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Marine probe with no moving parts for a marine tank

  • US 9,347,848 B1
  • Filed: 02/11/2016
  • Issued: 05/24/2016
  • Est. Priority Date: 02/11/2016
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A marine probe with no moving parts for use in a tank of a floating vessel, the tank having a floor and at least one wall, the marine probe configured for continuous measurement of a fluid while immersed in the fluid, wherein the marine probe comprises:

  • a) a processor housing configured to prevent degradation in marine environments;

    b) a plurality of sensor housings connected to the processor housing;

    c) a plurality of pressure transducers, each pressure transducer within a sensor housing, each pressure transducer having a diaphragm, each pressure transducer configured for continuous pressure measurement through direct contact with the fluid in the tank;

    d) a plurality of temperature sensors, each temperature sensor within a sensor housing or contained in each pressure transducer, each temperature sensor configured for continuous temperature measurement of the fluid in the tank;

    e) an inclinometer mounted to the floating vessel or within the processor housing for measuring angles of the floating vessel relative to gravity;

    f) a probe processor in the processor housing, the probe processor electrically and bidirectionally connected to the plurality of pressure transducers, to the plurality of temperature sensors, the inclinometer and a network; and

    g) a probe data storage in the processor housing, the probe data storage in communication with the probe processor, the probe data storage being a computer readable medium with computer instructions for instructing the probe processor to control the plurality of temperature sensors and the plurality of pressure transducers to produce bidirectional signals to the network, to the plurality of temperature sensors and to the plurality of pressure transducers, the probe data storage containing;

    (i) a tank capacity table;

    (ii) computer instructions configured to instruct the probe processor to calculate at least one physical property for the fluid, the physical property selected from the group consisting of;

    1) a mass of the fluid;

    2) a volume of the fluid;

    3) a density strata of the fluid;

    4) an average density of the fluid;

    5) a level of the fluid;

    6) a fluid temperature;

    7) a fluid flow rate;

    8) a fluid pressure;

    9) an amount of impurity in the fluid;

    10) an entrained water content in the fluid; and

    11) a free water content in the fluid;

    (iii) computer instructions configured to instruct the probe processor to;

    perform adaptive measurement for at least one of;

    1) a synchronized measurement of the fluid in static operation;

    2) a non-synchronized measurement of the fluid in static operation;

    3) a non-synchronized measurement of the fluid in dynamic operation; and

    4) a synchronized measurement of the fluid in dynamic operation;

    (iv) computer instructions configured to instruct the probe processor to identify which of the plurality of temperature sensors and the plurality of pressure transducers are not covered by the fluid by comparing signals from the plurality of temperature sensors and the plurality of pressure transducers to each other;

    (v) computer instructions configured to instruct the probe processor to measure movement of the fluid in the tank;

    (vi) computer instructions configured to instruct the probe processor to calibrate pressure transducers of the tank when the pressure transducers are no longer in the fluid;

    (vii) computer instructions configured to instruct the probe processor to use inclinometer values to recalculate the location of each of the temperature sensors and each of the pressure transducers in the fluid, and use the tank capacity table to determine accurate volume and mass of liquid and vapor of the fluid; and

    (viii) computer instructions configured to instruct the probe processor to communicate with a client device via the network using the bidirectional signals.

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