Propellant Mass Gauging in a Spherical Tank under Micro-Gravity Conditions Using Capacitance Plate Arrays and Machine Learning

Abstract

Propellant mass gauging under micro-gravity conditions is a challenging task due to the unpredictable position and shape of the fuel body inside the tank. Micro-gravity conditions are common for orbiting satellites and rockets that operate on limited fuel supplies. Capacitance sensors have been investigated for this task in recent years; however, the effect of various positions and shapes of the fuel body is not analyzed in detail. In this paper, we investigate this with various fill types, such as annular, core-annular, and stratified fills at different positions. We compare the performance among several curve-fitting-based approaches and a machine-learning-based approach, the latter of which offers superior performance in estimating the fuel content.

Experimental Study of Oil–Water Flow Downstream of a Restriction in a Horizontal Pipe

“…Traditional ECVT utilizes 12, 24, or 36 rectangular electrodes configured around a cylindrical RoI. However, different numbers and shapes of plates can be configured around differently shaped RoIs including elbow, square, and spherical plates [15,16]. Twenty-four rectangular plates are used in this study with 4 rows of 6 plates in an offset configuration between rows.…”

Editorial to the Special Issue Sensors and Signal Analysis for Dynamic Measurement in Industrial Process

“…This Special Issue “Sensors and Signal Analysis for Dynamic Measurement in Industrial Processes” of Sensors seeks to explore new research proposals on this increasingly important topic. The ten accepted papers in this issue cover the latest developments and recent improvements in multiphase flow measurement [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ], system calibration and dynamic compensation [ 5 , 6 ], flow boiling monitoring [ 7 ], rock tunnel blasting [ 8 ], microgravity propellant mass gauging [ 9 ] and high-voltage electric field measurement [ 10 ]. These works present new sensing techniques and measurement methods, novel sensor design and system development, and advanced signal analysis and processing methods to promote the theoretical development and technical advancement of dynamic measurements in industrial processes.…”

“…In [ 9 ], Chowdhury et al investigate a number of mass fraction estimation techniques based on a 12-plate spherical ECVT sensor for propellant mass gauging under micro-gravity conditions. The effect of various positions and shapes of the fuel body on the propellant mass gauging under micro-gravity conditions is studied with an electrical capacitance volume tomography (ECVT) sensor.…”