Optical non-contact sensor for detecting material level in a container
A detection system for determining material level in a container where the container has an opening and an optical window mounted to the opening. A sensor element is mounted to the container adjacent the window. The sensor element has an optical emitter and an optical receiver positioned to form a triangular vertex with the material surface level within the container.
1. A detection system for determining the level and volume of material comprising:
a container having a tapered window, wherein the end of said window having a greater diameter faces the interior of said container;
a sensor element mounted to the container adjacent the window and having an optical emitter and an optical receiver, and
the optical emitter and optical receiver positioned to form a triangular vertex with a material surface level within the container;
wherein the optical receiver is operably connected to a multi-element linear detector array for generating a digital signal and to a position sensor detector for generating an analog signal.
2. The system of claim 1 wherein a float is mounted within the container.
3. The system of claim 2 wherein the float resides within a tube that extends from the window into the container.
4. The system of claim 2 wherein the float is slidably mounted to a rod that extends from the sensor element into the container.
5. The system of claim 2 wherein the float has a convex top.
6. The system of claim 1 wherein the sensor element is connected to telemetry.
7. The system of claim 1 wherein the sensor is connected to a display element.
8. The system of claim 1 wherein a temperature sensor is positioned adjacent the sensor element.
9. The system of claim 1 wherein the sensor element includes multiple sensors for sensing different ranges.
10. The system of claim 1 further comprising an optically opaque separator disposed between the optical emitter and optical receiver.
11. The system of claim 1 further comprising an optical filter positioned over said optical receiver.
12. The system of claim 3 wherein the internal surface of said tube is prepared using at least one method selected from the group of spiral machining, surface diffusion, and surface absorption of optical radiation.