EP-4735841-A1 - RADAR FILL-LEVEL MEASURING DEVICE FOR DETECTING FILL LEVELS IN CONTAINERS

Abstract

The invention relates to a radar fill-level measuring device for detecting fill levels in containers, comprising: a primary emitter for transmitting and receiving radar beams; a dielectric lens for transmitting and receiving the radar beams; a waveguide unit for guiding the radar beams between the primary emitter and the dielectric lens, wherein the dielectric lens and the waveguide unit are spaced apart from one another.

Inventors

• WEINZIERLE, Christian
• WÄLDE, Steffen

Assignees

• VEGA Grieshaber KG

Dates

Publication Date

20260506

Application Date

20240612

Claims (14)

1. 1. Radar level measuring device for detecting fill levels in containers, comprising: a primary radiator for transmitting and receiving radar beams; a dielectric lens for transmitting and receiving the radar beams; a waveguide unit for guiding the radar beams between the primary radiator and the dielectric lens; wherein the dielectric lens and the waveguide unit are arranged at a distance from one another.
2. 2. Radar level gauge according to claim 1, wherein the waveguide unit comprises a dielectric waveguide.
3. 3. Radar level gauge according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the waveguide unit comprises a metallic waveguide.
4. 4. Radar level measuring device according to claim 3, wherein the metallic waveguide has an adaptation element for coupling in the radar beams and a beam element for emitting the radar beams.
5. 5. Radar level measuring device according to claim 2, wherein the dielectric waveguide has a matching element for coupling the radar beams and a beam element for emitting the radar beams.
6. 6. Radar level gauge according to one of the preceding claims, wherein air for thermal insulation is located between the waveguide unit and the dielectric lens.
7. 7. Radar level measuring device according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the primary radiator comprises a radiation element, a coupling element and a resonator element.
8. 8. Radar level gauge according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the dielectric waveguide comprises a plastic.
9. 9. Radar level measuring device according to one of the preceding claims, wherein a distance between the dielectric lens and the waveguide unit is derived from a geometry of the dielectric lens.
10. 10. Radar level measuring device according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the radar level measuring device is arranged to measure at a frequency above 100 GHz.
11. 11. Radar level measuring device according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the waveguide unit comprises a beam element and wherein the beam element is arranged in the focus of the dielectric lens.
12. 12. System for detecting fill levels, comprising at least one radar level measuring device according to one of claims 1 to 11 and a container for storing a material.
13. 13. The system of claim 12, wherein the container comprises an agitator.
14. 14. The system of claim 12 or 13, wherein the container comprises a heating coil.

Description

Radar level measuring device for detecting fill levels in containers reference to related applications The present application claims priority from German patent application No. 10 2023 206 192.9, filed on June 30, 2023, which is incorporated in its entirety by reference into the present document. field of the invention The present invention relates to a radar level measuring device for detecting fill levels in containers and a system for detecting fill levels. background Radar level measuring devices are generally known in the state of the art and are used, for example, in the process and chemical industries to monitor fill levels in containers. In this context, it has now become apparent that there is a further need to provide a radar level measuring device for detecting fill levels, in particular there is a need to provide an efficient, cost-effective and robust radar level measuring device for detecting fill levels. These and other objects, which will be mentioned upon reading the following description or which can be recognized by the person skilled in the art, are solved by the subject matter of the independent claims. The dependent claims develop the central idea of the present invention in a particularly advantageous manner. Summary of the Invention According to a first aspect of the present invention, a radar level measuring device for detecting levels in containers is provided, comprising: a primary radiator for transmitting and receiving radar beams; a dielectric lens for transmitting and receiving the radar beams; a waveguide unit for guiding the radar beams between the primary radiator and the dielectric lens; wherein the dielectric lens and the waveguide unit are arranged at a distance from one another. The term primary radiator is to be understood broadly in this case and means a structural element that is designed to emit electromagnetic waves, preferably radar beams, that are generated by a circuit, preferably a high-frequency circuit in the GHz range, and/or to receive reflected radar beams. The primary radiator can be designed in one or more parts. The primary radiator can be arranged at least partially on the high-frequency circuit for generating the radar beams and for processing reflected radar beams. The term dielectric lens is to be understood broadly here and preferably means a lens made of a dielectric material that is curved on both sides and receives radar beams emitted directly or indirectly by the primary emitter and transmits them in a directed manner, or receives reflected radar beams and transmits them directly or indirectly to the primary emitter. The dielectric lens can influence the shape or direction of the radiation. The dielectric lens preferably has a spherical shape. Depending on a radius or a curvature, a distance results in which the radiation emitted or sent by the dielectric lens is bundled. The dielectric lens preferably comprises a loss-free dielectric material. The term waveguide unit is to be understood broadly here and means a device that is designed to guide electromagnetic waves, preferably radar beams. The waveguide unit can be one-piece or multi-piece. The waveguide unit can be designed as a waveguide (e.g. metallic waveguide). The waveguide unit can be designed as a dielectric waveguide. The term “spaced” is to be understood broadly in this case and means that the waveguide unit and the dielectric lens are arranged in such a way that a spatial distance or a free space exists between one end of the waveguide unit, which faces the dielectric lens and the dielectric lens. The length of this distance preferably depends on the geometry of the dielectric lens. The free space is preferably filled with air. The term radar level measuring device is to be understood broadly here and preferably means a measuring device for detecting fill levels in containers, whereby the measuring device determines the fill level according to the principle of measuring the time of flight of the radar beams. In this case, a fill level to be measured in the container is determined taking into account the position of the level measuring device and the measured time of flight between transmitted radar beams and received radar beams, i.e. radar beams reflected from the surface of, for example, a bulk material in a container. Different methods can be used to determine the time of flight, e.g. pulse radar or frequency modulation continuous-action radar. The invention is based on the knowledge that the sensor electronics of the radar level measuring device must not exceed a temperature of approx. 85 °C, whereas the process temperature in the containers in which the level is measured can be up to 450 °C. This leads to the need for thermal decoupling of the sensor electronics and radar antenna. Furthermore, radar level measuring devices that operate in the range above 100 GHz are currently being used more and more. The thermal decoupling in the range of radar level measuring devices that