NASA Develops More Accurate Fuel Tank Sensor
May 6, 2010 by admin
Filed under Level, Liquid Level
NASA has developed wireless sensor technology is giving recreational boat owners safer and more accurate readings of how much fuel is in their tanks.
The NASA-developed magnetic measuring system also has potential use in planes, trains and automobiles.
Originally developed by NASA to retrofit aging aircraft with safety equipment, the technology is a spinoff for designing and using sensors without the shortcomings of many commonly-used liquid storage measurement systems.
Traditional marine fuel-gauge float systems can provide inaccurate readings because of a boat’s movement. A vessel’s pitch and roll in open waters can create a “seesaw” effect on fuel gauges. This new wireless fluid-level measurement system has two stationary pieces of conducting material located in the fuel, connected to an inductor on the outside of the tank.
Another aspect of the wireless fuel-level sensor system is the design can be modified to detect water, a concern for recreational boaters. It also can be modified to detect other non-fuel liquid contaminants in a tank. While this particular system is for a marine application, it could be modified for other uses.
