IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
|
국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
|
출원번호 |
UP-0320509
(2005-12-28)
|
등록번호 |
US-7712352
(2010-06-03)
|
발명자
/ 주소 |
- Wolford, Jimmy
- Wolford, Bernie
- Lockerd, Clark
- Slaughter, Ricky
|
출원인 / 주소 |
- Mass Technology Corporation
|
대리인 / 주소 |
|
인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
0 인용 특허 :
15 |
초록
▼
An intrinsically safe, precise, and cost effective storage tank leak detection system. Embodiments include a highly precise quartz crystal type pressure transducer, secured in a vacuum and held at a constant temperature. Said transducer is used in combination with data correction and regression tech
An intrinsically safe, precise, and cost effective storage tank leak detection system. Embodiments include a highly precise quartz crystal type pressure transducer, secured in a vacuum and held at a constant temperature. Said transducer is used in combination with data correction and regression techniques to yield a storage tank leak detection system with an extremely low leak detection threshold. The storage tank leak detection system is thought to be most useful for detecting very small leaks in very large storage tanks.
대표청구항
▼
We claim: 1. A system for detecting and quantifying changes in the mass content of liquid storage containers comprising: differential pressure sensor means configured for receiving input representative of first and second pressure parameters and for transmitting data representative of a differentia
We claim: 1. A system for detecting and quantifying changes in the mass content of liquid storage containers comprising: differential pressure sensor means configured for receiving input representative of first and second pressure parameters and for transmitting data representative of a differential between said first and second pressure parameters to a computing means; high pressure measurement means configured for measuring a first pressure parameter in a liquid medium residing within a container, and engaged with said differential pressure sensor means for facilitating the sensing of said first pressure parameter by said differential pressure sensor means; low pressure measurement means configured, when positioned substantially at the surface of said liquid medium, for measuring a second pressure parameter at said surface of said liquid medium and for facilitating the sensing of said second pressure parameter by said differential pressure sensor means; ambient temperature measurement means for measuring ambient temperature near said container and reporting data indicative of said ambient temperature to said computing means; and protective enclosure means configured for maintaining therein one or more components of said system, other than said low pressure and high pressure measuring means, substantially at a vacuum; wherein said computing means is configured for recording in a time continuum basis data from said differential pressure sensor means, said high pressure measurement means, said low pressure measurement means, said protective enclosure means, and said ambient temperature measurement means, and for deriving data indicative of changes over time of the mass of said liquid medium within said container. 2. The system of claim 1 further comprising barometric pressure measuring means configured for measuring atmospheric pressure near said container and reporting data indicative of said atmospheric pressure to said computing means, and wherein said computing means is further configured for deriving said data indicative of changes over time of the mass of said liquid medium within said container, basing such derivation, in part, on said data indicative of said atmospheric pressure. 3. The system of claim 2 further comprising temperature management means configured for maintaining the temperature of said differential pressure sensor means at a substantially constant level. 4. The system of claim 1 further comprising temperature management means configured for maintaining the temperature of said differential pressure sensor means at a substantially constant level. 5. A system for detecting leaks in a liquid storage tank comprising: differential pressure sensor means having a low pressure measurement component and a high pressure measurement component, said high pressure measurement component being configured for measuring tank bottom pressure within a liquid, said low pressure measurement component being configured for receiving data indicative of atmospheric and vapor pressure substantially at the surface of said liquid; protective enclosure means configured for maintaining therein one or more components of said system, other than said low pressure and high pressure components, substantially at a vacuum; barometric pressure measuring means configured for measuring atmospheric pressure substantially at the surface of said liquid; barometric pressure and differential pressure calculation means configured for receiving first and second data reflecting, respectively said tank bottom pressure and of said barometric pressure substantially at said surface of said liquid, and for adjusting said first data to substantially eliminate variations upon said measurements of said tank bottom pressure caused solely from atmospheric pressure variations to yield an atmospheric pressure adjusted tank bottom pressure; ambient temperature measurement means for measuring ambient temperature near said storage tank; tank dynamic and barometric pressure adjusted tank bottom pressure calculation means configured for receiving third data indicative of said atmospheric pressure adjusted tank bottom pressure, for receiving fourth data indicative of ambient temperature measurements by said ambient temperature measurement means, for receiving fifth data indicative of expansion characteristics of said storage tank, and for adjusting said third data with reference to said fourth and fifth data to substantially eliminate variations upon measurements and calculations of said barometric pressure adjusted tank bottom pressure, caused solely by dimensional changes in said storage tank resulting from atmospheric temperature variations, to yield a tank dynamic adjusted tank bottom pressure; and tank content mass calculation means for calculating mass contents of said storage tank substantially based on said tank dynamic adjusted tank bottom pressure and operator input data reflecting physical characteristics of said contents of said storage tank. 6. The system of claim 5 further comprising temperature management means configured for maintaining the temperature of said pressure transducer substantially at an operator-specified temperature. 7. The system of claim 1, 2, or 6 further comprising protective enclosure temperature management means configured for maintaining the temperature of said differential pressure sensor means substantially at an operator-specified temperature. 