A Monitoring System for Ethylene Glycol Water Tank of Methanol Fuel Ship and Its Monitoring Method

Abstract

The present invention discloses a monitoring system and a monitoring method for an ethylene glycol water tank of a methanol fuel ship, which includes an ethylene glycol water tank, a partition board, a mechanical exhaust fan, a hydrocarbon sensor, a liquid level sensor, a heater, a remote control valve and a three-way remote control valve. The partition board divides the ethylene glycol water tank into an ethylene glycol large cabin and an ethylene glycol isolation small cabin, and the partition board is provided with an overflow hole. The hydrocarbon sensor is arranged at the upper end of the ethylene glycol isolation small cabin, the liquid level sensor and the heater are arranged at the lower end of the ethylene glycol isolation small cabin. The mechanical exhaust fan is connected to the air outlet of the ethylene glycol isolation small cabin. The first liquid outlet of the ethylene glycol large cabin is connected to the No. 1 port of the three-way remote control valve. The No. 2 port of the three-way remote control valve is connected to one end of the remote control valve and the liquid inlet and outlet of the ethylene glycol isolation small cabin. The other end of the remote control valve is connected to the second liquid outlet at the lower end of the ethylene glycol large cabin. The present invention solves the problems of misjudgment of methanol leakage in the prior art and the inability to timely treat ethylene glycol water pollution.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a monitoring system and its monitoring method, in particular to a monitoring system and its monitoring method for the ethylene glycol water tank of a methanol fuel ship, belonging to the technical field of ships. Background Art

[0002] The methanol fuel of a methanol fuel ship is heated or cooled by ethylene glycol water to meet the temperature requirements at the inlet of the methanol equipment. During the circulation of ethylene glycol water, leakage is inevitable. When methanol solution leaks into the ethylene glycol water, effective monitoring and treatment methods are one of the important factors for the safety of methanol fuel ships. The monitoring and treatment of ethylene glycol water leakage are mainly through the following designs:

[0003] The pressure of the methanol fuel is greater than that of the ethylene glycol water. Once leakage occurs, the methanol fuel will leak into the ethylene glycol aqueous solution, resulting in an increase in the liquid level of the ethylene glycol water tank. When the set liquid level is detected, a high liquid level alarm is issued, thus playing a role in monitoring the leakage of methanol solution. The ethylene glycol water mixed with methanol solution will be manually emptied by the crew in a specific port, and a new batch of ethylene glycol water that meets the requirements will be replaced.

[0004] In the existing design, in severe sea conditions, the ship will experience large-amplitude rolling or pitching, and the liquid level of the ethylene glycol water tank will change greatly, which may trigger a high liquid level alarm, resulting in misjudgment of methanol solution leakage, thus affecting the normal use of methanol fuel. Moreover, the ethylene glycol water mixed with methanol solution is a toxic chemical and cannot be directly discharged into the sea. It can only be processed and new ethylene glycol water can be replaced at a designated port, which is very inconvenient. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a monitoring system and its monitoring method for the ethylene glycol water tank of a methanol fuel ship, so as to solve the problems of misjudgment of methanol leakage and inability to timely treat ethylene glycol water pollution in the prior art.

[0006] To solve the above technical problems, the technical solution adopted by the present invention is:

[0007] A monitoring system for the ethylene glycol water tank of a methanol fuel ship includes an ethylene glycol water tank, a partition, a mechanical exhaust fan, a hydrocarbon sensor, a liquid level sensor, a heater, a remote control valve, and a three-way remote control valve. The partition divides the ethylene glycol water tank into an ethylene glycol large cabin and an ethylene glycol isolation small cabin, and an overflow hole is opened at the upper end of the partition. The hydrocarbon sensor is arranged at the upper end of the ethylene glycol isolation small cabin, the liquid level sensor and the heater are arranged at the lower end of the ethylene glycol isolation small cabin. One end of the mechanical exhaust fan is connected to the air outlet at the upper end of the ethylene glycol isolation small cabin. The first liquid outlet at the lower end of the ethylene glycol large cabin is connected to the 1st port of the three-way remote control valve. The 2nd port of the three-way remote control valve is connected to one end of the remote control valve and the liquid inlet and outlet at the lower end of the ethylene glycol isolation small cabin. The other end of the remote control valve is connected to the second liquid outlet at the lower end of the ethylene glycol large cabin.

