EP2764333A1 - Level measurement system and method in a level measurement system - Google Patents
Level measurement system and method in a level measurement systemInfo
- Publication number
- EP2764333A1 EP2764333A1 EP12837900.5A EP12837900A EP2764333A1 EP 2764333 A1 EP2764333 A1 EP 2764333A1 EP 12837900 A EP12837900 A EP 12837900A EP 2764333 A1 EP2764333 A1 EP 2764333A1
- Authority
- EP
- European Patent Office
- Prior art keywords
- level
- signals
- consumption
- containers
- container
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Withdrawn
Links
Classifications
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G01—MEASURING; TESTING
- G01F—MEASURING VOLUME, VOLUME FLOW, MASS FLOW OR LIQUID LEVEL; METERING BY VOLUME
- G01F23/00—Indicating or measuring liquid level or level of fluent solid material, e.g. indicating in terms of volume or indicating by means of an alarm
- G01F23/80—Arrangements for signal processing
- G01F23/802—Particular electronic circuits for digital processing equipment
- G01F23/804—Particular electronic circuits for digital processing equipment containing circuits handling parameters other than liquid level
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G01—MEASURING; TESTING
- G01F—MEASURING VOLUME, VOLUME FLOW, MASS FLOW OR LIQUID LEVEL; METERING BY VOLUME
- G01F25/00—Testing or calibration of apparatus for measuring volume, volume flow or liquid level or for metering by volume
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
- B60K—ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PROPULSION UNITS OR OF TRANSMISSIONS IN VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PLURAL DIVERSE PRIME-MOVERS IN VEHICLES; AUXILIARY DRIVES FOR VEHICLES; INSTRUMENTATION OR DASHBOARDS FOR VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH COOLING, AIR INTAKE, GAS EXHAUST OR FUEL SUPPLY OF PROPULSION UNITS IN VEHICLES
- B60K15/00—Arrangement in connection with fuel supply of combustion engines or other fuel consuming energy converters, e.g. fuel cells; Mounting or construction of fuel tanks
- B60K15/03—Fuel tanks
- B60K2015/0321—Fuel tanks characterised by special sensors, the mounting thereof
- B60K2015/03217—Fuel level sensors
Definitions
- the present invention relates to a level measurement system and a method in a level measurement system according to the preambles of the independent claims.
- Vehicles such as buses, trucks, cars etc. are provided with a plurality of containers which contain liquids and which are connected to various systems on board the vehicle. They may for example contain fuel (diesel fuel, petrol), reducing agent (urea), oil or washer liquid.
- fuel diesel fuel, petrol
- reducing agent urea
- oil or washer liquid may for example contain fuel (diesel fuel, petrol), reducing agent (urea), oil or washer liquid.
- the means currently used to monitor the level of liquid in the containers is a level sensor situated in each container.
- a given liquid volume in a container will give different level indications depending on the vehicle's slope and acceleration, as illustrated schematically in Figures 1 and 2 depicting three different containers (CI, C2, C3) in horizontal positions ( Figure 1) and with the vehicle sloping ( Figure 2).
- These containers are thus equipped with level sensors which measure the level in the respective containers. These levels are designated LI, L2 and L3 for the three containers (see Figure 1).
- the sensors measure the levels as Lli, L2i and L3i in the respective containers, as illustrated in Figure 2.
- the various containers for the liquids which are to be covered by level measurement e.g.
- US patent 4676102 describes a container (e.g. for fuel or gearbox oil) surrounded by an outer casing, with an intermediate space between the tank and the outer casing.
- the intermediate space contains a fixed amount of liquid used as a reference level when the liquid level in the actual tank is to be determined.
- Such a solution certainly caters for the slope of the container when the liquid level is to be determined, but the disadvantage is that it is difficult to implement for existing systems, since it involves placing an outer casing round an existing container, which is technically complicated and also expensive.
- the object of the present invention is to propose improved measurement of liquid levels in containers whereby the slope of the containers is also taken into account and no expensive reconstruction is required, since existing systems can be used. Summary of the invention
- the invention thus uses information about the liquid level in at least two different containers and the consumption from them to determine the slope of the vehicle. On the basis of the slope it is then possible to calculate adjusted level signals which take the slope into account and indicate a correct level for the liquid, i.e. the level at which it would have been if the vehicle was standing on a level surface. Knowing the correct level and the shape of the container makes it possible to calculate the volume of the liquid.