8. A method for detecting leaks in a storage tank comprising: selecting a mass detection system comprising: differential pressure sensor means having a low pressure measurement component and a high pressure measurement component, said high pressure measurement component being configured for measuring tank bottom pressure within a liquid, said low pressure measurement component being configured for receiving data indicative of atmospheric and vapor pressure substantially at the surface of said liquid; protective enclosure means configured for maintaining therein one or more components of said system, other than said low pressure and high pressure components, substantially at a vacuum; barometric pressure measuring means configured for measuring atmospheric pressure substantially at the surface of said liquid; barometric pressure and differential pressure calculation means configured for receiving first and second data reflecting, respectively, said tank bottom pressure and of said barometric pressure substantially at said surface of said liquid, and for adjusting said first data to substantially eliminate variations upon said measurements of said tank bottom pressure caused solely from atmospheric pressure variations to yield an atmospheric pressure adjusted tank bottom pressure; ambient temperature measurement means for measuring ambient temperature near said storage tank; tank dynamic and barometric pressure adjusted tank bottom pressure calculation means configured for receiving third data indicative of said atmospheric pressure adjusted tank bottom pressure, for receiving fourth data indicative of ambient temperature measurements by said ambient temperature measurement means, for receiving fifth data indicative of expansion characteristics of said storage tank, and for adjusting said third data with reference to said fourth and fifth data to substantially eliminate variations upon measurements and calculations of said barometric pressure adjusted tank bottom pressure, caused solely by dimensional changes in said storage tank resulting from atmospheric temperature variations, to yield a tank dynamic adjusted tank bottom pressure; and tank content mass calculation means for calculating mass contents of said storage tank substantially based on said tank dynamic adjusted tank bottom pressure and operator input data reflecting physical characteristics of said contents of said storage tank; selecting data storage means for collecting a plurality of mass content data as generated by said tank content mass calculation means over a plurality of points in time; selecting computing means configured for generating a human perceptible indication of changes in said mass content data between a plurality of said points in time; actuating said mass detection system; and recording data indicative of changes in said mass content data attributable to leakage of said storage tank to detect of such leakage. 9. The method of claim 8 further comprising: securing all input and outflow orifices of said storage tank before said actuation of said mass detection system; and substantially selectively processing said mass content data which were generated approximately between sunset and sunrise at an installation site of said system. 10. The method of claim 8 further comprising temperature management means configured for maintaining the temperature of said pressure transducer substantially at an operator-specified temperature. 11. The method of claim 10 further comprising protective enclosure temperature management means configured for maintaining the temperature of said differential pressure sensor means substantially at an operator-specified temperature. 12. A method for detecting leaks in a storage tank comprising: selecting a mass detection system comprising: differential pressure sensor means having a low pressure measurement component and a high pressure measurement component; protective enclosure means for protecting said differential pressure sensor means from materials and conditions when immersed in liquid contents of said storage tank, said protective enclosure means configured for maintaining therein one or more components of said system, other than said low pressure and high pressure components, substantially at a vacuum; said high pressure measurement component being configured for measuring tank bottom pressure within a liquid in which a canister is immersed; said low pressure measurement component being configured for receiving data indicative of atmospheric pressure substantially at the surface of said liquid; barometric pressure measuring means configured for measuring atmospheric pressure substantially at the surface of said liquid when said protective enclosure means is immersed therein; barometric pressure and differential pressure calculation means configured for receiving first and second data reflecting, respectively, said tank bottom pressure and of said barometric pressure substantially at said surface of said liquid, and for adjusting said first data to substantially eliminate variations upon said measurements of said tank bottom pressure caused solely from atmospheric pressure variations to yield an atmospheric pressure adjusted tank bottom pressure; ambient temperature measurement means for measuring ambient temperature near said storage tank; fluid temperature measurement means for measuring fluid temperature inside the storage tank; tank dynamic and barometric pressure adjusted tank bottom pressure calculation means configured for receiving third data indicative of said atmospheric pressure adjusted tank bottom pressure, for receiving fourth data indicative of ambient temperature measurements by said ambient temperature measurement means, for receiving fifth data indicative of fluid temperature measurements by said fluid temperature measurement means, for receiving sixth data indicative of expansion characteristics of said storage tank, and for adjusting said third data with reference to said fourth, fifth and sixth data to substantially eliminate variations upon measurements and calculations of said barometric pressure adjusted tank bottom pressure, caused solely by dimensional changes in said storage tank resulting from atmospheric temperature variations, to yield a tank dynamic adjusted tank bottom pressure; and tank content mass calculation means for calculating mass content data representative of the contents of said storage tank substantially based on said tank dynamic adjusted tank bottom pressure and operator input data reflecting physical characteristics of said contents of said storage tank; selecting data storage means for collecting a plurality of mass content data as generated by said tank content mass calculation means over a plurality of points in time; selecting computing means configured for generating a human perceptible indication of changes in said mass content data between a plurality of said points in time; placing said protective enclosure means substantially at a bottom interior surface of said storage tank; actuating said mass detection system; and observing data indicative of changes in said mass content data attributable to leakage of said storage tank to detect such leakage.
※ AI-Helper는 부적절한 답변을 할 수 있습니다.