Acoustic liquid level measuring apparatus

An acoustic liquid level detector system comprising:

• a first acoustic wave guide;
• an ultrasonic wave transceiver operably associated with the first acoustic wave guide to transfer ultrasonic waves between the ultrasonic transceiver and the first acoustic wave guide;
• a second acoustic wave guide, the second acoustic wave guide including sidewalls having a first longitudinal end portion and a second longitudinal end portion, the first end portion joining with the angled juncture, the second end portion including a plurality of longitudinally spaced fluid communication orifices extending through the sidewalls;
• an angled juncture interconnecting the first acoustic wave guide to the second acoustic wave guide;
• a primary acoustic reflector provided in the angled juncture to angularly reflect ultrasonic waves between the first and second acoustic wave guides;
• and
• a secondary acoustic reflector positioned to directly reflect an acoustic wave emanating from the acoustic wave transceiver back to the acoustic wave transceiver.
• wherein the secondary reflector comprises a feature provided upon the primary reflector.

An acoustic liquid level detector system comprising:

• a first acoustic wave guide;
• a purge gas port provided in the first acoustic wave guide;
• an ultrasonic wave transceiver operably associated with the first acoustic wave guide to transfer ultrasonic waves between the ultrasonic transceiver and the first acoustic wave guide;
• a second acoustic wave guide, the second acoustic wave guide including sidewalls having a first longitudinal end portion and a second longitudinal end portion;
• an angled juncture interconnecting the first acoustic wave guide to the second acoustic wave guide;
• wherein said first end portion joining with the angled juncture, the second end portion including a plurality of longitudinally spaced fluid communication orifices extending through the sidewalls;
• a primary acoustic reflector provided in the angled juncture to angularly reflect ultrasonic waves between the first and second acoustic wave guides;
• and
• a secondary acoustic reflector centrally provided upon the primary acoustic reflector within the angled juncture to directly reflect an ultrasonic wave emanating from the ultrasonic transceiver through the first wave guide back into the first wave guide to the ultrasonic transceiver.

An acoustic liquid level detector system comprising:

• a first acoustic wave guide;
• an acoustic wave transmitter and an acoustic wave receiver operably associated with the first acoustic wave guide to transfer acoustic waves between, a) the acoustic transmitter and receiver;
• and b) the first acoustic wave guide;
• a second acoustic wave guide;
• an angled juncture interconnecting the first acoustic wave guide to the second acoustic wave guide;
• a primary acoustic reflector provided in the angled juncture to angularly reflect acoustic waves between the first and second acoustic wave guides;
• and
• a second acoustic reflector provided in the angled juncture to reflect an acoustic wave emanating from the acoustic wave transmitter through the first wave guide back into the first wave guide to the acoustic wave receiver;
• wherein the secondary reflector comprises a feature provided upon the primary reflector.

An acoustic liquid level detector system comprising:

• an acoustic wave transmitter;
• at least one longitudinally elongated acoustic wave guide operably associated with the transmitter to receive acoustic waves transmitted therefrom, the acoustic wave guide having sidewalls including a first longitudinal end portion and a second longitudinal end portion, the first end portion being configured to receive acoustic waves from the transmitter and transfer such waves to the second end portion, the second end portion being configured to be placed through an upper level of liquid and including a plurality of longitudinally spaced orifices extending through the sidewalls;
• and
• means for injecting a purge gas into the acoustic wave guide.