A method of estimating a quantity of a liquid fuel in a fuel tank of an aircraft is disclosed. A surface of the fuel is illuminated with light so that the light is reflected or scattered by the surface of the fuel onto an array of sensors. The light travels to and from the surface of the fuel via a measurement path containing a transmission medium. A measured time of flight is made at each sensor for the light which travels via the measurement path to that sensor. At least one of the sensors is illuminated with light via a reference path containing a transmission medium with substantially the same refractive index as the transmission medium in the measurement path, the reference path having a known reference distance which does not vary in accordance with the quantity of the fuel.
Aircraft fuel measurement
2019-11-19
Patent
Electronic Resource
English
IPC: | G01C Messen von Entfernungen, Höhen, Neigungen oder Richtungen , MEASURING DISTANCES, LEVELS OR BEARINGS / B64D Ausrüstung für Flugzeuge , EQUIPMENT FOR FITTING IN OR TO AIRCRAFT / G01F Messen des Volumens, des Durchflussvolumens, des Massendurchflusses oder des Füllstandes , MEASURING VOLUME, VOLUME FLOW, MASS FLOW, OR LIQUID LEVEL / G01S RADIO DIRECTION-FINDING , Funkpeilung |
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