APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR CALIBRATING A STORAGE TANK

摘要

An apparatus and method are provided for calibrating a liquor storage tan k. The apparatus includes a sensor disposed within the tank for sensing the liquid levels in the tank and one or more metering devices for measuring the amount of liquid dispensed into or out of the tank. A processor is also provided which is capable of determining the volume in the tank as well as the amount of liquid dispensed into or out of the tank based on liquid level measurements obtained during idle periods following dispensing periods. The processor is programmed with an algorithm which employs a mathematical function which relates either the volume of the liquid or the change in volume of the liquid per unit of associated height change of the liquid in t he tank as a function of the height of the liquid in the tank and a number of calibration parameters which include the length, diameter, end shape, and tilt of the tank as well as the offset of the sensor from the bottom of the tank. The calibration routine involves searching for the calibration parameters which minimize the sum of the square of the residuals between a first set of refined data values which are derived using the measured volumes (or volumes per unit of height change) dispensed by the meter devices and a second set of estimated volumes (or volumes per unit of height change) which are derive d using the mathematical expression.