two locations, and the system being arranged to compare the extrapolated height with the output of the probe at the first location to determine if the probes are performing correctly.
The system preferably includes at least two sets of substantially colinear probes, the two sets having a common probe such that a fault in the common probe can be identified uniquely. The system preferably includes at least one non-colinear set of probes. The system is preferably arranged to provide an output of fluid quantity derived only from those probes identified as functioning incorrectly. The probes may be acoustic gauging probes. The system may be an aircraft fuel-gauging system, the probes being located in an aircraft fuel tank.
According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of fluid-gauging including the steps of receiving outputs from a set of at least three substantially colinear probes, extrapolating the height of fluid at one of the probes from outputs of the other probes, comparing the extrapolated output of the one probe with its actual output to determine whether the probes in the set are functioning correctly.
Outputs may be received from at least two sets of substantially colinear probes having a common probe, the method including the step of identifying a fault in the common probe if a fault is identified in both sets. The method preferably includes the step of providing an output indicative of fluid quantity from only those probes not identified as functioning incorrectly.
An aircraft fuel-gauging system and method according to the present invention, will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4182363 (1980-01-01), Fuller
patent: 4224606 (1980-09-01), Bartles
patent: 4382382 (1983-05-01), Wang
patent: 4908783 (1990-03-01), Maier
patent: 0 289 303 (1988-04-01), None
patent: 0 303 874 (1988-07-01), None
Connolly Bove Lodge & Hutz LLP.
Smiths Group PLC
Williams Hezron
Wilson Katina
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