Different constructions of the sensing elements of radio-frequency level sensors based on sections of long lines are numerically investigated by means of the Matlab program for the purpose of minimizing the measurement error caused by the nonlinearity of the output characteristic. It is shown that the nonlinearity is lowest for U-shaped designs. The nonlinearity factor KN may be regulated by varying the capacitance of a correcting capacitor connected to the input of the sensing element and (or) the length of one of the sections of the long line. In selecting an optimal capacitance of the correcting capacitor KN ≤ 0.15% for control media with dielectric permittivity in the range 2.2–30.
Keywords: radio-frequency level sensor, output characteristic, linearization, nonlinearity factor, dielectric permittivity.