Marking tank obstructions using an electronic level gauge

摘要

An obstruction marking method includes generating a first echo curve using an electronic level gauge (ELG) coupled to a tank from a first reflected signal (echo signal) received when a material in the tank is at a first level. The ELG includes a radar-based obstruction detection algorithm stored in a memory coupled thereto. A processor implementing the obstruction detection algorithm identifies at least a first feature in the first echo curve to provide at least one suspected obstruction along with its position (first feature position). A second echo curve is generated from a second reflected signal when the material is at a second level. A third echo curve is generated from a third reflected signal when the material is at a third level. The suspected obstruction at the first feature position is stored in the memory as a verified obstruction with its first feature position.

主权项

1. An obstruction marking method for radar-based level finding, comprising:
generating a first echo curve using an electronic level gauge (ELG) coupled to a tank from a first reflected signal received when a material in said tank is at a first level, said ELG including a transceiver coupled to a processor implementing a radar-based obstruction detection algorithm (obstruction detection algorithm) stored in an associated non-transitory memory (memory) coupled thereto, said obstruction detection algorithm:
identifying at least a first feature in said first echo curve to provide at least one suspected obstruction along with its position (first feature position);generating a second echo curve from a second reflected signal when said material is at a second level in said tank that passes through said first feature position so that an amplitude of said second reflected signal at said first feature position is above its an amplitude at said first feature position in said first reflected signal;generating a third echo curve from a third reflected signal when said material is at a third level in said tank that is above said first level sufficiently so that an amplitude of said third reflected signal at said first feature position is below its amplitude in said first reflected signal;identifying said suspected obstruction as a verified obstruction being located at said first feature position, andstoring said verified obstruction with said first feature position in said memory.