Radar level gauge inclination system

Abstract

A radar level gauge arrangement for determining the fill level of a filling material in a tank is disclosed, which arrangement is mounted on a hatch of a tank and/or on a support which is adapted to be mounted on a hatch of a tank. The arrangement comprises a transmitter for transmitting measuring signals at least along a first axis for determining the fill level of the tank; a receiver for receiving echo signals corresponding to the distance to the surface; a first processing circuitry for receiving the echo signals and to determine a fill level of the tank based on the echo signal; an inclinometer attached to the support and adapted to generate an inclination output corresponding to the inclination relative the surface normal; a second processing circuitry for generating, based on the inclination output, an angular output when there is an angular difference between the first axis and the surface normal. The arrangement also comprises a presenter for communicating information about the angular difference externally of said system, or a communication path for communicating the angular output to said first processing circuitry.

1 . (canceled) 
     
     
         2 . (canceled) 
     
     
         3 . (canceled) 
     
     
         4 . (canceled) 
     
     
         5 . (canceled) 
     
     
         6 . (canceled) 
     
     
         7 . (canceled) 
     
     
         8 . (canceled) 
     
     
         9 . (canceled) 
     
     
         10 . (canceled) 
     
     
         11 . (canceled) 
     
     
         12 . A radar level gauge system for mounting on a tank comprising:
 a housing adapted to be attached to the tank,   a support arranged inside the housing;   a transmitter arranged inside the housing, wherein the transmitter is attached to the support and adapted to transmit via a phased array antenna measuring signals at least along a first axis for measuring a distance to a surface of a product in the tank;   a receiver arranged inside the housing and adapted to receive via a phased array antenna echo signals corresponding to the distance to the surface in the tank when the first axis is parallel to a normal to the surface,   a first processing circuitry arranged inside the housing, adapted to receive the echo signals and to determine a fill level of the tank based on the echo signal,   an inclination sensor arranged inside the housing, which inclination sensor is attached to the support and adapted to generate an inclination output corresponding to the inclination of the sensor relative the normal to the surface or a vertical axis,   a second processing circuitry arranged inside the housing and adapted to receive the inclination output and to generate, based on the inclination output, an angular output when there is an angular difference between the first axis and the normal to the surface or the vertical axis,   the radar level gauge system being arranged to initiate an action based on the angular output to automatically compensate for a non-ideal installation of the phased array antenna through electrically adjusting a phase of the measuring signals to adjust an orientation of the first axis toward alignment with the normal to the surface or with the vertical axis.   
     
     
         13 . The radar level gauge system according to  claim 12 , wherein the phased array antenna comprises a group of individual radiators that are individually controllable to transmit the measuring signals along the first axis, wherein the orientation of the first axis is adjustable through an adjustment of a respective phase of the measuring signals at each of the individual radiators 
     
     
         14 . The radar level gauge system according to  claim 12 , further comprising at least one of:
 a presenter adapted to receive the angular output from the second processing circuitry and to generate a communication output communicating information, about the angular difference, externally of the system, and   a communication path arranged inside the housing, electrically connecting the first processing circuitry and second processing circuitry, and being adapted to receive the angular output from the second processing circuitry and to communicate the angular output to the first processing circuitry.   
     
     
         15 . The radar level gauge system according to  claim 12 , wherein the inclination output is based on a vector having a first number of elements, wherein the first number of elements is  1 ,  2  or  3 . 
     
     
         16 . The radar level gauge system according to  claim 14 , wherein the system comprises a presenter, and the second processing circuitry is further adapted to compare the inclination output to at least one predetermined threshold value, and to generate the angular output based on the result from the comparison of the inclination output and the at least one threshold value, and wherein the presenter is further adapted to issue an alarm based on the angular output. 
     
     
         17 . The radar level gauge system according to  claim 14 , wherein the presenter comprises at least one of a display, a loudspeaker, and an electromagnetic radiation sender. 
     
     
         18 . The radar level gauge system according to  claim 16 , further comprising a data input means for inputting data for adjusting the threshold value. 
     
     
         19 . The radar level gauge system according to  claim 14 , wherein the system comprises a communication path, and the first processing circuitry is adapted to initiating a second action based on the angular output, the second action being at least one of: discontinue the transmittance of the measuring signals, resetting the measurement of the distance to a surface in a tank and adjusting the value of the determined fill level in the tank. 
     
     
         20 . The radar level gauge system according to  claim 12 , wherein the first processing circuitry and the second processing circuitry are integrated in one common circuit. 
     
     
         21 . The radar level gauge system according to  claim 12 , further comprising a wave guiding structure for guiding the measuring signals in the tank. 
     
     
         22 . A radar level gauge system comprising:
 a phased array antenna configured to discharge a beam of signals along a first axis, which is electrically adjustable;   a transmitter configured to transmit a beam of measuring signals along the first axis using the phased array antenna;   a receiver configured to receive echo signals corresponding to a reflection of the measuring signals;   first processing circuity configured to determine a fill level based on the received echo signals;   an inclination sensor configured to generate an inclination output corresponding to an inclination of the sensor relative to a normal to a surface;   second processing circuitry configured to generate, based on the inclination output, an angular output indicating an angular difference between the first axis and the normal to the surface; and   a processor configured to electrically phase adjust the phased array antenna to change the orientation of the first axis based on the angular output and compensate for a non-ideal orientation of the first axis.   
     
     
         101 - 112 . (canceled)