- Figure 1 comprises cross-sections of three containers holding liquids in a horizontal state.
- Figure 2 depicts the containers in Figure 1 when sloping.
- Figure 3 is a block diagram schematically illustrating the present invention.
- Figure 4 is a flowchart illustrating the present invention.
- the level measurement system 2 thus relates to a level measurement system 2 for a vehicle which is adapted to determining the liquid level in at least one of a plurality of containers (CI, C2,...,Cn) containing liquids, e.g. fuel (diesel fuel, petrol), oil or reducing agent.
- CI, C2,...,Cn a plurality of containers
- liquids e.g. fuel (diesel fuel, petrol), oil or reducing agent.
- the vehicle may for example be a truck, a bus or a car but the invention is also applicable to watercraft and generally to movable objects provided with containers for liquids.
- the level measurement system 2 comprises a calculation unit 4 adapted to receiving at least two level signals (LI, L2,...,Ln) from level sensors (SI, S2,...,Sn) situated in different containers each provided with at least one level sensor which delivers level signals representing measured levels in the container.
- LI, L2,...,Ln level signals
- SI, S2,...,Sn level sensors
- the calculation unit is adapted to receiving at least two consumption signals (Ul ,
- U2,...,Un conveying information related to the consumption of liquid from the containers for which said level signals are received.
- the calculation unit is adapted to determining the vehicle's slope, to generating a slope signal 6 based on the at least two level signals (LI , L2,...,Ln) and associated consumption signals (Ul, U2,...,Un) and to determining on the basis of the slope signal and said level sensors (LI, L2,...,Ln) at least one adjusted level signal (LI ', L2',...,Ln').
- the calculation unit is adapted to receiving at least three level signals (LI, L2, L3) representing the level in at least three containers (CI , C2, C3) and to receiving at least three consumption signals (Ul , U2, U3) associated with the level signals.
- the calculation unit is adapted to determining on the basis of the at least three level signals and associated consumption signals the vehicle's slope in three dimensions and to generating therefrom the slope signal 6.
- the calculation unit comprises a memory unit 8 adapted to storing for each of the containers level data which relate to one or more of
- the level sensor In the unusual cases where the level sensor is situated at the container's rotational centre, the level sensor would produce the same output signal irrespective of the container's slope.
- Knowing the predicted consumption of a liquid is particularly important in the case of liquids with very low consumption, e.g. oil.
- the calculation unit is preferably adapted to comparing level signals picked up from the same container at at least two different times (tl , t2), in which case the associated consumption signal will convey information about the consumption of liquid from the container between said times tl and t2.
- the invention comprises also a method in a level measurement system for a vehicle which is adapted to determining the liquid level in at least one of a plurality of containers which contain liquids.
- the method is illustrated schematically by the flowchart in Figure 4.
- the method comprises the steps of
- At least two consumption signals conveying information related to the consumption of liquid from at least two containers for which said level signals are received, - determining the vehicle's slope and generating therefrom a slope signal on the basis of said at least two level signals and associated consumption signals,
- the calculation unit comprises a memory unit adapted to storing for each of the containers level data which represent the level sensor's position in the container relative to the container's rotational centre, information about the change in the liquid level at a given consumption, and predicted changes in the liquid level over time.
- the calculation unit is further adapted to comparing level signals picked up from the same container at different times (tl , t2) and to calculating the difference between them to serve as a measure of consumption.
- the associated consumption signal conveys information about the consumption of liquid from the container between said times tl and t2.
- Container CI contains diesel fuel
- C2 contains motor oil
- C3 contains reducing agent, e.g. AdBlue®.
- At least one level sensor (SI, S2, S3) is situated in each container. These sensors deliver level signals (LI , L2, L3) which convey information about the liquid level in the respective containers.
- the level signals from the sensors at a given time tl are designated Lltl, L2tl and L3tl respectively.
- the level signals picked up at a later time t2 are designated Llt2, L2t2 and L3t2 respectively.
- the consumption signals which convey information about the consumption, or predicted consumption, of liquid from the respective containers between times tl and t2 are designated Ul, U2 and U3.
- the change in the level in container CI will be that expected with regard to consumption of diesel fuel.
- the level of the motor oil in C2 will probably be unchanged, since it changes very little, and the change in the level of the reducing agent in C3 depends on the consumption, which is known.
- the level in container CI When the vehicle is sloping, the level in container CI will not correspond to that expected. In this case a change in the level in C2 may be relevant.
