Abstract:
The invention is a level meter having a flexible probe. The flexible probe includes a flexible conductor and at least one flexible band shield member disposed in a substantially vertically parallel relationship with the conductor, where the conductor and the shield member are offset from each other.

Description:
PRIORITY CLAIM 
       [0001]    This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 11/175,698 filed on Jul. 6, 2005 and hereby claims the priority thereof. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Level meters, particularly guided wave and capacitance meters, are well known in the art as devices for determining liquid levels in tanks. Generally, these devices consist of a probe contained in a tank, and electronics for generating/detecting signals. In the guided wave meter, a generated signal is coupled to the probe, and transmitted down the probe, using time domain reflectometry principles. When the signal reaches a fluid interface in the tank with a corresponding change in dielectric constants, a reflection is generated which travels up the probe to be detected by the instrument&#39;s electronics. The travel time is converted into a usable format representative of the level of fluid within the container or tank represented by the fluid interface. In capacitance level meters, the probe consists of two separated conductive members, and the meter measures the capacitance between the members. The capacitance changes between the members based upon the fluid fill and fluid levels between the conductive members. In either meter, the probe is placed in the tank containing the product media or in a side chamber that is fluidly connected to the tank. The probe is generally a rigid rod or cable orientated vertically in the tank. 
         [0003]    In a guided wave (such as a guided wave radar level meter), the probe helps signal propagation and reduce signal losses from the traveling electromagnetic signal propagating down the probe as the probe affords a highly efficient path for pulse travel so that degradation of the signal is minimized. Further, because the pulse signals are channeled by the probe, turbulence or tank obstructions should not affect the measurement. Guided wave radar can handle varying specific gravity and media buildup or coatings. It is an invasive method, though, and the probe may be damaged by the blade of an agitator or the corrosiveness of the material being measured. Specially designed probe configurations allow extremely low dielectric materials (K&lt;1.7 vs. K=80 for water) to be effectively measured. 
         [0004]    One configuration used to measure low dielectric materials and to further reduce signal losses of the traveling pulse is to position the probe inside an outer metal jacket, such as a cylinder (or a stilling-well), creating a coaxial cable type structure having on outer cylindrical shield member, annular gap, and center positioned conductor. The conductor is electrically connected to the signal generation and reception electronic. Fluid enters the annular gap though openings in the outer shield member. Hence, the liquid level forms an interface within the coaxial structure to be detected by the pulse traveling on the surface of the conductor. Generally the outer shield member is an inert media sleeve, such as an aluminum or stainless steel tube that forms a concentric tube surrounding the entire enter conductor length. The outer shield functions as a further wave guide and acts as a ground plane to help channel the energy coupled to the conductor, thereby allowing the sensor to detect more subtle dielectric changes and correctly indicate the level of the product in the tank. Unfortunately, such a configuration can be subject to buildup or caking of product within the annular space which potentially can result in obstruction of the annular space and a non-functioning or malfunctioning device. 
         [0005]    One design used to overcome the buildup of product or media in the annular space is to use a rod or cable running parallel with the conductor as the ground plane, instead of a concentric tube. The single parallel cable or rod helps to contain or channel the transmitted and reflected energy pulses near the vicinity of the probe. The parallel rod is more effective that a single rod or cable in air, but less effective than a device using the outer concentric shield as an additional waveguide. The dual parallel rod or cable probe is not as susceptible to media build up between the cables or rods as is the coaxial type structure. 
