초록 ▼

A method and apparatus for sensing levels of insoluble fluids within a storage vessel utilizing an array of main capacitive sensors having differing geometries. The array of main capacitive sensors gives the ability to measure the levels of insoluble liquids in a vessel. Each of the main capacitive

A method and apparatus for sensing levels of insoluble fluids within a storage vessel utilizing an array of main capacitive sensors having differing geometries. The array of main capacitive sensors gives the ability to measure the levels of insoluble liquids in a vessel. Each of the main capacitive sensors include at least one pair of conductive plates capable of submersion in the at least two insoluble fluids, and the geometries of the pair of conductive plates differ and are distinct, such as in distance or in width, in each of the main capacitive sensors. In addition, the apparatus and method may include at least one reference sensor placed intermittently along the height of the vessel to provide input as to the permittivities of the insoluble fluids.

대표청구항 ▼

1. An apparatus for measuring discrete heights of at least two insoluble fluids, said apparatus comprising: at least two main capacitive sensors having distinct geometries; andwherein said geometries of said sensors satisfy the following equation: CA=ɛ0⁢ɛa⁢∫0za⁢wA⁡(x,y,z)⁢⁢ⅆz[∫0za⁢dA⁡(x,y,z)⁢⁢ⅆzza]+

1. An apparatus for measuring discrete heights of at least two insoluble fluids, said apparatus comprising: at least two main capacitive sensors having distinct geometries; andwherein said geometries of said sensors satisfy the following equation: CA=ɛ0⁢ɛa⁢∫0za⁢wA⁡(x,y,z)⁢⁢ⅆz[∫0za⁢dA⁡(x,y,z)⁢⁢ⅆzza]+ɛ0⁢ɛb⁢∫zazb⁢wA⁡(x,y,z)⁢⁢ⅆz[∫zazb⁢dA⁡(x,y,z)⁢⁢ⅆzzb-za]⁢⁢…⁢⁢ɛ0⁢ɛn⁢∫zn-1zn⁢wA⁡(x,y,z)⁢⁢ⅆz[∫zn-1zn⁢dA⁡(x,y,z)⁢⁢ⅆzzn-zn-1]CB=ɛ0⁢ɛa⁢∫0za⁢wB⁡(x,y,z)⁢⁢ⅆz[∫0za⁢dB⁡(x,y,z)⁢⁢ⅆzza]+ɛ0⁢ɛb⁢∫zazb⁢wB⁡(x,y,z)⁢⁢ⅆz[∫zazb⁢dB⁡(x,y,z)⁢⁢ⅆzzb-za]⁢⁢…⁢⁢ɛ0⁢ɛn⁢∫zn-1zn⁢wB⁡(x,y,z)⁢⁢ⅆz[∫zn-1zn⁢dB⁡(x,y,z)⁢⁢ⅆzzn-zn-1]CN=ɛ0⁢ɛa⁢∫0za⁢wN⁡(x,y,z)⁢⁢ⅆz[∫0za⁢dN⁡(x,y,z)⁢⁢ⅆzza]+ɛ0⁢ɛb⁢∫zazb⁢wN⁡(x,y,z)⁢⁢ⅆz[∫zazb⁢dN⁡(x,y,z)⁢⁢ⅆzzb-za]⁢⁢…⁢⁢ɛ0⁢ɛn⁢∫zn-1zn⁢wN⁡(x,y,z)⁢⁢ⅆz[∫zn-1zn⁢dN⁡(x,y,z)⁢⁢ⅆzzn-zn-1] provided the following constraints are true: N>=n AND(wA(x,y,z)≠C* wB(x,y,z)≠ . . . ≠D*wN(x,y,z) for all real C, D AND/OR dA(x,y,z)≠F*dB(x,y,z)≠ . . . ≠G*dN(x,y,z) for all real F and G, so that wA(x,y,z), wB(x,y,z), . . . wN(x,y,z) are independent equations, and dA(x,y,z), dB(x,y,z), dN(x,y,z) are independent equations. 2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein each of said main capacitive sensors further comprises a pair of opposing conductive plates capable of submersion in said insoluble fluids. 3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said pair of conductive plates are in substantially vertical alignment. 4. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein each of said conductive plates is constructed of an electrically conductive metal or material. 5. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein each of said conductive plates further comprises a rigid, non-conductive substrate. 