Combined Longitudinal and Surface Acoustic Wave Analysis for Determining Small Filling Levels in Curved Steel Containers

Measurement of the small filling levels in closed steel container systems is still a challenge. Ultrasound, however, is a sensitive and non-invasive technique and is suitable for online monitoring. This study describes a new ultrasonic sensor system for sensing small filling levels using longitudinal and surface acoustic wave analysis. The sensor system consists of one transducer for the longitudinal wave analysis and two transducers for the longitudinal and surface acoustic wave analysis. All transducers were mounted to the outer wall of the steel container, ensuring non-invasiveness, and a filling level ranging from 0 to 5 cm was investigated. Combining both approaches, a consistent determination of small filling levels was achieved for the entire measuring range (R(2) = 0.99).