[0008] Further, a breather pipe is provided at the upper end of the large ethylene glycol tank. One end of the breather pipe is fixed to the upper end of the large ethylene glycol tank and communicates with the inner cavity of the large ethylene glycol tank, and the other end of the breather pipe is arranged in a safe area.

[0009] Further, the breather pipe adopts a breather pipe with an inverted U-shaped structure.

[0010] Further, the heater adopts an electric heater, and a start-stop switch is arranged on the electric heater.

[0011] Further, the other end of the mechanical exhaust fan is connected to one end of a breather cap, and the other end of the breather cap is arranged in a safe area.

[0012] Further, the port 3 of the three-way remote control valve is connected to the ethylene glycol water circulation system.

[0013] A monitoring system for the ethylene glycol water tank of a methanol fuel ship comprises the following steps:

[0014] When the liquid level sensor triggers a liquid level alarm signal, the start-stop switch is turned on, and the electric heater starts to heat the ethylene glycol water overflowing into the ethylene glycol isolation small tank. When the ethylene glycol water in the ethylene glycol isolation small tank is heated to 70 °C, it is judged whether the hydrocarbon sensor triggers a hydrocarbon alarm signal. If the hydrocarbon sensor triggers a hydrocarbon alarm signal, it means that the ethylene glycol water in the ethylene glycol isolation small tank overflows due to the leakage of methanol fuel into the large ethylene glycol tank; if the hydrocarbon sensor does not trigger a hydrocarbon alarm signal, it means that the ethylene glycol water in the ethylene glycol isolation small tank overflows due to the rolling or pitching of the ship.

[0015] When the hydrocarbon sensor triggers a hydrocarbon alarm signal, the remote control valve is opened to allow the ethylene glycol water mixed with methanol fuel in the large ethylene glycol tank to flow into the ethylene glycol isolation small tank, and the electric heater continuously heats to vaporize and volatilize the methanol fuel mixed in the ethylene glycol water in the ethylene glycol water tank; when the remote control valve is opened, the mechanical exhaust fan is started synchronously, taking the breather pipe as the air inlet and the breather cap as the air outlet, and discharging the vaporized and volatilized methanol fuel to a safe area.

[0016] When the hydrocarbon sensor no longer detects methanol and resets, the start-stop switch is turned off to stop the heating of the electric heater. When the start-stop switch is turned off, the remote control valve is closed, and the mechanical exhaust fan also stops working synchronously.

[0017] After the remote control valve is closed, the 2-port and 3-port of the three-way remote control valve are connected, and the 1-port and 3-port of the three-way remote control valve are closed, so that the ethylene glycol water in the ethylene glycol isolation small cabin flows into the ethylene glycol water circulation system as the pipeline reserve of the ethylene glycol water circulation system; when the liquid level switch no longer detects the liquid level alarm signal, the 2-port and 3-port of the three-way remote control valve are closed, and the 1-port and 3-port of the three-way remote control valve are opened, so that the ethylene glycol water in the ethylene glycol large cabin flows into the ethylene glycol water circulation system to make the ethylene glycol water circulation system return to the normal operating condition.

[0018] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following advantages and effects: The present invention provides a methanol fuel ship ethylene glycol water tank monitoring system and its monitoring method. By separating the large and small cabins and heating the ethylene glycol water in the small cabin, combined with liquid level and hydrocarbon detection, accurate judgment of methanol leakage is carried out, solving the problem that in severe sea conditions, when the ship has a large roll or pitch, triggering a high liquid level alarm in the ethylene glycol water tank, resulting in misjudgment of methanol solution leakage; at the same time, by heating, the methanol fuel leaked into the ethylene glycol water is heated and volatilized and discharged to a safe area by a mechanical exhaust fan, solving the problem that the prior art cannot timely treat the methanol pollution of ethylene glycol water. Brief Description of the Drawings

[0019] Figure 1 It is a schematic diagram of a methanol fuel ship ethylene glycol water tank monitoring system of the present invention. Detailed Embodiments

[0020] In order to elaborate in detail the technical solutions adopted by the present invention to achieve the predetermined technical purpose, the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings in the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present invention, rather than all the embodiments. And, without creative efforts, the technical means or technical features in the embodiments of the present invention can be replaced. The present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings and in combination with the embodiments.

