Liquid level control systems

• US 8,032,256 B1
• Filed: 04/17/2009
• Issued: 10/04/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/17/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: S.J. Electro Systems, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Sje-Rhombus
• Inventors: Wolf, Aaron R., Chandler, William D. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): BARNES-BULLOCK, CRYSTAL JOY
• Application Number:
  US12/425,989
• Time in Patent Office: 900 Days
• Field of Search: 700/275, 700/281, 700/282, 702/45, 702/47, 702/50, 702/51, 702/55, 73/13.1, 73/17.3, 732/90.R, 137/386, 137/391, 137/393, 137395-399, 137409-413, 137/426, 137/551, 137/552.7, 137/557, 137/558, 137/561.R, 137/565.01, 137/565.11, 137/565.13, 137/624.11, 166/53, 166/373, 166/374, 210/97, 210/103, 210/104, 210/121, 210/123, 210/130, 210/138, 210/143, 241/33, 241/36, 340/500, 340/540, 340/603, 340/312, 340/314, 340/618, 340/626, 417/25, 417/26, 417/36, 417/38, 417/116, 417/118, 417/120, 417/125, 417/137, 417/138, 417/211.5
• US Class Current: 700/281
• CPC Class Codes: E03F 5/22 Adaptations of pumping plants for lifting sewage wheeled apparatus for emptying sewers or cesspools E03F7/10; pumps, pumping plants, per se F04
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 23/021 the pump being immersed in the reservoir
• CPC Class Codes: F04F 1/06 the fluid medium acting on the surface of the liquid to be pumped F04F1/02 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 23/168 with electric indicating or recording
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 23/80 Arrangements for signal processing
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 9/12 characterised by the use of electric means
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/8208 Time
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/8326 Fluid pressure responsive indicator, recorder or alarm
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/8342 Liquid level responsive indicator, recorder or alarm

Abstract

A system that control levels of liquids in reservoirs may include a control component that causes a compressor to pump gas through a tube extending in a liquid in a reservoir to an air bell for a predetermined amount of time responsive to a pump pumping portions of a liquid from the reservoir. The control component may also cause the compressor to pump gas through the tube for a predetermined amount of time responsive to the control component determining that a predetermined amount of time has passed since the compressor was previously operated. The control component may also cause the compressor to pump gas through the tube for a predetermined amount of time, responsive to the control component determining that a pressure sensor component in fluid communication with the tube indicates a possible decrease in the liquid level to at least a predetermined level.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

a) through operation of at least one control component, causing a compressor to pump gas through a tube extending in a liquid in a reservoir to an air bell in the reservoir for a predetermined amount of time, responsive to the control component determining that a predetermined amount of time has passed since the compressor was previously operated;

b) through operation of the at least one control component, determining that a pressure sensor component in fluid communication with the tube indicates a possible decrease in a liquid level to at least a predetermined level;

c) through operation of the at least one control component responsive to (b), causing the compressor to pump gas through the tube to the air bell for a predetermined amount of time.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

d) through operation of the at least one control component responsive to (b), after (c) determining that the pressure sensor component indicates that the liquid level exceeds a predetermined threshold;

e) responsive to (d) through operation of the at least one control component, setting a flag in a memory of the control component.

3. The method according to claim 2, further comprising:

f) through operation of the at least one control component, determining that the pressure sensor component indicates that the liquid level has increased to at least a predetermined level;

g) through operation of the at least one control component responsive to (f), causing at least one pump to move a portion of the liquid out of the reservoir;

h) through operation of the at least one control component responsive to (g), clearing the flag set in (e).

4. The method according to claim 2, wherein the predetermined threshold in (d) is greater than the predetermined level in (b), wherein the predetermined threshold in (d) is less than the predetermined level in (f).

5. The method according to claim 2, further comprising:

f) through operation of the at least one control component, after (e) determining that the pressure sensor component indicates a possible decrease in the liquid level to at least the predetermined level in (b);

g) through operation of the at least one control component responsive to (f) and the flag, causing at least one alarm output device to output an alarm signal.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the control component includes a processor, wherein the reservoir is a wastewater tank, wherein the liquid is wastewater, wherein the compressor is an air pump, wherein the gas is air.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein in (a) the predetermined amount of time that the compressor pumps gas through the tube to the air bell is less than the determined predetermined amount of time that has passed since the compressor was previously operated in (a).

8. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

d) through operation of the at least one control component, causing the compressor to pump gas through the tube to the air bell for a predetermined amount of time responsive to at least one pump pumping portions of a liquid from the reservoir.

9. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

d) through operation of the at least one control component responsive to (b), after (c) operating at least one of a pump and a valve to cause additional liquid to move into the reservoir.

10. A method, comprising:

a) through operation of at least one control component, determining that a pressure sensor component in fluid communication with a tube extending in a reservoir to an air bell in the reservoir indicates a possible decrease in a liquid level in the reservoir to at least a predetermined level;

b) through operation of the at least one control component responsive to (a), causing a compressor to pump gas through the tube to the air bell for a predetermined amount of time;

c) through operation of the at least one control component responsive to (a), after (b) determining that the pressure sensor component indicates that the liquid level exceeds a predetermined threshold;

d) through operation of the at least one control component responsive to (c), setting a flag in a memory;

e) through operation of the at least one control component, after (d) determining that the pressure sensor component indicates a possible decrease in the liquid level to at least the predetermined level in (a);

f) through operation of the at least one control component responsive to (e) and the flag, causing at least one alarm output device to output an alarm signal.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the predetermined threshold in (b) is greater than the predetermined level in (a).

12. The method according to claim 10, further comprising:

g) through operation of the at least one control component, causing the compressor to pump gas through the tube to the air bell for a predetermined amount of time responsive to at least one pump pumping portions of the liquid from the reservoir.

13. The method according to claim 10, further comprising:

g) through operation of the at least one control component, causing the compressor to pump gas through the tube to the air bell for a predetermined amount of time, responsive to the control component determining that a predetermined amount of time has passed since the compressor was previously operated.

14. A computer-readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, perform the following acts:

a) determining that a pressure sensor component in fluid communication with a tube extending in a reservoir to an air bell in the reservoir indicates a possible decrease in a liquid level in the reservoir to at least a predetermined level;

b) responsive to (a), causing a compressor to pump gas through the tube to the air bell for a predetermined amount of time;

c) responsive to (a), after (b) determining that the pressure sensor component indicates that the liquid level exceeds a predetermined threshold;

d) responsive to (c), setting a flag in a memory;

e) after (d), determining that the pressure sensor component indicates a possible decrease in the liquid level to at least the predetermined level in (a);

f) responsive to (e) and the flag, causing at least one alarm output device to output an alarm signal.

15. A computer-readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed by a processor, perform the following acts:

a) causing a compressor to pump gas through a tube extending in a liquid in a reservoir to an air bell in the reservoir for a predetermined amount of time responsive to determining that a predetermined amount of time has passed since the compressor was previously operated;

b) determining that a pressure sensor component in fluid communication with the tube indicates a possible decrease in the liquid level to at least a predetermined level;

c) responsive to (b), causing the compressor to pump gas through the tube to the air bell for a predetermined amount of time.