6. The apparatus of claim 5 further comprising an insulator at least partially covering said substrate and said conductive plate. 7. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the distance between said pair of conductive plates differs or the width of each of said pair of conductive plates is distinct in each of said main capacitive sensors. 8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said main capacitive sensors are an array of main capacitive sensors having an array of conductive plates. 9. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising electrical circuitry for determining the capacitance of each of said main capacitive sensors. 10. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising at least one reference sensor. 11. A method for measuring discrete heights of at least two insoluble fluids in a vessel, said method comprising the steps of: (a) determining the capacitance of at least two main capacitive sensors, wherein each of said main capacitive sensors comprises at least one pair of opposing conductive plates in said insoluble fluids, wherein the geometries of said pair of conductive plates are distinct between each of said main capacitive sensors; and(b) determining whether the capacitance of a reference sensor is changing over a time frame, if said capacitance changes beyond a threshold capacitance value, concluding said reference sensor is on a fluid interface;(c) determining whether a dielectric value from said reference sensor for each of said insoluble fluids is outside an acceptable range of dielectric values for any of said insoluble fluids, if said derived dielectric value is outside said range of dielectric values, concluding said reference sensor is on a fluid interface and/or said derived dielectric value is erroneous; and(d) determining the discrete height of each of said insoluble fluids utilizing said capacitance and said geometries of said main capacitive sensors and said derived dielectric value of said reference plate. 12. The method of claim 11 wherein said insoluble fluids are selected from the group consisting of crude oil and water, milk and cream or fresh water and brine, inorganic and organic fluids, or polar and non-polar fluids. 13. The method of claim 11 wherein at least one of said insoluble fluids includes air. 14. The method of claim 13 wherein said main capacitive sensors that measure the insoluble fluids that are not air have differing, distinct geometries. 15. The method of claim 11 wherein said step of determining said capacitance of said main capacitive sensors further comprises the steps of: charging each of said main capacitive sensors to a precise voltage;taking a first time measurement from said charging of said main capacitive sensors;allowing said charges of said main capacitive sensors to dissipate through a resistor at a known rate;taking a second time measurement when said voltages of said main capacitive sensors cross a known threshold; andderiving said capacitances of said main capacitive sensors from the difference in said first time measurement and said second time measurement. 