         [0006]    Guided wave transmitters and capacitance meters are suitable for installation in deep tanks or silos, such as 100 feet or deeper. However, placement of the probe in large tanks requires suitable clearance. Hence, for tanks in excess of 30-50 feet, a rigid probe is problematic from a handling and installation standpoint. For this reason, in deep tanks or installations lacking sufficient clearance, flexible cable probe is generally used. However, in deep tanks, attenuation or energy loss in a guided wave device can be severe, and hence, a dual cable design waveguide construction, such as shown in  FIG. 8 , can help to reduce energy loss. However a more efficient flexible probe device is needed both for a guided wave level meters and a capacitance type level meter. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    The invention is a flexible probe used in a level meter, where the probe includes a single flexible conductor and one or more flexible side members placed substantially parallel with the conductor. Alternatively, the side members can be a single flexible shaped member, encompassing at least about 30 degree of arc about the conductor and more preferably, about 45-180 degree arc. Alternatively, the side members can be a flexible braided metal construct surrounding the conductor. 
       OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION 
       [0008]    It is an object of the invention to have a flexible probe that reduces signal dispersion and improves the ability to measure low dielectric materials. 
         [0009]    It is an object of the invention to have a flexible probe that more closely approximates a coaxial type guided wave probe. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0010]      FIG. 1  shows a guided wave level meter with a center conductor and two side band shield members.  FIG. 1A  shows a cross section through the flexible probe at a spacer location. 
           [0011]      FIG. 2  shows a guided wave level meter with a center cable conductor and two side band shield members.  FIG. 2A  shows a cross section through the flexible probe at a spacer location, while  FIG. 2B  shows a cross section through the probe. 
           [0012]      FIG. 3A  shows a cross section through a flexible probe with a center cable conductor and three triangular shaped shield members surrounding the center cable. 
           [0013]      FIG. 3B  shows a cross section through a flexible probe with a center cable conductor and four curvilinear shaped shield members surrounding the center cable. 
           [0014]      FIG. 4  shows a guided wave level meter with a center conductor and an enclosing braided shield member.  FIG. 4A  shows a cross section through the flexible probe. 
           [0015]      FIG. 5  shows a guided wave level meter with a center band conductor and an enclosing spiral shield member. 
           [0016]      FIG. 6  shows a guided wave level meter with a center cable conductor and a serried of annular band shield members disposed vertically about the center cable. 
           [0017]      FIG. 7  shows a guided wave level meter with a center cable conductor and a single side band shield member.  FIG. 7A  shows a cross section through the flexible probe when the arcuate shaped shield member occupies about 30 degrees of arc, while  FIG. 7B  shows a cross section when the arcuate shaped shield member occupies about 30 degrees of arc. 
           [0018]      FIG. 8  shows a prior art dual cable flexible probe design. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0019]    The flexible probe will be described in the context of a guided wave radar level meter, but the flexible probe can be used with other level meters, particularly such as capacitance level meters. 
         [0020]    Shown in  FIG. 1  is one embodiment of the flexible probe device. Shown is center conductor  1 . Center conductor  1  is electrically coupled to the signal generator/receiver electronics package  2 , and operates as the primary transmission path of the incident and reflected signal pulses within the tank. Center conductor  1  can be a flexible metal band, such as a 0.75 to 2.0 inch wide inert metal alloy band, such as stainless steel or aluminum, where the band can be about 0.01 inch to 0.1 inches thick or thicker, provided flexibility is maintained. Alternatively, center conductor can be a conventional flexible cable. Positioned on both sides of the center conductor  1 , about 180 degrees apart, are two metal bands  4 , (the side band shield members  4  width can be less than, equal to, or greater that of a center band conductor) creating a secondary side wave guide effect about the center conductor  1 . At intervals, (about every two feet) the three bands are spatially fixed with respect to each other though through the use of an inert plastic spacer  3  (such as a teflon type spacer). The spacers are used to maintain the conductor and the side band shield member in an offset relationship. One embodiment of a spacer  3  is shown in  FIG. 3 . The spacer  3  is designed to present a minimal horizontal cross section to minimize its impact on a pulse traveling on the center conductor  1 . As shown in  FIG. 1 , each band  4  is inserted through a slots in the spacer  3 , with two outside slots for  3 A the outer bands  4  and an inner slot  3 B for the center conductor  1 . The spacer  3  can be maintained at a particular height about the bands  4  by crimping to the bands as the desired location or attaching clips above and below the bands. The terminal or remote end of the wave guided probe is fitted with one or several weights  10  to which the conductor and side shield members are attached. The weight(s) are designed to maintain the entire wave guided probe under tension and hence properly orientated within the tank. 
