US3695108A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Adaptive proportional control for determining interfaces of distinct materials
Assignee: Marathon Oil Co
•
Filing: 1970-07-23
•
Granted: 1972-10-03
•
Expires: 1990-07-23
Abstract
Abstract A process and apparatus for detecting changes in interface level between distinct materials within a container independent of any chemical or physical changes taking place within either or both of the distinct materials. Sensors are introduced into each of the materials and an additional sensor is placed across the interface, the output from each of the three sensors is transmitted to an adaptive detector device which combines these outputs by means of a control equation to give an emanating signal proportional solely to the position of the interface within the container.
Inventors
- 👤 Noel D Wygant
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-28 02:21
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01F; G01F23/00; G01F23/22; G01F23/26; G01F23/263
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 21
Claim 1
Independent Claim
237 words
A process for detecting change in position of an interface defined by two adjacent different materials in a container comprising: a. introducing a first sensor of a certain length into the first material, the sensor having an electrical output proportional to the sensed property of the material and the length of the sensor; the output is transmitted to an adaptive detector, b. introducing a second sensor of a certain length into the second material, the seCond sensor having an electrical output proportional to the sensed property of the material and the length of the sensor; the output is transmitted to the adaptive detector, c. introducing a third sensor of a certain length into the region of the interface so that portions of the third sensor are in each of the two materials, the electrical output of the third sensor is proportional to the product of the length of the third sensor in the first material and the sensed property of the first material in summation with the product of the length of the third sensor in the second material and the sensed property of the second material; the output of the third sensor is transmitted to the adaptive detector, d. combining each of the sensor outputs in the adaptive detector in accordance with the formula: wherein ec is the output of the adaptive detector and A is a constant proportional to the span of each sensor output.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
237 words
A process for detecting change in position of an interface defined by two adjacent different materials in a container comprising: a. introducing a first sensor of a certain length into the first material, the sensor having an electrical output proportional to the sensed property of the material and the length of the sensor; the output is transmitted to an adaptive detector, b. introducing a second sensor of a certain length into the second material, the seCond sensor having an electrical output proportional to the sensed property of the material and the length of the sensor; the output is transmitted to the adaptive detector, c. introducing a third sensor of a certain length into the region of the interface so that portions of the third sensor are in each of the two materials, the electrical output of the third sensor is proportional to the product of the length of the third sensor in the first material and the sensed property of the first material in summation with the product of the length of the third sensor in the second material and the sensed property of the second material; the output of the third sensor is transmitted to the adaptive detector, d. combining each of the sensor outputs in the adaptive detector in accordance with the formula: wherein ec is the output of the adaptive detector and A is a constant proportional to the span of each sensor output.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
11 words
The process of claim 1 wherein the two materials are fluids.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
24 words
The process of claim 2 wherein one material is substantially in the gaseous phase and the other material is substantially in the liquid phase.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
11 words
The process of claim 1 wherein the two materials are liquids.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
26 words
The process of claim 1 wherein the outputs are electric signals from a time domain reflectometer, which outputs are proportional to the impedance of the sensors.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
32 words
The process of claim 5 wherein the impedance of each sensor is dependent on the length of each sensor and the dielectric constant of the material in which each sensor is disposed.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
16 words
The process of claim 1 wherein the sensed property is the dielectric constant of the material.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
15 words
The process of claim 1 wherein the sensed property is the resistivity of the material.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
15 words
The process of claim 1 wherein the sensed property is the temperature of the material.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
222 words
The process of claim 1 wherein the output of the first sensor is le1, the output of the second sensor is le2 and the output of the third sensor is e3l3 + e'' 3l'' 3 where e1 is the output per unit length of the first sensor in the first material e2 is the output per unit length of the second sensor in the second material e3 is the output per unit length of the portion of the third sensor in the first material e'' 3 is the output per unit length of the portion of the third sensor in the second material l is the length of sensors one and two l3 is the length of the portion of the third sensor in the first material l'' 3 is the length of the portion of the third sensor in the second material and where the operations on the individual outputs are combined within the adaptive detector in accordance with the following relation to give the total output ec indicative of the interface level: ec A/l(e2 - e1) (e3l3 + e'' 3l'' 3 - e1l) + B where A represents the span of the output of each sensor proportional to the length l, and B represents an offset term equivalent to the lowest possible output value from which span A is measured.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
13 words
The process of claim 10 wherein the three sensors are the same length.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
13 words
The process of claim 10 wherein the three sensors are coaxial capacitance sensors.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
12 words
The process of claim 10 wherein the sensors are twin-lead probe sensors.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
217 words
An apparatus for determining interface change between adjacent materials comprising: a container containing the adjacent materials whose points of contact define an interface between the materials; a first sensor disposed within one of the adjacent materials; a second sensor disposed within the other adjacent material; a third sensor disposed within both aDjacent materials and spanning the interface; means for transmitting to an adaptive detector an output signal from the first sensor proportional to the length of the first sensor and the sensed property of the material in contact with the first sensor; means for transmitting to the adaptive detector an output signal from the second sensor proportional to the length of the second sensor and the sensed property of the material in contact with the second sensor; means for transmitting to the adaptive detector an output signal from the third sensor proportional to the portions of the length of the third sensor and the sensed property of the first and second materials in contact with the respective portions; the adaptive detector combining each of the sensor outputs in accordance with the formula: wherein ec is the combined output, A is a constant proportional to the span of each output, and B represents an offset term equivalent to the lowest output value from which span A is measured.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
