Non-contact opto-fluidics-based liquid level sensor for harsh environments

This paper presents a non-intrusive, non-contact liquid level sensor. The proposed sensor is a free-space-based optical sensor that uses opto-fluidic technology-based agile optics to direct light from a laser source to the Liquid Under Test (LUT). The presented design makes the proposed sensor ideal for use in environments where levels have to be determined for caustic or toxic liquids having a small window interface on the containers carrying them. The proposed design uses very low optical power levels (< 100 μW) making it useful for measuring levels of combustible liquids (e.g., jet fuels) which have a danger of being ignited at higher power levels. The proposed sensor can find potential applications in transportation, chemical and aerospace industries.