A combined geometric-volumetric calibration of inclined cylindrical underground storage tanks using the regularized least-squares method

Due to some technical and economical factors, the conventional geometric calibration cannot be completely applied to inclined underground storage tanks (UST), nor can the regular volumetric calibration. We propose a novel calibration method called combined geometric-volumetric calibration. The method is based on the data fitting of a level-volume (LV) characteristic curve where LV data are acquired through partially volumetric calibration. The approach aims to find the inclination of UST in order to generate the LV table. The calibrating problem is formulated as a series of standard regularized least-squares (RLS) problem. A computer program with user-friendly GUIs has also been implemented, on the basis of MATLAB, for the ease of the calibrating operation. The numerical example verifies that the presented method could determine the amount of inclination, and return the LV curve that satisfactorily matched the LV data. The result suggests that the presented method as well as the program can be realized with actual applications in industrial sections.