LIQUID LEVEL GAUGES

Abstract: A liquid level gauge (10) of the Blackburn type, for determining the level of water and/or steam in a boiler, utilises multiple optical fibres (44) to intercept light from sources (36) that passes in a relatively straight path through a cross passage (16) in a body (12) of the gauge (10). Due to the difference in the indices of refraction for steam and water, the optical fibres (44) intercept the light when steam is present in the gauge (10), but do not intercept the light when water is present.

Description: LIQUID LEVEL GAUGES This invention relates to liquid level gauges, for instance gauges for determining the level of water and/or steam in - for instance - a boiler. A significant advancement with respect to gauges for determining a liquid level within a boiler was the bi-colour principle disclosed in the Blackburn US Patents Nos. US-A-2 024 815 and US-A-2 115 899. The basis for this principle is that steam and water have different indices of refraction. By directing light from differently coloured light sources, such as red and green light sources, through a specially formed prismatic gauge tube assembly, the portion of the gauge tube containing steam appears red in colour to the observer while the portion of the gauge tube containing water appears green in colour. Because of these different colours, this type of gauge makes it possible easily to detect whether the gauge glass is full or empty and minimises the possibility that the observer might mistake a gauge full of water for a gauge full of steam, which could lead to disastrous results. Variations of the bi-colour principle disclosed in the foregoing Blackburn patents have been developed and incorporated into other liquid level gauges in order to minimise the possibility of human error with respect to determining the presence and/or the level of steam or water in a gauge glass. These modifications have minimised the possibility of such human error when viewing the gauge, but have not eliminated the possibility of an erroneous reading. Because of the foregoing, it has become desirable to develop a system which greatly reduces or eliminates the possibility of human error in reading a liquid level gauge, particularly (but not exclusively) when determining the level of steam and/or water in a boiler installation. According to the present invention there is provided a liquid level gauge of the Blackburn type, the gauge comprising a body member having front and rear windows and a light refracting fluid passage therethrough connecting the front and rear windows, one or more light sources provided adjacent the rear window, a condensing lens interposed between the one or more light sources and the rear window to direct a beam of light from the one or more light sources through the rear window into the light refracting fluid passage, and a set of optical fibres provided adjacent the front window to intercept the light beam as it exits from the light refracting fluid passage and provide an indication as to the presence or absence of liquid in the light refracting fluid passage. A preferred embodiment of the present invention described in detail below solves or at least alleviates the aforementioned problem associated with the prior art by utilising optical fibres which are positioned to intercept the light that passes in a relatively straight path through a cross passage in the body of the gauge of the Blackburn type. Because of the relatively low index of refraction of steam as compared to that of water, the optical fibres intercept light when steam is present in the body of the gauge, permitting the actuation of a sensing device to indicate the presence of steam. In contrast, when water is present in the body of the gauge, the light is refracted away from the optical fibres, resulting in the sensing device remaining unactuated. Redundant light sources are provided to ensure the presence of light in the cross passage provided in the body of the gauge. Optical fibres are also present adjacent each light source to intercept the light produced by the light sources and thus provide an indication to another sensing device that a light source is illuminated at all times. The invention will now be further described, by way of illustrative and non-limiting example, with reference to the accompanying drawing, the single figure of which is a cross-sectional view of a liquid level gauge embodying the present invention. The single figure of the drawing is a cross-sectional view of a liquid level gauge 10 embodying the invention. It should be noted that the Blackburn principle is adhered to in practicing the present invention. The gauge 10 has a body 12 preferably formed of metal so as to have sufficient strength to withstand the designed pressure. The body 12 has a generally trapezoidal cross-section and has a vertical water passage 14 formed therein. A horizontal cross passage 16 extends through the central portion of the body 12 so as to intersect the axis of the water passage 14 and terminates in counterbored openings 18, 20 provided in front and rear faces 22, 24, respectively, of the body 12. The front counterbored opening 18 is positioned so that its axis is perpendicular to the front face 22 of the body 12, and the rear counterbored opening 20 is positioned so that its axis is perpendicular to the rear face 24 of the body 12. A sealing gasket 26, a mica shield 28 and a port glass 30 are provided in each of the counterbored openings 18, 20 and are retained therein by a front clamping plate 32 and a rear clamping plate 34 which are attached by bolts which engage threaded holes in the front face 22 and the rear face 24, respectively, or by other suitable attachment means. The clamping plates 32, 34 form viewing ports through which the prismatic chamber defined by the internal area between the port glasses 30 can be viewed. The water passage 14 is capable of being connected at its upper end to the steam space located within the upper portion of a steam drum of a boiler, and of being connected at its lower end to the water space within the boiler. In this manner either water or steam will be observed, depending upon the water level within the boiler, when the prismatic chamber is viewed through the viewing ports. A plurality of light sources 36 are located adjacent a rear wall of the gauge 10. An optical condensing lens 38 is interposed between the plurality of light sources 36 and the rear face 24 of the body 12. The condensing lens 38 is utilised to project a columnar beam of light from each of the light sources 36 into the water passage 14 via the rear counterbored opening 20. An optical fibre 40 is positioned adjacent each of the -light sources 36 and passes through the rear wall of the gauge 10 for connection to a sensing device (not shown) which determines whether each of the light sources 36 is illuminated. An optical condensing lens 42 is interposed between the front face 22 of the body 12 and the front wall of the gauge 10, and is utilised to form the light which passes through the horizontal cross passage 16 into a columnar light beam and project the beam against a front wall of the gauge 10. A multiple optical fibre cable 44 is located adjacent the front wall of the gauge 10 and is positioned so as to intercept the beam of light produced by and exiting from the condensing lens 42. The optical fibres 44 pass through the front wall of the gauge 10 and are connected to a sensing device (not shown) which senses whether light is being transmitted through the body 12. This latter sensing device and the former sensing device for the light sources 36 can be located at a location remote from the hostile environment in which the gauge 10 is installed. Inasmuch as steam has a relatively low index of refraction, the light which is directed into the cross passage 16 when steam is present in the water passage 14 will pass in a relative straight path therethrough to the optical fibres 44 which, in turn, cause the sensing device associated therewith to sense that light is being transmitted through the body 12 to the fibres 44 and thus that steam is present in the water passage 14. Conversely, when water is present in the water passage, the light which is directed into the cross passage 16 is refracted laterally because of the greater index of refraction of water. Because of this, the light beam produced by the condensing lens 42 is refracted and does not intercept the optical fibres 44. In this manner, the sensing device associated with the fibres 44 is not actuated, thus indicating that water is present in the water passage 14. From the foregoing, it is apparent that a plurality of gauges 10 can be arranged in a stacked relationship and that the water passages 14 can be fluidically inter-connected so that the level of steam and/or water within a boiler can be determined incrementally. In this manner, an accurate indication of the level of steam and/or water within a boiler can be obtained.

