System for monitoring propane or other consumable liquid in remotely located storage tanks

• US 8,798,913 B2
• Filed: 11/26/2012
• Issued: 08/05/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/03/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Richard L. Humphrey
• Original Assignee: Richard L. Humphrey
• Inventors: Humphrey, Richard L.
• Primary Examiner(s): ARTHUR JEANGLAUDE, GERTRUDE
• Application Number:
  US13/685,438
• Publication Number:
  US 20130275062A1
• Time in Patent Office: 617 Days
• Field of Search: 701/104, 701/123, 701/300, 701/519, 701/533, 701/408, 705/7, 705/26, 73/530.1, 702/45, 702/55
• US Class Current: 701/408
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 13/00 Details of vessels or of the filling or discharging of vessels
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2201/0128 spherical or elliptical
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2201/054 medium (>1 m3)
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2201/056 Small (<1 m3)
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2205/018 Supporting feet
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2205/0326 electrically actuated
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2221/03 Mixtures
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2221/033 Methane, e.g. natural gas, CNG, LNG, GNL, GNC, PLNG
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2221/035 Propane butane, e.g. LPG, GPL
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2223/0153 Liquefied gas, e.g. LPG, GPL
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2223/0161 cryogenic, e.g. LNG, GNL, PLNG
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2223/033 Small pressure, e.g. for liquefied gas
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2250/032 using computers
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2250/034 using wireless transmissions
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2250/036 using alarms
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2250/0413 with floats
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2250/0439 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2250/0452 Concentration of a product
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2250/0478 Position or presence
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2250/0491 Parameters measured at or inside the vessel
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2250/075 : when full
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2250/077 : when empty
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2260/015 : Facilitating maintenance
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2260/022 : Avoiding overfilling
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2260/024 : Improving metering
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2265/04 : using an independent energy source, e.g. battery
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2265/063 : for supply of refueling stations
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2270/0171 : Trucks
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 23/00 : Indicating or measuring liquid level or level of fluent solid material, e.g. indicating in terms of volume or indicating by means of an alarm
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 23/38 : using magnetically actuated indicating means
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 23/80 : Arrangements for signal processing
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 23/804 : containing circuits handling parameters other than liquid level
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/7313 : Control of outflow from tank
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/7722 : Line condition change responsive valves

Abstract

An improved apparatus and method for monitoring the levels of propane or other consumable liquid in remotely located storage tanks and coordinating delivery of liquid to those tanks, including an improved method of using the remote monitoring data to identify out-of-ordinary conditions at remote tanks, optimally schedule purchases or deliveries, improve safety, and more efficiently operate a propane dealership. More accurate and timely information concerning the status of customer tanks serves to improve operational efficiencies and increase safety. Data received from remote sensors can be collected and organized so that it is easily understood and utilized through the implementation of a user interface accessible via the Internet that allows the information to be presented in an efficient graphical and contextual fashion. Operational efficiencies can also be improved by calculating site-specific Degree-days and K-factors for each tank and by taking historical propane usage for each tank, weather conditions, and projected fuel usage into account.

Claims

1. A method of monitoring two or more liquid fuel storage tanks comprising:

determining the fluid level in each storage tank by way of at least one monitoring unit associated with each storage tank and communicatively linked with a fluid sensor that provides fluid level data indicative of the amount of fluid in the storage tank and with a temperature sensor that provides temperature data indicative of the ambient temperature at the storage tank location, said monitoring unit including a processor to receive and process the received fluid level and temperature information;

storing said fluid level and temperature data for each storage tank;

predicting future fluid levels for each storage tank based upon at least one of the following;

(i) determining historical fluid levels for each storage tank over a time period from stored fluid level information;

or

(ii) calculating the number of Degree-Days per day for each tank location using said temperature information.

2. The method of claim 1 in which predicting future fluid levels for each storage tank further comprises using projected future weather conditions.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising using predicted fuel levels for each storage tank to predict liquid fuel storage capacity that will be available in each tank in the future.

4. The method of claim 2 further comprising using predicted fuel levels for each storage tank to predict liquid fuel storage capacity that will be available in each tank in the future.

5. The method of claim 2 further comprising:

determining an estimated delivery date for an additional quantity of liquid fuel to be stored in the storage tanks; and

using predicted liquid fuel storage capacity for each storage tank to predict the total liquid fuel storage capacity that will be available as of the estimated delivery date.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising communicating said fluid level and temperature data from each monitoring unit to at least one central server capable of processing and storing said data, said central server remotely located from the storage tanks and communicatively linked with said monitoring units.

7. The method of claim 1 in which predicting future fluid levels for each storage tank comprises:

communicating fluid level and temperature data from each monitoring unit to at least one central server capable of processing and storing said data, said central server remotely located from the storage tanks and communicatively linked with each monitoring units;

calculating, by the central server, predicted future fluid levels for each storage tank based upon the fluid level and temperature data from each monitoring unit.

8. The method of claim 7 in which calculating, by the central server, predicted future fluid levels for each storage tank further comprises using projected future weather conditions.

9. The method of claim 1 in which predicting future fluid levels for each storage tank comprises:

calculating the number of Degree-Days per day for each tank location using stored temperature data; and

calculating the K-factor for each tank based upon the temperature information and Degree-Day calculation.

10. The method of claim 6 in which predicting future fluid levels for each storage tank further comprises using the Degree-Day and K-factor calculations to determine a predicted liquid fuel storage capacity that will be available in each tank in the future.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising using projected future weather conditions to determine a predicted liquid fuel storage capacity that will be available in each tank in the future.

12. An apparatus for monitoring fluid levels in a fuel storage tank comprising:

a fluid level sensor providing information indicative of the amount of fluid in the storage tank;

a temperature sensor providing temperature information indicative of the ambient temperature at the storage tank location;

a monitoring unit associated with the storage tank and communicatively linked with the fluid level sensor and the temperature sensor, the monitoring unit including a processor to receive and process the communicated data from the fluid level sensor and the temperature sensor and a memory to store processed data;

wherein at least one monitoring unit is capable of calculating predicted fluid levels in the storage tank based upon the communicated tank sensor data.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 in which monitoring unit is capable of predicting future fluid levels for each storage tank based upon at least one of the following:

(i) determining historical fluid levels for each storage tank over a time period from stored fluid level information;

or

(ii) calculating the number of Degree-Days per day for each tank location using said temperature information.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 in which predicting future fluid levels for each storage tank further comprises using projected future weather conditions.

15. The apparatus of claim 12 in which the monitoring unit is capable of determining whether a predefined out-of-ordinary event has occurred by comparing actual fluid levels to predicted fluid levels.

16. An apparatus for monitoring fluid levels in a fuel storage tank comprising:

a fluid level sensor providing information indicative of the amount of fluid in the storage tank;

a temperature sensor providing temperature information indicative of the ambient temperature at the storage tank location;

a monitoring unit associated with the storage tank and communicatively linked with the fluid level sensor and the temperature sensor, the monitoring unit including a processor to receive and process the communicated data from the fluid level sensor and the temperature sensor and a memory to store processed data;

at least one central server remotely located from the storage tank and communicatively linked with said monitoring unit so that processed fluid level and temperature information is communicated from said monitoring unit to the central server;

wherein the central server is capable of calculating predicted fluid levels in the storage tank based upon the communicated tank sensor data.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 in which the central server is capable of calculating predicted fluid levels in the storage tank based upon projected future weather conditions.

18. The apparatus of claim 16 in which the central server is capable of calculating predicted fluid levels in the storage tank based upon:

calculating the number of Degree-Days per day for each tank location using the communicated tank sensor data; and

calculating the K-factor for each tank based upon the communicated tank sensor data and the Degree-Day calculation.

19. The apparatus of claim 16 in which the central server is capable of using predicted fuel levels for each storage tank to predict liquid fuel storage capacity that will be available in the storage tank in the future.