ELECTRONIC MULTI-PURPOSE MATERIAL LEVEL SENSOR

摘要

A sensor for determining the surface or interface level of a material comprising a transceiver (12) and an inner conductor (21) of a coaxial cable (16) electrically coupling the transceiver (12) to a guide wire (14) partially immersed in the material. A launcher plate (18) is connected to the outer shield (19) of the cable (16) and an impedance (20) connects the launcher plate (18) to the guide wire (14). The launcher plate (18) produces a fiducial pulse back to the transceiver (12). Electromagnetic waves transmitted from the launcher plate (18) propagate along the guide wire (14). The waves are reflected by the surface or interface, received by the laucher plate (18) and transmitted as reflected pulses to the transceiver (12). The transceiver (12) determines a time delay between the fiducial and reflected pulses to establish the surface or interface level relative to the launcher plate (18).