How do cars measure fuel level accurately when the fluid is constantly sloshing around?
In: 2855
With the power of averaging.
There are ways to make any indicator to work at a slower speed. You can do it electronically or electrically or mechanically. But the logic is to have the indicator “sleeping” somewhere between the various different high and low peak readings.
An incredibly simple mechanical way is to surround a float sensor with baffle plates, so it seats in a dedicated undisturbed chamber barely connected with the rest of the tank.
For electric indicators, if you can get a dc voltage out of the sensor, you put a big capacitor on the line to the indicator, that will absorb all the ups and downs. But there are other methods.
Electronically, you just program the indicator.
This said, no car indicator is really accurate. If you park your car on a appreciable slope, you can see the indication being affected. The system is just calibrated for your normal horizontal position. And in average, your car is horizontal most of the time.
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