Endress + Hauser Gmbh + Co. Kg

Sick Ag

Endress+hauserse+co. Kg

Endress + Hasuer Gmbh + Co. Kg

Hartmut Damm

Christian Seiler

Simon Weidenbruch

Mingzheng Jiang

Wolfgang Brutschin

Christof J Meyer

Klaus Ruf

Joachim Neuhaus

Narcisse Michel Nzitchieu Gadeu

Robert Schäuble

Jochen Politt

Wolfgang Kämereit

Mingzehn Jiang

Zeljko Jaksic

Alex Zimmermann

Jan SCHLEIFERBÖCK

Wolfgang KÄMEREIT

Jochen Rummel

The present disclosure relates to a method for determining a remaining operating period of a detector unit for a radiometric, density- or fill-level measuring device. The detector unit includes a photomultiplier. In such method, the control voltage of the photomultiplier is registered over at least one predetermined time period, a time rate of change function is ascertained based on control voltage registered during the predetermined time period, and the remaining operating period until reaching a maximum control voltage is calculated by means of the time rate of change function and a current control voltage, which is present at the current operating time. The method of the present disclosure permits approximation of the remaining operating period of the detector unit and, thus, timely learning of when required maintenance measures, especially aging related replacement of the photomultiplier, must be performed.

Method for determining a remaining operating period of a detector unit

A method for limit level monitoring with a radiometric limit switch. A detector measures discrete radiation intensities. Statistical distributions of radiation intensities in a state, free of medium, and in a state, covered by medium, are given by two Poisson distributions. In an interval successive radiation intensities are measured, a distribution of the radiation intensities, two separated Poisson distributions are identified within the distribution, based on the positions of the Poisson distributions identified within the distribution, an upper threshold value is determined for the radiation intensity, the exceeding of which upper threshold value by a radiation intensity measured following the interval means a state change into the state, free of medium, has been detected, and/or a lower threshold value is determined for the radiation intensity, the subceeding of which lower threshold value by a radiation intensity measured following the interval means a state change into the state, covered by medium, has been detected.

Method for radiometric limit level monitoring

A scintillation detector, especially one for a radiometric measuring device for measuring and/or monitoring a measured variable, especially a fill level of a fill substance located in a container, for covering a predeterminable measuring range as flexibly as possible in shape and length. To this end, the scintillation detector comprises two or more scintillators arranged in series relative to one another for converting thereon falling, radioactive radiation into light flashes, whose light propagates in the respective scintillator toward its ends. Arranged between the scintillators are optical coupling elements, which establish light transmitting connections between adjoining pairs of scintillators. Connected at an end of the series is a photoelectric transducer, which converts light occurring in the series into an electrical signal corresponding to a radiation intensity striking the scintillators. According to the invention, at least one of the coupling elements is a mechanically flexible element, which includes a bundle of light conducting fibers, via which transmission of the light between the two scintillators connected with one another via the fibers occurs.

Scintillation detector

A radiometric measuring device comprising: a radioactive radiator which sends radioactive radiation through a container; and a detector serving to receive a radiation intensity penetrating through the container, dependent on the physical, measured variable, and to convert such into an electrical output signal. The detector includes a carrier, on which at least one scintillation fiber is wound, which converts radiometric radiation impinging thereon into light flashes, whose light propagates in the respective scintillation fiber toward its ends. The detector further includes at least one array of avalanche photodiodes operated in a Geiger mode, which convert light impinging thereon into an electrical signal. The detector also has a measuring device electronics connected to the avalanche photodiodes for producing the electrical output signal, based on the electrical signals of the avalanche photodiodes.

Radiometric measuring device

A radiometric for measuring a physical, measured variable of a fill substance located in a container and for outputting a measurement signal, which corresponds to a measured value of the physical, measured variable. The measuring device has available a single line-pair, via which energy supply of the total measuring device occurs, and via which transmission of the measurement signal occurs. The measuring device includes: a radioactive radiator, which, during operation, sends radioactive radiation through the container; a detector having a scintillator and a photomultiplier and serving for detecting, and for converting into an electrical output signal, radiation intensity penetrating through the container dependent on the physical, measured variable to be measured; a measuring device electronics, which serves, on the basis of the electrical output signal of the detector, for producing the measurement signal and for making such available via the line-pair; an energy storer supplied via the line-pair; a controller, which, as a function of energy available via the line-pair and the energy storer, triggers measuring phases, during which the measuring device measures the physical, measured variable, and which places the photomultiplier in operation exclusively during the measuring phases, wherein high voltages required for operating the photomultiplier are produced during the measuring phases by means of a high voltage cascade.

An optoelectronic apparatus for transmission of an electrical signal via, galvanically isolated by means of a one-piece, translucent, plastic body, an input current circuit. At least one optical transmission element, and an output current circuit, having at least one optical receiving element, wherein the optical transmission element has a principle transmission axis and the optical receiving element a principle receiving axis, which are oriented so as to concide with a shared optical axis. The plastic body has two cavities separated via a partition for accommodating, respectively, the optical transmission element and the optical receiving element, wherein the transmitting element and/or the receiving element are/is placed through the openings so far into the cavities of the plastic body, that, following a case of overvoltage on the transmitting element and/or the receiving element, an insulating air distance and creep path according to an insulation coordination is still present along outer surfaces of the plastic body.

Optoelectronic apparatus for transmission of an electrical signal

The invention relates to a device for determining and/or monitoring the density and/or the level (L) of a filling material in a container. A transmitting unit which emits radioactive radiation and a receiving unit which is arranged in such a way that it receives the radioactive radiation or the secondary radiation that is produced by the interaction of the radioactive radiation with the filling material are provided. A regulating/evaluating unit which determines the density and/or the level of the filling material in the container using the measuring data that is supplied by the receiving unit is also provided. The aim of the invention is to provide a device which enables the level or the density of a filling material in a container to be measured reliably. To this end, the receiving unit consists of individual detector units. These detector units are positioned at different distances from the floor of the container, so that each detector unit directly or indirectly, essentially detects the proportion of radiation that passes.

Device for determining and/or monitoring the density and/or the level of a filling material in a container

A laser range finding apparatus 10 comprises a pulsed laser 12, a light deflecting device 14, photo-receiver arrangement 16 and a reference object 18 arranged at a defined spacing from the light deflecting device 14. In this respect the reference object 18 has at least one triple element consisting of three mirror surfaces arranged at an angle of 90.degree. to one another.

Laser distance finding apparatus

A tube (1) is shown for coupling with, in particular, optical transmitter and/or receiver elements (2), and with means for suppressing interfering radiation, in which the means for suppressing interfering radiation consist of multiply reflecting surfaces (15) which absorb interfering radiation and which are formed by a plurality of ribs (11) which respectively extend substantially along a plane extending through the optical axis of the tube (1).

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Teningen, Germany

Hartmut Damm