Visión Electrónica (Oct 2022)
Electronic ACPM meter in gallons, for the electric generator tank of the ESUFA radar
Abstract
Since measurements such as meters (m), kilometers (km) or gallons (gal) of any object, substance or matter; man has sought systems that guarantee the accuracy of what he sells, buys, uses or consumes in his activities. The Colombian Air Force (FAC) is no exception; at the Colombian Air Force Non-Commissioned Officers School (ESUFA) there is a storage tank for Motor Fuel Oil (ACPM) that is used for the operation of the electric generator that supplies electric power to the ANTPS-70 radar. The measurement of ACPM consumption in gallons is done by hand. The operators use a gauging rod, which is inserted into the tank and, depending on how long it is wetted, allows them to estimate the number of gallons of fuel in the tank and use this data to estimate the number of gallons used. This procedure is carried out in each of the AN/TPS-70 type radars of the FAC military units. In the present investigation, a digital system for measuring the gallons of ACPM in the tanks was developed. The volume of the tank is established with the tank manufacturer's data. With an ultrasound sensor HC-SR04, which works by emitting an ultrasonic sound by one of its transducers, and waiting for the sound to bounce off the surface of the ACPM, the echo is captured by the second transducer. Thus, the height of the fuel (ACPM) inside the tank is obtained and a comparison table of height & volume is made, the Arduino UNO board is programmed and with this relationship the amount of gallons of ACPM contained in the tank is measured, which are transmitted wirelessly by a NRF24L01 module to the receiver where the amount of gallons is displayed on an LCD.
