Patent US3594575A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3594575A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Linearization of radiation gauges for measuring the quantity of fluidic materials in containers
Assignee: Industrial Nucleonics Corp
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Filing: 1968-08-30
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Granted: 1971-07-20
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Expires: 1988-08-30
Abstract
Abstract Specifically disclosed is a method and apparatus for linearizing the output of a nuclear radiation tank level gauge. A plurality of radiation detectors are vertically spaced along one side of the tank to produce separate signals which are fed to a summing amplifier and a point source is located on the opposite side of the tank. The summing amplifier has individually adjustable input resistors whereby each signal is individually weighted to produce an amplifier output signal which is linearized with respect to the liquid level in the tank. For standardization, when the liquid level is below the top detector, the signal from the top detector is separately fed to the amplifier input in substitution for the multiple input signals, and the gain of the measuring system is adjusted to compensate for changed parameters of the system.
Inventors
- 👤 David J Shoemaker
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-07 15:11
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01F; G01F23/00; G01F23/22; G01F23/28; G01F23/284; G01F23/288; G01F23/2885
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim
30 words
Apparatus as in claim 1 wherein each of said signal-weighting means comprises means for multiplying its respective one signal by a selected weighting factor to produce a weighted output signal.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
17 words
Apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said signal responsive means comprises means for summing said weighted signals.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
41 words
Apparatus as in claim 3 wherein said detecting means comprises means for producing analog signals constituting said detector output signals with amplitudes proportional to the radiation received by the respective detecting means, and wherein said summing means comprises an operational amplifier.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
54 words
Apparatus as in claim 4 wherein each of said weighting means according to claim 1 multiplies its respective one signal by a selected weighting factor to produce a weighted output signal and comprises input impedance means for said summing amplifier, the value of said impedance means being approximately inversely proportional to said weighting factor.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
25 words
Apparatus as in claim 5 wherein each of said impedance means is continuously adjustable to provide a continuum of selected values for said weighting factors.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
111 words
Apparatus as in claim 1 wherein one of said detecting means is positioned to receive radiation from said source which has not interacted with said material at at least certain values of said fill level, said apparatus further including standardizing means comprising means for substituting the output signal from said one detecting means for the plurality of said detector output signals whereby said responsive means produces a second resultant signal indicative of the radiation received by said one detecting means, and means for adjusting said responsive means to obtain a predetermined value for said second resultant signal to as to restore the initial calibration accuracy of said quantity indicative resultant signal.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
93 words
The method of measuring the quantity of a fluidic material in a container having a variable fill level, comprising the steps of: irradiating said material with penetrative radiation, detecting at different levels quantities of radiation which have interacted with material in different portions of the volume of said container, generating separate signals indicative of said detected radiation quantities, forming a combination of said signals to produce a resultant signal, and separately weighting the effects of said generated signals in said combination to linearize said resultant signal with respect to variations in said quantity.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
36 words
Apparatus as in claim 1, wherein said responsive means includes means for canceling out only the portion of said resultant signal that is due to radiation received by said detecting means when said container is full.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
152 words
The method of standardizing a gauge measuring the quantity of a fluidic material in a container having a variable fill level, comprising the steps of: irradiating said material with penetrative radiation, detecting at different levels quantities of radiation which have interacted with material in different portions of the volume of said container, generating separate signals indicative of said detected radiation quantities, forming a combination of said signals to produce a resultant signal, weighting the effects of said generated signals in said combination to linearize said resultant signal with respect to variations in said quantity, lowering the tank level so that no material is present at one of the upper radiation detecting levels, leaving the material at a lower radiation detection level, comparing the resultant signal due to radiation received at said upper detecting level with a predetermined value, and adjusting said signal combination to standardize said Gauge to obtain said predetermined value.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
189 words
Apparatus for gauging the quantity of a fluidic material in a container having a variable fill level, comprising a point source of penetrative radiation for irradiating said material to be positioned along one side of said container, a plurality of detecting means to be positioned at different levels corresponding to different values of said fill level along the opposite side of said container and further positioned so that the respective detecting means are adapted to receive quantities of radiation which have interacted with material in different portions of the volume of said container, each of said quantities of radiation being subject to change with certain changes in said variable fill level whereby each detecting means produces a detector output signal indicative of its respective received radiation quantity, a plurality of signal-weighting means each receiving one of said detector output signals for changing its respective one signal by a selected weighting factor to produce a weighted output signal, and means responsive to a plurality of said weighted signals for producing a resultant signal indicative of said quantity and substantially linearized with respect thereto by proper selection of said weighting factors.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
111 words
Apparatus as in claim 11 wherein one of said detecting means is positioned to receive radiation from said source which has not interacted with said material at at least certain values of said fill level, said apparatus further including standardizing means comprising means for substituting the output signal from said one detecting means for the plurality of said detector output signals whereby said responsive means produces a second resultant signal indicative of the radiation received by said one detecting means, and means for adjusting said responsive means to obtain a predetermined value for said second resultant signal so as to restore the initial calibration accuracy of said quantity indicative resultant signal.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
36 words
Apparatus as in claim 11, wherein said responsive means includes means for canceling out only the portion of said resultant signal that is due to radiation received by said detecting means when said container is full.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
97 words
The method of measuring the quantity of a fluidic material in a container having a variable fill level, comprising the steps of: irradiating said material with a point source of penetrative radiation, detecting at different levels quantities of radiation which have interacted with material in different portions of the volume of said container, generating separate signals indicative of said detected radiation quantities, forming a combination of said signals to produce a resultant signal, and separately weighting the effects of said generated signals in said combination to linearize said resultant signal with respect to variations in said quantity.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
156 words
The method of standardizing a gauge measuring the quantity of a fluidic material in a container having a variable fill level, comprising the steps of: irradiating said material with a point source of penetrative radiation, detecting at different levels quantities of radiation which have interacted with material in different portions of the volume of said container, generating separate signals indicative of said detected radiation quantities, forming a combination of said signals to produce a resultant signal, weighting the effects of said generated signals in said combination to linearize said resultant signal with respect to variations in said quantity, lowering the tank level so that no material is present at one of the upper radiation detecting levels, leaving the material at a lower radiation detection level, comparing the resultant signal due to radiation received at said upper detecting level with a predetermined value, and adjusting said signal combination to standardize said gauge to obtain said predeteRmined value.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1974-07-19 | 1975-01-18 | 1975-07-20 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1978-07-19 | 1979-01-18 | 1979-07-20 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1982-07-19 | 1983-01-18 | 1983-07-20 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |