Performance evaluation of 80 GHz FMCW Radar for level measurement of cryogenic fluid

The microwave Radar used for special purposes in the past is being applied in various areas due to the technological advancement and cost reduction, and is particularly applied to autonomous driving in the automobile field. The FMCW (Frequency Modulated Continuous Wave) Radar can acquire level information of liquid in vessel based on the beat frequency obtained by continuously transmitting and receiving signals by modulating the frequency over time. However, for cryogenic fluids with small impedance differences between liquid medium and gas medium, such as liquid nitrogen and liquid hydrogen, it is difficult to apply a typical Radar-based level meter. In this study, we develop an 80 GHz FMCW Radar for level measurement of cryogenic fluids with small impedance differences between media and analyze its characteristics. Here, because of the low intrinsic impedance difference, most of the transmitted signal passes through the liquid nitrogen interface and is reflected at the bottom of the vessel. To solve this problem, a radar measurement algorithm was designed to detect multiple targets and separate the distance signal to the bottom of the vessel in order to estimate the precise position on the liquid nitrogen interface. Thereafter, performance verification experiments were performed according to the liquid nitrogen level using the developed radar level meter.