Claims: CLAIMS 1. A liquid level gauge of the Blackburn type, the gauge (10) comprising a body member (12) having front and rear windows and a light refracting fluid passage (16) therethrough connecting the front and rear windows, one or more light sources (36) provided adjacent the rear window, a condensing lens (38) interposed between the one or more light sources (36) and the rear window to direct a beam of light from the one or more light sources through the rear window into the light refracting fluid passage (16), and a set of optical fibres (44) provided adjacent the front window to intercept the light beam as it exits from the light refracting fluid passage (16) and provide an indication as to the presence or absence of liquid in the light refracting fluid passage (16). 2. A liquid level gauge according to claim 1, wherein the set of optical fibres (44) is positioned so as to intercept the light beam when there is a lack of liquid in the light refracting fluid passage (16). 3. A liquid level gauge according to claim 1 or claim 2, including a second condensing lens (42) interposed between the front window and the set of optical fibres (44) to direct the beam of light exiting from the light refracting fluid passage (16) towards the set of optical fibres (44). 4. A liquid level gauge according to claim 1, claim 2 or claim 3, including an optical fibre (40) provided adjacent the or each of the one or more light sources (36) to provide an; indication as to whether the light source(s) is/are illuminated.

Inventors: SHERRICK, RONALD EUGENE
Applicants: THE BABCOCK & WILCOX COMPANY
Application year: 1984
Main classification: G01F23
IPC codes: G01F23, G01F13, G01F11