217 words
An apparatus for determining interface change between adjacent materials comprising: a container containing the adjacent materials whose points of contact define an interface between the materials; a first sensor disposed within one of the adjacent materials; a second sensor disposed within the other adjacent material; a third sensor disposed within both aDjacent materials and spanning the interface; means for transmitting to an adaptive detector an output signal from the first sensor proportional to the length of the first sensor and the sensed property of the material in contact with the first sensor; means for transmitting to the adaptive detector an output signal from the second sensor proportional to the length of the second sensor and the sensed property of the material in contact with the second sensor; means for transmitting to the adaptive detector an output signal from the third sensor proportional to the portions of the length of the third sensor and the sensed property of the first and second materials in contact with the respective portions; the adaptive detector combining each of the sensor outputs in accordance with the formula: wherein ec is the combined output, A is a constant proportional to the span of each output, and B represents an offset term equivalent to the lowest output value from which span A is measured.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
16 words
The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the sensed property is the dielectric constant of the material.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
259 words
A process for detecting change in position of an interface defined by two adjacent different materials in a container comprising: a. introducing a first sensor of a certain length into the first material, the sensor having an electrical output proportional to the velocity of sound of the material and the length of the sensor; the output is transmitted to an adaptive detector, b. introducing a second sensor of a certain length into the second material, the second sensor having an electrical output proportional to the velocity of sound of the material and the length of the sensor; the output is transmitted to the adaptive detector, c. introducing a third sensor of a certain length into the region of the interface so that portions of the third sensor are in each of the two materials, the electrical output of the third sensor is proportional to the product of the length of the third sensor in the first material and the velocity of sound of the first material in summation with the product of the length of the third sensor in the second material and the velocity of sound of the second material; the output of the third sensor is transmitted to the adaptive detector, d. combining each of the sensor outputs in the adaptive detector in accordance with the formula: wherein ec is the output of the adaptive detector, A is a constant proportional to the span of each sensor output, and B represents an offset term equivalent to the lowest output value from which the span A is measured.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
259 words
A process for detecting change in position of an interface defined by two adjacent different materials in a container comprising: a. introducing a first sensor of a certain length into the first material, the sensor having an electrical output proportional to the velocity of sound of the material and the length of the sensor; the output is transmitted to an adaptive detector, b. introducing a second sensor of a certain length into the second material, the second sensor having an electrical output proportional to the velocity of sound of the material and the length of the sensor; the output is transmitted to the adaptive detector, c. introducing a third sensor of a certain length into the region of the interface so that portions of the third sensor are in each of the two materials, the electrical output of the third sensor is proportional to the product of the length of the third sensor in the first material and the velocity of sound of the first material in summation with the product of the length of the third sensor in the second material and the velocity of sound of the second material; the output of the third sensor is transmitted to the adaptive detector, d. combining each of the sensor outputs in the adaptive detector in accordance with the formula: wherein ec is the output of the adaptive detector, A is a constant proportional to the span of each sensor output, and B represents an offset term equivalent to the lowest output value from which the span A is measured.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
233 words
A process for detecting change in position of an interface defined by two adjacent different materials in a container comprising: a. introducing a first sensor of a certain length into the first material, the sensor having an electrical output proportional to the density of the material and the length of the sensor; the output is transmitted to an adaptive detector, b. introducing a second sensor of a certain length into the second material, the second sensor having an electrical output proportional to the density of the material and the length of the sensor; the output is transmitted to the adaptive detector, c. introducing a third sensor of a certain length into the region of the interface so that portions of the third sensor are in each of the two materials, the electrical output of the third sensor is proportional to the product of the length of the third sensor in the first material and the density of the first material in summation with the product of the length of the third sensor in the second material and the density of the second material; the output of the third sensor is transmitted to the adaptive detector, d. combining each of the sensor outputs in the adaptive detector in accordance with the formula: wherein ec is the output of the adaptive detector and A is a constant proportional to the span of each sensor output.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
233 words
A process for detecting change in position of an interface defined by two adjacent different materials in a container comprising: a. introducing a first sensor of a certain length into the first material, the sensor having an electrical output proportional to the density of the material and the length of the sensor; the output is transmitted to an adaptive detector, b. introducing a second sensor of a certain length into the second material, the second sensor having an electrical output proportional to the density of the material and the length of the sensor; the output is transmitted to the adaptive detector, c. introducing a third sensor of a certain length into the region of the interface so that portions of the third sensor are in each of the two materials, the electrical output of the third sensor is proportional to the product of the length of the third sensor in the first material and the density of the first material in summation with the product of the length of the third sensor in the second material and the density of the second material; the output of the third sensor is transmitted to the adaptive detector, d. combining each of the sensor outputs in the adaptive detector in accordance with the formula: wherein ec is the output of the adaptive detector and A is a constant proportional to the span of each sensor output.
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) | 1975-10-03 | 1976-04-03 | 1976-10-03 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-10-03 | 1980-04-03 | 1980-10-03 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-10-03 | 1984-04-03 | 1984-10-03 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |