초록 ▼

A radar level gauge arrangement for determining the fill level of a filling material in a tank is disclosed, which arrangement is mounted on a hatch of a tank and/or on a support which is adapted to be mounted on a hatch of a tank. The arrangement comprises a transmitter for transmitting measuring s

A radar level gauge arrangement for determining the fill level of a filling material in a tank is disclosed, which arrangement is mounted on a hatch of a tank and/or on a support which is adapted to be mounted on a hatch of a tank. The arrangement comprises a transmitter for transmitting measuring signals at least along a first axis for determining the fill level of the tank; a receiver for receiving echo signals corresponding to the distance to the surface; a first processing circuitry for receiving the echo signals and to determine a fill level of the tank based on the echo signal; an inclinometer attached to the support and adapted to generate an inclination output corresponding to the inclination relative the surface normal; a second processing circuitry for generating, based on the inclination output, an angular output when there is an angular difference between the first axis and the surface normal. The arrangement also comprises a presenter for communicating information about the angular difference externally of said system, or a communication path for communicating the angular output to said first processing circuitry.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A radar level gauge system for mounting on a hatch of a tank comprising: a housing adapted to be attached to a hatch of a tank, whereby said housing follows a rotational movement of said hatch,a support arranged inside the housing;a transmitter arranged inside the housing, which transmitter is at

