Reservoir control systems and methods

• US 10,216,199 B2
• Filed: 01/15/2015
• Issued: 02/26/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 09/10/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: South East Water Corporation
• Original Assignee: South East Water Corporation
• Inventors: Hutchings, Kevin
• Primary Examiner(s): Yanchus, III, Paul B
• Application Number:
  US14/597,387
• Publication Number:
  US 20150227142A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,503 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: E03F 5/101 Dedicated additional structures, interposed or parallel to the sewer system
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 7/0617 specially adapted for fluid materials
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 9/12 characterised by the use of electric means

Abstract

Embodiments relate generally to a management system for controlling operations of a reservoir. The management system comprises a wireless transceiver in communication with a controller associated with the reservoir to allow the management system to communicate with the controller over a communications network. The management system further comprises a processor for determining weather data for a particular region, wherein the reservoir is associated with the region, determining operation instructions based on at least the weather data; and transmitting via the wireless transceiver a command signal to the controller, wherein the command signal includes operation instructions for activating a flow control mechanism associated with the reservoir.

Claims

1. A management system for controlling operations of at least one fluid tank, the management system comprising:

a wireless transceiver in communication with a controller of a control device associated with the at least one fluid tank to allow the management system to communicate with the controller over a communications network, the controller being configured to provide feedback data relating to a previous discharge of fluid from the at least one tank;

a processor for;

determining weather data for a particular region, wherein the at least one fluid tank is associated with the region,

determining a threshold fluid level for the at least one fluid tank based on a capacity of the at least one fluid tank, the weather data, and the feedback data;

transmitting via the wireless transceiver a command signal to the controller, wherein the command signal includes operation instructions for activating at least one flow control mechanism associated with at least one fluid tank.

2. The management system of claim 1, further comprising a memory for storing weather data associated with the at least one fluid tank.

3. The management system of claim 2, wherein the memory is further arranged to store tank data associated with each of the at least one fluid tanks, wherein the tank data includes at least one of monitored fluid levels within the fluid tank, a maximum capacity of the fluid tank, tank usage history, tank filling history, current tank volume, and system health.

4. The management system of claim 2, wherein the memory is arranged to store environment data associated with each of the at least one fluid tanks including at least one of drainage information and/or impervious surface areas in a vicinity of the fluid tank.

5. The management system of claim 2, wherein the memory is arranged to store operation information associated with each of the at least one fluid tanks, wherein the operation information comprises operation information pertaining to the operation of the at least one flow control mechanism.

6. The management system of claim 1, wherein the management system is arranged to receive at least one of tank data and operation information from the controller.

7. The management system of claim 3, wherein the processor is arranged to utilise at least one of the tank data, the environment data and/or the operation information when determining operation instructions for the at least one fluid tank.

8. The management system of claim 3, wherein the processor is arranged to use the weather data, tank data, the environment data and/or the operation information to create a discharge schedule for the at least one fluid tank.

9. The management system of claim 8, wherein the processor is arranged to consult the discharge schedule when determining operation instructions for the at least one fluid tank.

10. The management system of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to:

determine a measured fluid level in the at least one fluid tank;

determine a capacity of the at least one fluid tank; and

determine a volume of fluid to be discharged based on the measured fluid level, the capacity and the weather data;

wherein the threshold fluid level is based on the volume of fluid to be discharged.

11. The management system of claim 10, wherein the processor is configured to determine a volume of fluid to be discharged based on tank usage history.

12. The management system of claim 1, wherein the threshold fluid level is at least one of a minimum fluid level indicative of a minimum level of fluid to be retained in the at least one tank and a maximum fluid level indicative of a maximum level of fluid to be retained in the at least one tank.

13. The management system of claim 1, wherein the command signal includes operation instructions for activating the at least one flow mechanism in at least one of:

a conveying state in which an outlet of the at least one flow mechanism is substantially open to allow fluid to be discharged from the at least one fluid tank; and

a transitory state in which fluid is discharged from the tank at a reduced rate compared to the conveying state.

14. A control system for at least one fluid tank, the system comprising:

a controller arranged to control a flow of fluid being discharged from the at least one fluid tank in accordance with a stored threshold fluid level in a memory of the control system; and

a wireless transceiver in communication with the controller to allow the controller to communicate with a remote server over a communications network;

wherein, the controller is arranged to

provide feedback data relating to a previous discharge of fluid from the at least one tank,

determine a command to control a flow of fluid to be discharged from the at least one tank based on the threshold fluid level, a measured fluid level in the at least one tank and the feedback data, and

issue the command to at least one flow control mechanism associated with the at least one fluid tank to thereby control the flow of fluid discharged from the at least one fluid tank.

15. The control system of claim 14, wherein the information received from the remote server comprises operation instructions for activating the at least one control flow mechanism.

16. The control system of claim 15, wherein the operation instructions include at least one of a volume of fluid to be discharged, a volume of fluid to be maintained in the at least one fluid tank, the threshold fluid level for the at least one fluid tank, timing information, indicating a time and duration for activating the flow control mechanism, and operation details, indicating a state of operation for the flow control mechanism.

17. The control system of claim 14, wherein the information received from the remote server is weather data comprising at least one of current weather information and predicted weather information.

18. The control system of claim 14, wherein the controller is configured to receive an output signal from at least one sensor and wherein said output signal comprises information indicative of a measured fluid level within the at least one fluid tank.

19. The control system of claim 14, further comprising a memory accessible to the controller and arranged to store at least one of weather data, tank data, environment data, and operation information pertaining to operation of the at least one flow control mechanism.

20. The control system of claim 19 wherein the memory comprises a discharge schedule for the at least one fluid tank, wherein the discharge schedule includes operation information for the at least one fluid tank for a given period of time.

21. The control system of claim 20, wherein the controller is configured to receive the discharge schedule from the remote server via the wireless transceiver.

22. The control system of claim 14, wherein the controller is configured to create a discharge schedule based on weather data, tank data, environment data, and/or information pertaining to operation of the at least one flow control mechanism.

23. The control system of claim 14, wherein the controller is configured to control and monitor operation of the at least one fluid tank and to send stored operation information to the remote server.

24. The control system of claim 14, wherein the controller is configured to transmit at least one of tank data and operation information to the remote server via the wireless receiver.

25. The control system of claim 18, wherein the controller is configured to compare the fluid level to a fluid level threshold stored in the memory and to cause the at least one flow control mechanism to operate to discharge fluid from the at least one fluid tank when the fluid level is greater than or equal to the fluid level threshold.

26. The control system of claim 14, wherein the wireless transceiver is configured to communicate with the remote server using at least one of a mobile telephony standard protocol and a packet routing protocol.

27. The control system of claim 14, wherein the control system comprises a backup power supply to power the controller and the wireless transceiver in the absence of adequate mains power.

28. The control system of claims 14, wherein the controller is configured to receive an output signal from a fluid switch in the at least one fluid tank indicative of a high fluid level, and the controller is configured to operate the at least one flow control mechanism in response to the fluid switch output signal.

29. A fluid tank network monitoring system, comprising:

a plurality of the control systems as claimed in claim 14; and

a remote server in communication with the wireless transceiver of each of the control systems;

wherein the remote server is configured to monitor operations of each fluid tank based on information received from each control system and to affect operation of each control system by transmission of one or more commands from the remote server to each control system.

30. The fluid tank network monitoring system of claim 28, further comprising a computerised user interface in communication with the remote server to allow remote user control of each control system.

31. The fluid tank network monitoring system of claim 28, wherein the remote server is configured to determine an alarm condition based on the information received and to automatically transmit one or more alarm messages to one or more user recipients, the one or more alarm messages including an indication of the alarm condition.

32. The fluid tank network monitoring system of claim 28, wherein the remote server is arranged to receive or determine weather data pertaining to a vicinity of the fluid tanks associated with the control systems.

33. The fluid tank network monitoring system of claim 28, wherein the remote server is arranged to receive tank data and/or operation information from the controllers and to store the data in memory.

34. The fluid tank network monitoring system of claim 28, wherein the remote server is arranged to utilise the weather data to determine the commands for transmission to the control systems.

35. The fluid tank network monitoring system of claim 32, wherein the remote server is arranged to utilise the tank data and/or the operation information to determine the commands for transmission to the control systems.

36. The fluid tank network monitoring system of claim 32, wherein the remote server is arranged to use or extrapolate the weather data, the tank data, the environment data and/or the operation information to create a discharge schedule for the at least one fluid tank associated with the control systems.

37. The fluid tank network monitoring system of claim 36, wherein the remote server is arranged to consult the discharge schedule when determining commands for transmission to the control systems.

38. The fluid tank network monitoring system of claim 29, further comprising at least one fluid tank, at least one flow control mechanism and at least one sensor.

39. The control system of claim 14, wherein the command signal includes operation instructions for activating the at least one flow mechanism in at least one of:

a conveying state in which an outlet of the at least one flow mechanism is substantially open to allow fluid to be discharged from the at least one fluid tank; and

a transitory state in which fluid is discharged from the tank at a reduced rate compared to the conveying state.