         [0021]    The side shield band members  4  are more efficient than the prior art side cable guide as the bands more closely approximate a surrounding outer jacket. Further, because the bands  4  are flexible, the entire probe is easily installed in deep tanks. While the two bands  4  do not have to be 180 degrees apart, such an orientation is preferred for a two band embodiment, as the two outer bands can lay flat on each other making the device extremely flexible and hence easily transportable. Additional bands could be utilized, such as a three band triangular configuration shown in  FIG. 3A , the four band configuration shown in  FIG. 3B , etc., with suitable modifications to the spacers. Also, the bands  4  can be arc shaped, as depicted in the configurations shown in  FIGS. 2 ,  3  and  7 . The arcuate shaped bands more closely approximate an enclosing jacket, remain flexible but add a degree of rigidity to the side bands thereby reducing the amount of weight required at the probe terminal end. 
         [0022]    A full enclosing flexible outer shield jacket member can also be used by employing a braided metal shield as the outer side shield member, such as shown in  FIG. 4 , or a spiral enclosing shield member created from a single band as shown in  FIG. 5 . Spacers must also be used in these configurations to keep the braided or spiral shield members separate from the center conductor as the shield members should be grounded. One problem associated with a braided enclosing shield member is that the spaces between the braids on the shield can become caked with media or impurities in the media making the device less flexible after installation, potentially presenting problems if later maintenance on the probe is required and potentially reducing the ability of liquids to flow through the shield into the annular interior space. For this reason, it may be necessary to place a series of vertically spaced openings in the braided shield member or the spiral band shield member (or have sufficient spaces between adjacent spirals). Such openings would not be necessary if a braided band member was used as a side band shield member in lieu of a one piece metal band shield member. Another embodiment of an enclosure type shield member or jacket is to use a series of circular metal bands connected in a vertically spaced relationship using small diameter cables or bands, such as shown in  FIG. 6 . This banded arrangement is not preferred as the costs in materials and assembly is greater. 
         [0023]    Even a single side band shield member should be more efficient that the prior art single side cable if the single side band shield member encompasses more annular space around the conductor than the prior art side cable. Further, a shaped side band shield member should offer improved efficiency. For instance, shown in  FIG. 7A  is a single side band occupying an arc of about 20-30 degrees about the conductor  1 . Shown in  FIG. 7B  is a signal side band shield member that occupies about 180 degrees of arc. In both embodiments, a shaped band is used. Preferred shapes include arc segments and open triangular arcs (such as shown in  FIG. 3A ). Again, spacers are required to help maintain the desired spacing of the side shield members about the conductor, but the overall probe, in transport and installation still remains sufficiently flexible. 
         [0024]    In all embodiments, if increased flexibility is required for transport, spacers could be installed between the shield members and the conductor during field installation. 
         [0025]    For purposes of a capacitance level meter, the capacitance would be measured between the conductor member and the shield members or shield members. For a capacitance measurement, a design using arcuate shaped side band members is preferred to stiffen the side band members in order to maintain the spatial relationship of the side bands and probe. Alternatively, additional spacers could be utilized. Allowing too much fluxuation in the gap between the side bands and the probe could induce undesired variation in the capacitance readings. 
         [0026]    Finally, instead of a series of side bands, a series of cables could be utilized. However, a series of cables as the side members is not preferred since a cable (say ½ diameter cable) is not as effective as a ¾ inch wide side band. Using similar diameter cables as side band will produce comparable waveguide effects, but the cost of materials is excessive as opposed to a thin flat side band member.