×

Secondary containment leak prevention and detection system and method

  • US 7,051,576 B2
  • Filed: 05/06/2003
  • Issued: 05/30/2006
  • Est. Priority Date: 09/10/2002
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
Patent Images

1. A system for detecting a leak in a double-walled fuel piping having an outer annular space that carries fuel from an underground storage tank in a service station environment, comprising:

  • a pressure sensor that is coupled to the outer annular space to detect a vacuum level in the outer annular space;

    a sensing unit controller that is coupled to said pressure sensor to determine the vacuum level in the outer annular space;

    a submersible turbine pump that is fluidly coupled to the fuel in the underground storage tank to draw the fuel out of the underground storage tank wherein said submersible turbine pump is also coupled to the outer annular space;

    said submersible turbine pump creates a vacuum level in the outer annular space wherein said sensing unit controller determines the vacuum level in the outer annular space using said pressure sensor; and

    a monitor that is electrically coupled to said submersible turbine pump wherein said submersible turbine pump creates a defined initial threshold vacuum level in the outer annular space after receiving a test initiation signal from said monitor;

    said monitor is electrically coupled to said sensing unit controller to receive the vacuum level in the outer annular space;

    said monitor determines if the vacuum level in the outer annular space has decayed to a threshold vacuum level from said defined initial threshold vacuum level; and

    wherein said monitor activates said submersible turbine pump to attempt to lower the vacuum level in the outer annular space back down to said defined initial threshold vacuum level if the vacuum level in the outer annular space decays to said threshold vacuum level.

View all claims
  • 2 Assignments
Timeline View
Assignment View
    ×
    ×