High liquid alarm system

• US 7,830,268 B1
• Filed: 02/13/2009
• Issued: 11/09/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/27/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Seewater, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Seewater, Inc.
• Inventors: MacDonald, Ronald
• Primary Examiner(s): Bugg; George A
• Assistant Examiner(s): MCNALLY, KERRI L
• Application Number:
  US12/371,403
• Time in Patent Office: 634 Days
• Field of Search: 340/612, 340/618, 732/90
• US Class Current: 340/612
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 23/2925 using electrical detecting means
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/20 responsive to moisture

Abstract

A high liquid alarm system for use in detecting the presence of water and oil in water present in a confined space is disclosed. In one implementation, the system includes an optical sensor capable of detecting water at a certain level, a sensing device capable of differentiating oil and water, and an alarm indicator. The sensors are in communication with an indicator which is capable of providing alert signals. The optical sensor is configured to activate a second alarm in the indicator when water is detected at about a predetermined level and the sensing device is configured to trigger a first alarm when oil in water is detected at about the predetermined level. The sensors can also be interconnected such that the sensing device is activated upon detection of water by the optical sensor, reducing the power consumption of the system.

Claims

1. A water pump system with high liquid alarms, said water pump system comprising:

a submersible pump configured for installation inside an enclosed space to remove water accumulated inside the enclosed space to outside the enclosed space;

a pump controller configured to activate the submersible pump when water is detected at a second level inside the enclosed space and to deactivate the submersible pump when water is not detected at a first level inside the enclosed space, wherein the second level is higher than the first level;

a set of alarm sensors configured for mounting at a third level inside the enclosed space, wherein the set of alarm sensors comprises an optical sensor and a capacitance sensor, the optical sensor is configured to detect liquid at a predetermined level above the second level and to enable flow of electrical power to the capacitance sensor when liquid is detected at the predetermined level, and the capacitance sensor is configured to operate intermittently to detect non-conductive liquid at or above the predetermined level; and

a plurality of alarm indicators comprising at least a first alarm indicator and a second alarm indicator, wherein the first alarm indicator is triggered by an output of the capacitance sensor and the second alarm indicator is triggered by an output of the optical sensor.

2. The water pump system of claim 1, wherein the enclosed space is a transformer vault, a utility vault, or an elevator shaft.

3. The water pump system of claim 1, wherein the pump controller uses capacitance-based sensors, conductivity probes, dielectric sensors, or combinations thereof to detect water at the first level and the second level.

4. The water pump system of claim 1, wherein the set of alarm sensors are packaged in an encapsulated housing with a portion of the optical sensor and a portion of the capacitance sensor protruding from respective apertures in a common surface of the encapsulated housing.

5. The water pump system of claim 4, wherein the encapsulated housing is liquid-tight, electrically non-conductive, and made of corrosion resistant material.

6. The water pump system of claim 4, wherein the portion of the optical sensor and the portion of the capacitance sensor protruding outside the encapsulated housing terminate at the same distance from the common surface of the encapsulated housing.

7. The water pump system of claim 4, wherein a termination point of the portion of the capacitance sensor protruding outside the encapsulated housing is closer to the common surface of the encapsulated housing than a termination point of the portion of the optical sensor protruding outside the encapsulated housing.

8. The water pump system of claim 4, wherein the portion of the capacitance sensor protruding outside the encapsulated housing terminates at least 1/16″

closer to the common surface than the portion of the optical sensor protruding outside the encapsulated housing.

9. The water pump system of claim 4, wherein the set of alarm sensors are interconnected by a single solid-state electrical circuit inside the encapsulated package.

10. The water pump system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of alarm indicators are located outside the enclosed space.

11. A dewatering system with high liquid alarms, said dewatering system comprising:

means for activating a water pump to remove water from an enclosed space when water is electronically detected at a first level inside the enclosed space;

means for optically detecting liquid at a second level and enabling means for differentiating between a non-conductive liquid and a conductive liquid at or above the second level when liquid is detected at the second level, wherein the second level is higher than the first level;

means for generating a first alarm when liquid is optically detected at the second level; and

means for generating a second alarm when the liquid at or above the second level is non-conductive; and

means for a user to silence, dismiss, and test the first alarm and the second alarm.

12. The dewatering system of claim 11, wherein the means for optically detecting liquid and the means for differentiating between a non-conductive liquid and a conductive liquid are positioned to terminate at the same level in the enclosed space.

13. The dewatering system of claim 11, wherein the means for optically detecting liquid are positioned to terminate at a lower level in the enclosed space than the means for differentiating between a non-conductive liquid and a conductive liquid.