A problem of measuring quantity of liquid inside moving tank and possible ways to resolve it

Authors

  • Valerii Borysovych Mazurenko

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.34185/1562-9945-4-123-2019-05

Keywords:

вимірювання кількості речовини, інформаційно-вимірювальна технологія

Abstract

The article describes a problem of measuring quantity of liquid substance inside moving tank. The problem consists in low accuracy in this type of measurement that is significantly lower than accuracy of such measurements provided in unmovable fixed tanks. Mostly, this problem is spread in transport: aviation, sea vessels, space rockets and automobiles, and it refers for measuring fuel in tanks, coolant volume, amount of various liquid substance under transportation etc. Low accuracy of obtained measurement data affects vehicle technical performance, leads to financial losses and even provokes some safety issues. There are several factors that increase measurement error during measuring inside a tank that is being under dimensional and angular motion. All of them change shape and position of liquid surface and make measuring process more complicated. Influence of some of these factors could be eliminated if the tank has symmetrical form, level sensor is installed along tank axe, and measurements are provided at middle part of tank height. If there are no such conditions, we face the discussed problem. The abovementioned factors are: tank inclination, tank acceleration, free motion of liquid surface, drastic changes in the shape of the liquid surface in case if the liquid surface position is shifting while it is located at nearby tank top or bottom area.
Author made a review with the aim to analyze how this problem is treated in various transportation systems. The review shows that the problem of measuring quantity of liquid substance inside moving tank is not resolved in general. Some partial solutions are presented, in particular, for measuring fuel quantity inside tanks of swinging sea-based launch vehicle. But it is still needed to find a general solution.
The problem couldn't be solved only by instrumental methods. Some published papers indicate the possible ways to resolve the problem. They are related to computational methods of data processing. Thus, development of this methods and creation of the corresponding information and measuring technology should be recognized as a most perspective way to resolve the problem of measuring quantity of liquid inside moving tank.

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Published

2019-10-12