SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR REMOTELY MEASURING LIQUID LEVEL USING TIME-DOMAIN REFLECTOMETRY (TDR)

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a remote measurement system which is suitable for water level measurement in a hostile post-accident environment which may include high radiation of a spent fuel pool (SFP), high temperatures, high seismic activity, fire, explosions, and falling debris.SOLUTION: A remote pulse TDR liquid level measurement system and method may include a step of inserting a probe 106 into a body of water. The probe 106 has a probe/air interface, and the body of water includes an air/water interface. A narrow pulse is remotely transmitted to the probe via a coaxial cable 118. A first impedance mismatch is received from the probe/air interface in a form of a positive reflected pulse, and a second impedance mismatch is received from the air/water interface in a form of a negative reflected pulse. A time between the positive reflected pulse and the negative reflected pulse is calculated, and the time is converted to a distance which is indicative of the water level.