1. A radar level gauge system for mounting on a hatch of a tank comprising: a housing adapted to be attached to a hatch of a tank, whereby said housing follows a rotational movement of said hatch,a support arranged inside the housing;a transmitter arranged inside the housing, which transmitter is attached to the support and adapted to transmit measuring signals at least along a first axis for measuring the distance to a surface in a tank,a receiver arranged inside the housing and adapted to receive echo signals corresponding to the distance to the surface in the tank when the first axis is parallel to a normal to the surface,a first processing circuitry arranged inside the housing, adapted to receive the echo signals and to determine a fill level of the tank based on the echo signal,an inclination sensor arranged inside the housing, and attached to the support, whereby said sensor follows a rotational movement of said hatch, and adapted to generate an inclination output corresponding to the inclination of the sensor relative the normal to the surface,a second processing circuitry arranged inside the housing and adapted to receive the inclination output and to generate, based on the inclination output, an angular output when there is an angular difference between the first axis and the normal to the surface, further comprising at least one of:a presenter adapted to receive the angular output from said second processing circuitry and to generate a communication output communicating information, about the angular difference, externally of said system, wherein said system comprises a presenter and said communication output comprises status information, which status information comprises a part indicating the value of a given property of the RLG system, said given property being at least one of: that the hatch is open, the angular velocity by which the hatch has been moved, or the amount of time the hatch has been opened, anda communication path arranged inside said housing, electrically connecting said first processing circuitry and second processing circuitry, and being adapted to receive the angular output from said second processing circuitry and to communicate the angular output to said first processing circuitry, wherein said system comprises a communication path, and said first processing circuitry is adapted to initiating an action based on said angular output, said action being at least one of: automatically adjust the hatch into the proper position, and to reset the distance measurements after the hatch has been open, before measurements of the fill levels are resumed. 2. The radar level gauge system according to claim 1, wherein the inclination output is based on a vector having a number of elements, wherein the number of elements is between 1 and 3. 3. The radar level gauge system according to claim 1, wherein said system comprises a presenter, and said second processing circuitry is further adapted to compare the inclination output to at least one predetermined threshold value, and to generate the angular output based on the result from the comparison of the inclination output and the at least one threshold value, and wherein the presenter is further adapted to issue an alarm based on said angular output. 4. The radar level gauge system according to claim 3, further comprising a data input means for inputting data for adjusting the threshold value. 5. The radar level gauge system according to claim 1, wherein the presenter comprises at least one of a display, a loudspeaker, and an electromagnetic radiation sender. 6. The radar level gauge system according to claim 1, wherein said system comprises a communication path, and said first processing circuitry is adapted to initiating an action based on said angular output, said action being at least one of: discontinue the transmittance of the measuring signals, resetting the measurement of the distance to a surface in a tank and adjusting the value of the determined fill level in the tank. 7. The radar level gauge system according to claim 1, wherein the first processing circuitry and the second processing circuitry are integrated in one common circuit. 8. The radar level gauge system according to claim 1, further comprising a wave guiding structure for guiding the measuring signals in the tank. 9. A radar level gauge system according to claim 1, wherein said radar level gauge system is mounted on a hatch of a tank. 10. A radar level gauge arrangement mounted on a hatch of a tank, said radar level gauge arrangement comprising: a housing attached to a hatch of a tank, whereby said housing follows a rotational movement of said hatch,a transmitter arranged inside the housing, attached to a support and adapted to transmit measuring signals at least along a first axis for measuring the distance to a surface in a tank,a receiver arranged inside the housing and adapted to receive echo signals corresponding to the distance to the surface in the tank when the first axis is parallel to a normal to the surface,a first processing circuitry arranged inside the housing, adapted to receive the echo signals and to determine a fill level of the tank based on the echo signal,an inclination sensor arranged inside the housing, and attached to the support, whereby said sensor follows a rotational movement of said hatch, and adapted to generate an inclination output corresponding to the inclination of the sensor relative the normal to the surface,a second processing circuitry arranged inside the housing and adapted to receive the inclination output and to generate, based on the inclination output, an angular output when there is an angular difference between the first axis and the normal to the surface, further comprising at least one of:a presenter adapted to receive the angular output from said second processing circuit and to generate a communication output communicating information about the angular difference externally of said system, wherein said system comprises a presenter and said communication output comprises status information, which status information comprises a part indicating the value of a given property of the RLG system, said given property being at least one of: that the hatch is open, the angular velocity by which the hatch has been moved, or the amount of time the hatch has been opened, anda communication path arranged inside said housing, electrically connecting said first processing circuitry and second processing circuitry, and being adapted to receive the angular output from said second processing circuit and to communicate the angular output to said first processing circuitry wherein said system comprises a communication path, and said first processing circuitry is adapted to initiating an action based on said angular output, said action being at least one of: automatically adjust the hatch into the proper position, and to reset the distance measurements after the hatch has been open, before measurements of the fill levels are resumed. 11. A method for a radar level gauge system, which system is attached to the hatch of the tank and follows a rotational movement of said hatch, comprising: transmitting measuring signals at least along a first axis for measuring the distance to a surface in a tank,receiving echo signals corresponding to the distance to the surface in the tank when the first axis is parallel to a normal to the surface,determining a fill level of the tank based on the received echo signal,generating an inclination output corresponding to the orientation of the first axis,generating, based on the inclination output, an angular output when there is an angular difference between the first axis and the normal to the surface,further comprising at least one of: communicating information about the angular difference externally of said system, andinitiating an action based on the angular output, which action affects the step of determining a fill level of the tank. 12. The method according to claim 11, comprising initiating an action based on the angular output, and wherein the action comprises at least one of adjusting the determined fill level of the tank based on the angular output, discontinue the transmittance of measuring signals and resetting the measurement of the distance to the surface in the tank. 13. A radar level gauge system for mounting on a hatch of a tank comprising: a housing adapted to be attached to a hatch of a tank, whereby said housing follows a rotational movement of said hatch,a support arranged inside the housing;a transmitter arranged inside the housing, which transmitter is attached to the support and adapted to transmit measuring signals at least along a first axis for measuring the distance to a surface in a tank,a receiver arranged inside the housing and adapted to receive echo signals corresponding to the distance to the surface in the tank when the first axis is parallel to a normal to the surface,a first processing circuitry arranged inside the housing, adapted to receive the echo signals and to determine a fill level of the tank based on the echo signal,an inclination sensor arranged inside the housing, and attached to the support, whereby said sensor follows a rotational movement of said hatch, and adapted to generate an inclination output corresponding to the inclination of the sensor relative the normal to the surface,a second processing circuitry arranged inside the housing and adapted to receive the inclination output and to generate, based on the inclination output, an angular output when there is an angular difference between the first axis and the normal to the surface, further comprising:a communication path arranged inside said housing, electrically connecting said first processing circuitry and second processing circuitry, and being adapted to receive the angular output from said second processing circuitry and to communicate the angular output to said first processing circuitry,wherein said system comprises a presenter adapted to receive the angular output from said second processing circuitry and to generate a communication output which comprises status information, which status information comprises a part indicating the value of a given property of the RLG system, said given property being at least one of: that the hatch is open, the angular velocity by which the hatch has been moved, or the amount of time the hatch has been opened. 14. The radar level gauge system according to claim 13, wherein the inclination output is based on a vector having a number of elements, wherein the number of elements is between 1 and 3. 15. The radar level gauge system according to claim 13, wherein said system comprises a presenter, and said second processing circuitry is further adapted to compare the inclination output to at least one predetermined threshold value, and to generate the angular output based on the result from the comparison of the inclination output and the at least one threshold value, and wherein the presenter is further adapted to issue an alarm based on said angular output. 16. The radar level gauge system according to claim 15, further comprising a data input means for inputting data for adjusting the threshold value. 17. The radar level gauge system according to claim 13, wherein the presenter comprises at least one of a display, a loudspeaker, and an electromagnetic radiation sender. 18. The radar level gauge system according to claim 13, wherein said system comprises a communication path, and said first processing circuitry is adapted to initiating an action based on said angular output, said action being at least one of: discontinue the transmittance of the measuring signals, resetting the measurement of the distance to a surface in a tank and adjusting the value of the determined fill level in the tank. 19. The radar level gauge system according to claim 13, wherein the first processing circuitry and the second processing circuitry are integrated in one common circuit. 20. The radar level gauge arrangement according to claim 13, further comprising a wave guiding structure for guiding the measuring signals in the tank.