- the fact that the predicted consumption of motor oil is very small makes it possible to calculate the slope of the vehicle by simple trigonometry based on the known position of the level sensor in C2. The slope calculated on the basis of the information from CI and C2 gives the slope in two dimensions.
- the result is a precise measurement of the vehicle's slope in three dimensions.
- an adjusted level signal may be calculated which indicates the correct level, making it possible to calculate a correct volume for the liquid in the container.
Abstract
Description
Claims
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
SE1150917A SE536066C2 (en) | 2011-10-05 | 2011-10-05 | Level measurement system, and method in a level measurement system |
PCT/SE2012/051053 WO2013051996A1 (en) | 2011-10-05 | 2012-10-03 | Level measurement system and method in a level measurement system |
Publications (2)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
EP2764333A1 true EP2764333A1 (en) | 2014-08-13 |
EP2764333A4 EP2764333A4 (en) | 2015-12-02 |
Family
ID=48043992
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
EP12837900.5A Withdrawn EP2764333A4 (en) | 2011-10-05 | 2012-10-03 | Level measurement system and method in a level measurement system |
Country Status (3)
Country | Link |
---|---|
EP (1) | EP2764333A4 (en) |
SE (1) | SE536066C2 (en) |
WO (1) | WO2013051996A1 (en) |
Families Citing this family (3)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
SE538093C2 (en) * | 2013-05-31 | 2016-03-01 | Scania Cv Ab | System and method for level measurement of liquids in mobile unit |
CN104330129A (en) * | 2014-10-22 | 2015-02-04 | 沈阳黎明航空发动机(集团)有限责任公司 | Aeroengine force application main pipe oil cup liquid level measuring system |
DE102018221379A1 (en) * | 2018-12-11 | 2019-12-05 | Zf Friedrichshafen Ag | System for determining an operating condition of a vehicle |
Family Cites Families (7)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
IT1211347B (en) * | 1987-07-31 | 1989-10-18 | Fiat Auto Spa | MEASURING DEVICE FOR THE QUANTITY OF LIQUID CONTAINED IN A TANK |
US5072615A (en) * | 1990-12-17 | 1991-12-17 | Ford Motor Company | Apparatus and method for gauging the amount of fuel in a vehicle fuel tank subject to tilt |
US7024317B1 (en) * | 2004-11-22 | 2006-04-04 | Anthony George | Apparatus and method for fuel measurement and accountability |
FR2907212B1 (en) * | 2006-10-16 | 2008-12-05 | Peugeot Citroen Automobiles Sa | DEVICE AND METHOD FOR CORRECTING THE LEVEL MEASUREMENT OF A LIQUID CONTAINED IN A CONTAINER OF A VEHICLE ACCORDING TO ITS INCLINATION |
US7587939B2 (en) * | 2007-08-31 | 2009-09-15 | Gm Global Technology Operations, Inc. | System and process for monitoring vehicle fuel level |
US8401761B2 (en) * | 2009-07-09 | 2013-03-19 | Ford Global Technologies, Llc | Fuel indicator method |
WO2011048579A2 (en) * | 2009-10-22 | 2011-04-28 | Riverwalk Trading 535 Cc | Fuel monitoring system and method therefor |
-
2011
- 2011-10-05 SE SE1150917A patent/SE536066C2/en not_active IP Right Cessation
-
2012
- 2012-10-03 WO PCT/SE2012/051053 patent/WO2013051996A1/en active Application Filing
- 2012-10-03 EP EP12837900.5A patent/EP2764333A4/en not_active Withdrawn
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
EP2764333A4 (en) | 2015-12-02 |
SE1150917A1 (en) | 2013-04-06 |
SE536066C2 (en) | 2013-04-23 |
WO2013051996A1 (en) | 2013-04-11 |
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Legal Events
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PUAI | Public reference made under article 153(3) epc to a published international application that has entered the european phase |
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DAX | Request for extension of the european patent (deleted) | ||
RA4 | Supplementary search report drawn up and despatched (corrected) |
Effective date: 20151104 |
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RIC1 | Information provided on ipc code assigned before grant |
Ipc: G01F 23/00 20060101AFI20151029BHEP Ipc: G01F 25/00 20060101ALI20151029BHEP |
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17Q | First examination report despatched |
Effective date: 20190923 |
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Free format text: STATUS: THE APPLICATION HAS BEEN WITHDRAWN |
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18W | Application withdrawn |
Effective date: 20191129 |