Digital quantity gauge for an agricultural aircraft payload hopper using a magnetostrictive linear displacement transducer (MLDT)

摘要

A system for determining the quantity of a liquid agricultural product available for spraying on a field from a tank in an airplane comprising a payload storage tank for holding the agricultural product, an elongated magnetostrictive linear displacement transducer tube located vertically in the aircraft payload storage tank, a probe float slidably coupled to move up or down on the elongated magnetostrictive linear displacement transducer tube, and a permanent magnet coupled to the probe float. The position of the magnet is sensed by the elongated magnetostrictive linear displacement transducer tube which generates a signal that marks the level of the liquid in the aircraft payload storage tank, and converter means converts the generated signal that marks the level of the liquid in the aircraft payload storage tank to a quantity of liquid in the aircraft payload storage tank which is displayed to the pilot.