Communications – electrical: acoustic wave systems and devices – Signal transducers
Patent
1988-12-13
1990-03-27
Jordan, Charles T.
Communications, electrical: acoustic wave systems and devices
Signal transducers
367104, 73290V, 340612, 340621, G01F 2328
Patent
active
049126865
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to sensor apparatus.
More particularly the invention relates to sensor apparatus suitable for use in a system for detecting sludge in a tank, particularly storage tanks for oil or oil tanker ballast.
2. Description of Related Art
A sensor apparatus for such an application is often required to operate in a hazardous environment so that it is necessary that electrical components of the sensor be isolated from the environment without impairing the performance of the sensor.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide a sensor apparatus meeting these requirements.
According to the present invention a sensor apparatus for use in a system for detecting sludge in a tank comprises: a housing adapted to be supported within the tank and including a part in the form of a sonar dome of part-spherical form filled with a liquid; and a sonar receiving and transmitting transducer disposed within said housing and having an effective acoustic centre which is substantially coincident with the centre of curvature of said sonar dome.
Preferably said apparatus further includes means within said housing for angularly moving said transducer about two orthogonal axes which intersect substantially at said centre of curvature. In one particular such arrangement one of said two orthogonal axes is defined by a shaft disposed with its axis coincident with said one axis and arranged for rotation about its axis, and said transducer is carried on a member mounted on said shaft at one end thereof and arranged for rotation about the other one of said two orthogonal axes.
Said sonar dome is suitably of hemispherical form.
Normally said sonar dome part is arranged to constitute a lower part of said housing when the apparatus is supported within the tank.
An apparatus according to the invention is suitably adapted to be supported within the tank from a roof part of the tank. To this end an apparatus according to the invention is suitably adapted for support within the tank by means of a tubular member adapted to be secured at one end to the roof of the tank with a part of the housing of the apparatus received within the other end of the tubular member and said sonar dome projecting downwardly therefrom.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
One system for detecting sludge in a tank incorporating a sensor apparatus in accordance with the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
FIG. 1 is a pictorial representation showing the tank with a portion of the wall thereof broken away and the sensor apparatus supported from the roof thereof; and
FIG. 2 is an exploded pictorial view of the sensor apparatus and related support structure therefor.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Referring to FIG. 2 of the drawings the apparatus 1 is supported within a storage tank 3 from the centre of the roof 5 thereof at the lower end of a tube 7 so as to lie, when the tank is full, below the level of the material stored in the tank. Referring now also to FIG. 1, the tube 7, which is typically of diameter 20 centimeters and length 3 meters, is secured to the tank roof 5, with its axis vertical, by a flange 9 external of the roof 5. Surmounting the flange 9 and secured thereto there is a flameproof housing 11 containing electronics (not shown) for the sensor apparatus 1.
The sensor apparatus 1 comprises a housing 13 having a lower part comprising a hemispherical sonar dome 15 and an upper part comprising an inverted dish-shaped member 17 having in its base a central aperture 19 and having a rim portion 21 adapted to sit in a circumferentially extending rebate 23 formed around the inner marginal surface of an equatorial flange 25 of the dome 15.
The housing 13 is secured to the bottom end of the tube 7 by means of bolts (not shown) passing through holes in the flange 25 of the dome 15 and corresponding holes in a flange 27 at the bottom of the tube 7, the dish-shaped member 17 b
REFERENCES:
patent: 2452068 (1948-10-01), Peterson
patent: 3039077 (1962-06-01), Lasky et al.
patent: 3553638 (1971-01-01), Sublett
patent: 4000650 (1977-01-01), Snyder
patent: 4355536 (1982-10-01), McShane et al.
Eldred J. Woodrow
GEC--Marconi Limited
Jordan Charles T.
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