Device for measuring the volume of liquid in a container

Abstract

A device for measuring and monitoring the volume of liquid in a container comprises an adapter for mounting the device in an opening in the top wall of the container. The adapter supports a beam onto which one end of a float is connected such that the free end of the float extends substantially vertically into the container. A strain gauge is disposed on the beam so that the measuring direction of the gauge is parallel to the main axis of the beam. The device can also include a sensor for measuring physical parameters of the container. A processor is connected to the strain gauge and any sensor to take data from those input devices. During a calibration operation, a measurement function is derived to correlate strain gauge readings to the volume of liquid in the container. The function is recorded in a processor which takes data from the strain gauge and calculates the actual volume of liquid in the container. An output component displays the measurement. The device of the present invention can be used in new containers and easily retrofitted to existing ones since the internal shape of the container is expressed in the measurement function.