초록 ▼

A fluid (oil) storage tank is often in a remote place. A temperature sensor strip is affixed vertically down the outside of the tank. Each sensor sends its electronic signature and temperature to a local microprocessor. Various types of computations yield an accurate level indication on a local disp

A fluid (oil) storage tank is often in a remote place. A temperature sensor strip is affixed vertically down the outside of the tank. Each sensor sends its electronic signature and temperature to a local microprocessor. Various types of computations yield an accurate level indication on a local display, all powered by a car battery, solar panel or power supply. Data can be sent remotely as well. For explosive environments only a small processor is powered adjacent the tank. Then a second processor has the power to compute and analyze the raw temperature data and display it at a safe distance from the tank with only a twisted pair of low volt wires reaching the tank. Other non-explosive tanks such as a water tank can use a signal processor adjacent the strip for all data collection, computing and display functions.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A storage tank level detection system comprising: a vertical, insulated strip attached to an outside of a storage tank;at least three temperature sensors placed at a known distance from each other on the insulated strip;not more than three connecting wires, at least four feet in length, connectin

1. A storage tank level detection system comprising: a vertical, insulated strip attached to an outside of a storage tank;at least three temperature sensors placed at a known distance from each other on the insulated strip;not more than three connecting wires, at least four feet in length, connecting, in parallel on a serial sensor interface, the at least three temperature sensors to a power supply and a processor;wherein the vertical, insulated strip further comprises a base plastic strip having not more than three connecting wires and the temperature sensors on a top thereof;wherein each temperature sensor sends its temperature to the processor; andsaid processor stores each sensor identification and its temperature. 2. The system of claim 1, wherein the vertical, insulated strip further comprises a protective strip affixed over the base plastic strip. 3. The system of claim 1, wherein the vertical, insulated strip further comprises a double layer base layer having flat connecting wires sandwiched therein, with the temperature sensors protruding above a top member of the double layer, and a protective strip affixed over the double layer base. 4. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor receives the stored sensor ID's and temperature, and calculates a tank level. 5. The system of claim 4, wherein the processor further comprises a program to calculate a delta temperature between each adjacent pair of temperature sensors and a display to show this result which is called a first derivative. 6. The system of claim 5, wherein the processor further comprises a program called a second derivative to calculate a delta of delta temperatures taken from the first derivative and a display to show this result. 7. The system of claim 4, wherein the processor further comprises a program to calculate a group average temperature among three or more sensors and compare this average to an average of an adjacent group, thereby estimating a fluid interface when an group to group average is a different temperature. 8. The system of claim 4, wherein a weatherproof housing at the tank houses the processor and a visual display, and the power supply is a twelve volt source. 9. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor further comprises a memory to store a history of temperature sensor readings. 10. The storage tank level detection system of claim 1, wherein the known distance between each sensor is nominally four inches. 11. The storage tank level detection system of claim 1, wherein the not more than three connecting wires are each at least sixteen feet in length. 12. The storage tank level detection system of claim 11, wherein the not more than three connecting wires also connect to a ground.