Air valve with external liquid level sensor

An air valve assembly comprising:

• a main housing comprising a coupling flange for coupling to a pipe;
• an air valve fluidly coupled to said main housing, said main housing having walls that extend from said coupling flange to said air valve, said walls surrounding and defining an inner chamber in said main housing, said inner chamber being bounded by said walls, said air valve and said coupling flange;
• an actuator in fluid communication with an inlet to said air valve and with a discharge tube;
• and
• a non-contact liquid level sensor located in an external housing coupled to said main housing, said non-contact liquid level sensor being in operative communication with said actuator, and wherein said main housing comprises a guiding structure for guiding or diverting fluid to flow towards an area inside said main housing next to said external liquid level sensor, said guiding structure comprising a baffle or curved wall that causes the liquid to circulate or flow faster towards said sensor, wherein said guiding structure is separate from said walls and is located inside said inner chamber radially inwards from said walls, and said guiding structure protrudes upwards from a bottom of said inner chamber, and wherein said guiding structure tapers towards an upper end of said inner chamber.