Radar level gauge system with dielectric antenna

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11047725-B2
Application number	US-201815963587-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 26, 2018
Priority date	Apr 26, 2018
Publication date	Jun 29, 2021
Grant date	Jun 29, 2021

Abstract

A radar level gauge system, comprising a transceiver; an antenna arrangement configured to transmit an electromagnetic transmit signal from the transceiver, and to return an electromagnetic reflection signal resulting from reflection of the transmit signal at a surface of the product back towards the transceiver; and processing circuitry. The antenna arrangement comprises: a dielectric antenna body having a transmit signal receiving surface to receive the transmit signal from the transceiver, a convex transmit signal emitting surface configured to direct the transmit signal towards the product following passage of the transmit signal through the dielectric antenna body, and a side surface connecting the transmit signal receiving surface and the transmit signal emitting surface; and an electrically conductive antenna housing covering at least a portion of the side surface of the dielectric antenna body. The dielectric antenna body is arranged to conductively separate the transceiver from the conductive antenna housing.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A radar level gauge system, for determining a filling level of a product in a tank, said radar level gauge system comprising:
a transceiver for generating, transmitting and receiving electromagnetic signals;
an antenna arrangement configured to radiate an electromagnetic transmit signal from said transceiver towards said product in the tank, and to return an electromagnetic reflection signal resulting from reflection of said transmit signal at a surface of said product back towards said transceiver; and
processing circuitry for determining said filling level based on said transmit signal and said reflection signal,
wherein said antenna arrangement comprises:
a dielectric antenna body having a transmit signal receiving surface to receive the transmit signal from said transceiver, a convex transmit signal emitting surface configured to direct the transmit signal towards said product following passage of the transmit signal through said dielectric antenna body, and a side surface connecting said transmit signal receiving surface and said transmit signal emitting surface; and
an electrically conductive antenna housing covering at least a portion of the side surface of said dielectric antenna body,
wherein:
said dielectric antenna body is arranged to conductively separate the transceiver from the conductive antenna housing;
said transceiver comprises a hollow waveguide for transmitting said transmit signal from the transceiver to the transmit signal receiving surface of the dielectric antenna body; and
a portion of said dielectric antenna body is arranged between said hollow waveguide and said electrically conductive antenna housing to conductively separate the hollow waveguide and the antenna housing.

2. The radar level gauge system according to claim 1 , wherein:
said dielectric antenna body has a recess; and
said hollow waveguide is at least partly arranged in said recess.

3. The radar level gauge system according to claim 1 , wherein an end of said hollow waveguide is in direct abutment with the transmit signal receiving surface of said dielectric antenna body.

4. The radar level gauge system according to claim 1 , wherein said hollow waveguide comprises a flaring portion, flaring towards the transmit signal receiving surface of said dielectric antenna body.

5. The radar level gauge system according to claim 1 wherein the transmit signal receiving surface includes a reflection reducing structure.

6. The radar level gauge system according to claim 5 , wherein said reflection reducing structure is one of a groove and a ridge formed in said dielectric antenna body.

7. The radar level gauge system according to claim 5 , wherein said reflection reducing structure extends at least partly across a projection of the end of said hollow waveguide on the transmit signal receiving surface.

8. The radar level gauge system according to claim 1 , wherein said dielectric antenna body comprises a circumferential rim portion extending axially and surrounding said transmit signal receiving surface.

9. The radar level gauge system according to claim 8 , wherein:
said conductive antenna housing is formed by a tubular metallic member having an inside with a frustoconical segment; and
said radar level gauge system comprises a mounting member arranged to radially press the circumferential rim portion of said dielectric antenna body against the inside of said tubular metallic member, in said frustoconical segment.

10. The radar level gauge system according to claim 9 wherein the inside of said conductive antenna housing exhibits at least one circumferential edge in said frustoconical segment.

11. The radar level gauge system according to claim 1 , wherein said transceiver comprises a microwave signal launching structure in the form of a conductor pattern on a substrate.

12. The radar level gauge system according to claim 1 , wherein said dielectric antenna body is arranged to separate the transceiver and the conductive housing by at least 0.5 mm of dielectric antenna body material.

13. The radar level gauge system according to claim 1 , further comprising a microwave absorbing structure arranged between said dielectric antenna body and said electrically conductive antenna housing.

14. The radar level gauge system according to claim 13 , wherein said microwave absorbing structure is provided in the form of a sleeve made of carbon-doped polymer.

15. The radar level gauge system according to claim 1 , wherein a center frequency of said transmit signal is higher than 60 GHz.

16. A tank arrangement comprising:
a tank for accommodating a product, said tank having an electrically conductive mounting structure; and
a radar level gauge system attached to said conductive mounting structure of the tank for determining a filling level of the product in the tank, said radar level gauge system comprising:
a transceiver for generating, transmitting and receiving electromagnetic signals;
an antenna arrangement configured to radiate an electromagnetic transmit signal from said transceiver towards said product in the tank, and to return an electromagnetic reflection signal resulting from reflection of said transmit signal at a surface of said product back towards said transceiver; and
processing circuitry for determining said filling level based on said transmit signal and said reflection signal,
wherein said antenna arrangement comprises:

a dielectric antenna body having a transmit signal receiving surface to receive the transmit signal from said transceiver, and a convex transmit signal emitting surface configured to direct the transmit signal towards said product following passage of the transmit signal through said dielectric antenna body,
wherein:
said dielectric antenna body is arranged to conductively separate the transceiver from said conductive mounting structure;
said transceiver comprises a hollow waveguide for transmitting said transmit signal; and
a portion of said dielectric antenna body is arranged between said hollow waveguide and a electrically conductive antenna housing to conductively separate the hollow waveguide and the antenna housing.

17. The tank arrangement according to claim 16 , wherein said dielectric antenna body has a side surface connecting said transmit signal receiving surface and said transmit signal emitting surface, and said antenna arrangement further comprises the electrically conductive antenna housing covering at least a portion of the side surface of said dielectric antenna body,
wherein said dielectric antenna body is arranged to conductively separate the transceiver from the conductive antenna housing.

18. The tank arrangement according to claim 16 , wherein said dielectric antenna body has a side surface connecting said transmit signal receiving surface and said transmit signal emitting surface, and said antenna arrangement further comprises a microwave absorbing structure arranged at the side surface of the dielectric antenna body.

Assignees

• Rosemount Tank Radar Ab

Inventors

• Ohlsson Magnus

Classifications

• G01F23/284 Primary

  Electromagnetic waves · CPC title

• H01Q1/1214

  through a wall · CPC title

• G01S13/88

  Radar or analogous systems specially adapted for specific applications (electromagnetic prospecting or detecting of objects, e.g. near-field detection, G01V3/00) · CPC title

• H01Q1/225

  used in level-measurement devices, e.g. for level gauge measurement · CPC title

• H01Q19/08

  for modifying the radiation pattern of a radiating horn in which it is located {(corrugated horns H01Q13/0208; producing a circular polarisation H01Q13/0241)} · CPC title