Introduction
The tilt sensor functions like a liquid potentiometer. The electrically conductive fluid creates a variable resistance between the electrodes. When the sensor is in the null or balanced position, the resistances between the center electrode to each outside electrode are qual. Tilting the sensor from its balanced position changes the two resistances producing an electrical output proportional to the tilted angle. The major electrolytic salts are chosen from metal cations, such as sodium, potassium, lithium, calcium and cesium, of which the ionic species offer good conductivity at every level of dilution. The electrolytic salts are also selected from anions, such as nitrate, carbonate, acetate and hydroxide, which resist chemically combining with the metallic elements of the metal electrode materials. Solvents may include methanol, ethanol, butanol, propanol and isopropanol that provide the ability to control the viscosity of the electrolyte, related directly to the response time of tilt sensor[1].
References
Wong,T.D., Evaluation of Electrolytic Tilt Sensor for Wind tunnel Model Angle-of-Attack (AOA) Measurements, Langley Research Center, NASA, USA