16. The method of claim 11 wherein said step of determining said discrete height of each of said insoluble fluids is derived from numerical solutions to the following equations: CA=1d⁢{ɛa⁢za⁡[za⁡(wtop-wbottom)2⁢⁢h+wbottom]+ɛb⁡(zb-za)⁡[(zb+za)⁢(wtop-wbottom)2⁢⁢h+wbottom]+ɛair⁡(h-zb)⁡[(h+zb)⁢(wtop-wbottom)2⁢⁢h+wbottom]}CB=1d⁢{ɛa⁢za⁡[za⁡(wbottom-wtop)2⁢⁢h+wtop]+ɛb⁡(zb-za)⁡[(zb+za)⁢(wbottom-wtop)2⁢⁢h+wtop]+ɛair⁡(h-zb)⁡[(h+zb)⁢(wbottom-wtop)2⁢⁢h+wtop]}orCA=wd⁢(xa⁢ɛa+(xb-xa)⁢ɛb+(h-xb)⁢ɛAIR)CB=w⁡(xa⁢ɛaxa⁡(dtop-dbottom)2⁢⁢h+dbottom+(xb-xa)⁢ɛb(xb+xa)⁢(dtop-dbottom)2⁢⁢h+dbottom+(h-xb)⁢ɛAIR(h+xb)⁢(dtop-dbottom)2⁢⁢h+dbottom) or CA=wd⁢(za+ɛa+(zb-za)⁢ɛb+(h-zb)⁢ɛAIR)CB=w(za⁢ɛaza⁡(dtop-dbottom)2⁢h+dbottom+(zb-za)⁢ɛb(zb+za)⁢(dtop-dbottom)2⁢h+dbottom+(h-zb)⁢ɛAIR(h+zb)⁢(dtop-dbottom)2⁢h+dbottom). 17. The method of claim 16 further comprising the steps of: if said main capacitive sensors show movement of said insoluble fluids and if said capacitive value of said reference sensor is not changing over said time frame, assuming said reference sensor is fully submerged exclusively in one of said insoluble fluids; anddisregarding said derived dielectric value at said reference sensor in said dielectric constant value represented by ∈ in said equations of claim 16: if said derived dielectric value falls outside an acceptable range of dielectrics for any of said insoluble fluids;if erroneous data is gathered such that said reference sensor appears to be in a fluid that is more dense yet above a less dense fluid; orif said derived dielectric value at said reference sensor is changing when neither the temperature of said insoluble fluids nor said capacitance of said main capacitive sensors are changing. 18. The method of claim 16 further comprising the step of: if said reference sensor is not on a fluid interface and/or said derived dielectric value is not erroneous, replacing the dielectric constant value represented by ∈ in the equations of claim 16 with said derived dielectric value when performing said step of determining said discrete height of each of said insoluble fluids. 19. The method of claim 11 wherein said geometries of said conductive plates satisfy the following equation: CA=ɛ0⁢ɛa⁢∫0za⁢wA⁡(x,y,z)⁢⁢ⅆz[∫0za⁢dA⁡(x,y,z)⁢⁢ⅆzza]+ɛ0⁢ɛb⁢∫zazb⁢wA⁡(x,y,z)⁢⁢ⅆz[∫zazb⁢dA⁡(x,y,z)⁢⁢ⅆzzb-za]⁢⁢…⁢⁢ɛ0⁢ɛn⁢∫zn-1zn⁢wA⁡(x,y,z)⁢⁢ⅆz[∫zn-1zn⁢dA⁡(x,y,z)⁢⁢ⅆzzn-zn-1]CB=ɛ0⁢ɛa⁢∫0za⁢wB⁡(x,y,z)⁢⁢ⅆz[∫0za⁢dB⁡(x,y,z)⁢⁢ⅆzza]+ɛ0⁢ɛb⁢∫zazb⁢wB⁡(x,y,z)⁢⁢ⅆz[∫zazb⁢dB⁡(x,y,z)⁢⁢ⅆzzb-za]⁢⁢…⁢⁢ɛ0⁢ɛn⁢∫zn-1zn⁢wB⁡(x,y,z)⁢⁢ⅆz[∫zn-1zn⁢dB⁡(x,y,z)⁢⁢ⅆzzn-zn-1]CN=ɛ0⁢ɛa⁢∫0za⁢wN⁡(x,y,z)⁢⁢ⅆz[∫0za⁢dN⁡(x,y,z)⁢⁢ⅆzza]+ɛ0⁢ɛb⁢∫zazb⁢wN⁡(x,y,z)⁢⁢ⅆz[∫zazb⁢dN⁡(x,y,z)⁢⁢ⅆzzb-za]⁢⁢…⁢⁢ɛ0⁢ɛn⁢∫zn-1zn⁢wN⁡(x,y,z)⁢⁢ⅆz[∫zn-1zn⁢dN⁡(x,y,z)⁢⁢ⅆzzn-zn-1] provided the following constraints are true: N>=n AND (wA(x,y,z)≠C*wB(x,y,z)≠ . . . ≠D*wN,(x,y,z) for all real C, D AND/OR dA(x,y,z)≠F*dB(x,y,z)≠ . . . ≠G*dN(x,y,z) for all real F and G, so that wA(x,y,z), wB(x,y,z), . . . wN(x,y,z) are independent equations, and dA(x,y,z), dB(x,y,z), . . . dN(x,y,z) are independent equations.