Safe and accurate method of chemical inventory management on location
First Claim
1. A method for measuring an amount of a substance depleted from a storage unit, the method comprising:
- supporting the storage unit on a vehicle;
measuring a first weight of the storage unit and any liquid substance contained in the storage unit using at least two load-measuring devices;
allowing a quantity of the liquid substance to be discharged from the storage unit;
measuring a second weight of the storage unit and any liquid substance contained in the storage unit using at least two load-measuring devices; and
determining the amount of liquid substance discharged or allowed to be discharged from the storage unit based on the first weight measurement and the second weight measurement;
wherein the at least two load-measuring devices are configured such that at least one of a force or a moment measured by one of the at least two load-measuring devices, other than gravitational force of the storage unit and its contents, is reduced or cancelled by summation with forces or moments measured by the remaining of the at least two load-measuring devices.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention provides a method of measuring an amount of a substance depleted from a storage unit, including the steps of: supporting the storage unit on a vehicle, measuring a first weight of the storage unit and any liquid substance contained in the storage unit, allowing a quantity of the liquid substance to be discharged from the storage unit, measuring a second weight of the storage unit and any liquid substance contained in the storage unit, and determining the amount of liquid substance discharged or allowed to be discharged from the storage unit based on the first weight measurement and the second weight measurement.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. A method for measuring an amount of a substance depleted from a storage unit, the method comprising:
supporting the storage unit on a vehicle; measuring a first weight of the storage unit and any liquid substance contained in the storage unit using at least two load-measuring devices; allowing a quantity of the liquid substance to be discharged from the storage unit; measuring a second weight of the storage unit and any liquid substance contained in the storage unit using at least two load-measuring devices; and determining the amount of liquid substance discharged or allowed to be discharged from the storage unit based on the first weight measurement and the second weight measurement; wherein the at least two load-measuring devices are configured such that at least one of a force or a moment measured by one of the at least two load-measuring devices, other than gravitational force of the storage unit and its contents, is reduced or cancelled by summation with forces or moments measured by the remaining of the at least two load-measuring devices. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A mobile chemical management system, comprising:
one or more storage units; a vehicle operable to transport the storage unit and any contents thereof; one or more industrially useful substances contained within the one or more storage units; one or more discharge control mechanisms operable to control discharge rates of the one or more industrially useful substances from the one or more storage units; and at least two measuring devices coupled to each storage unit and operable to produce a signal corresponding to the force of gravity upon the storage unit and the contents thereof; wherein the at least two measuring devices are configured such that at least one of a force or a moment measured by one of the at least two measuring devices, other than gravitational force of the storage unit and its contents, is reduced or cancelled by summation with forces or moments measured by the remaining of the at least two measuring devices. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method for determining the weight of a substance contained in a storage unit, the method comprising:
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transporting an industrially useful substance with a vehicle; using two or more measurement devices to produce two or more weight measurements of the industrially useful substance in the storage unit without removing the storage unit from the vehicle; measuring a degree of deviation along an axis from a level position of the storage unit or the two or more measurement devices; processing the two or more weight measurements and the degree of deviation to produce a second, more accurate weight measurement; wherein the two or more measuring devices are configured such that at least one of a force or a moment measured by one of the two or more measuring devices, other than gravitational force of the storage unit and its contents, is reduced or cancelled by summation with forces or moments measured by the remaining of the two or more measuring devices; measuring a second weight of the industrially useful substance in the storage unit; and calculating, based on the time elapsed between the first and second measurements, a calculated discharge rate of the industrially useful substance from the storage unit. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18)
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Specification