[0021] Such as Figure 1As shown in the figure, a monitoring system for the ethylene glycol water tank of a methanol fuel ship according to the present invention includes an ethylene glycol water tank 1, a partition 2, a mechanical exhaust fan 3, a hydrocarbon sensor 4, a liquid level sensor 5, a heater 6, a remote control valve 7, and a three-way remote control valve 8. The ethylene glycol water tank 1 is used to store ethylene glycol water as a heating or cooling medium for methanol fuel, and absorbs the thermal expansion and contraction of the ethylene glycol water during the circulation process. The partition 2 divides the ethylene glycol water tank 1 into a large ethylene glycol compartment 9 and a small ethylene glycol isolation compartment 10, and an overflow hole 11 is opened at the upper end of the partition 2, which is used for the ethylene glycol water in the ethylene glycol water tank to overflow into the small ethylene glycol isolation compartment 10 after the liquid level in the large ethylene glycol compartment rises to the position of the overflow hole. The hydrocarbon sensor 4 is arranged at the upper end of the small ethylene glycol isolation compartment 10 to detect whether there is methanol gas, and the liquid level sensor 5 and the heater 6 are arranged at the lower end of the small ethylene glycol isolation compartment 10 to monitor the liquid level in the small ethylene glycol compartment. One end of the mechanical exhaust fan 3 is connected to the air outlet at the upper end of the small ethylene glycol isolation compartment 10. The first liquid outlet at the lower end of the large ethylene glycol compartment 9 is connected to the No. 1 port of the three-way remote control valve 8. The No. 2 port of the three-way remote control valve 8 is connected to one end of the remote control valve 7 and the liquid inlet and outlet at the lower end of the small ethylene glycol isolation compartment 10. The other end of the remote control valve 7 is connected to the second liquid outlet at the lower end of the large ethylene glycol compartment 9.

[0022] A breather pipe 12 is arranged at the upper end of the large ethylene glycol compartment 9 for the ventilation of the ethylene glycol water tank. One end of the breather pipe 12 is fixed at the upper end of the large ethylene glycol compartment 9 and is communicated with the inner cavity of the large ethylene glycol compartment 9, and the other end of the breather pipe 12 is arranged in a safe area. The breather pipe 12 adopts a breather pipe with an inverted U-shaped structure, which can effectively prevent the ethylene glycol water in the ethylene glycol water tank 1 from leaking due to tilting.

[0023] The heater 6 adopts an electric heater, and a start-stop switch 13 is arranged on the electric heater for connecting and disconnecting the electric heater.

[0024] The other end of the mechanical exhaust fan 3 is connected to one end of a breather cap 14, and the other end of the breather cap 14 is arranged in a safe area.

[0025] The No. 3 port of the three-way remote control valve 8 is connected to the ethylene glycol water circulation system.

[0026] A monitoring system for the ethylene glycol water tank of a methanol fuel ship includes the following steps:

[0027] When the liquid level sensor triggers a liquid level alarm signal, the start-stop switch is turned on, and the electric heater starts to heat the ethylene glycol water that has overflowed into the small ethylene glycol isolation compartment. When the ethylene glycol water in the small ethylene glycol isolation compartment is heated to 70 °C, it is judged whether the hydrocarbon sensor triggers a hydrocarbon alarm signal. If the hydrocarbon sensor triggers a hydrocarbon alarm signal, it means that the ethylene glycol water in the small ethylene glycol isolation compartment overflows due to the leakage of methanol fuel into the large ethylene glycol compartment; if the hydrocarbon sensor does not trigger a hydrocarbon alarm signal, it means that the ethylene glycol water in the small ethylene glycol isolation compartment overflows due to the rolling or pitching of the ship.

[0028] When the hydrocarbon sensor triggers a hydrocarbon alarm signal, the remote control valve opens, allowing the ethylene glycol water mixed with methanol fuel in the ethylene glycol large tank to flow into the ethylene glycol isolation small tank. The electric heater continuously heats to vaporize and volatilize the methanol fuel mixed in the ethylene glycol water in the ethylene glycol water tank. When the remote control valve opens, the mechanical exhaust fan is started synchronously. Taking the breather pipe as the air inlet and the breather cap as the air outlet, the vaporized and volatilized methanol fuel is discharged to a safe area.

[0029] After the hydrocarbon sensor no longer detects methanol and resets, the start-stop switch is closed to stop the heating of the electric heater. When the start-stop switch is closed, the remote control valve is closed, and the mechanical exhaust fan also stops working synchronously.

[0030] After the remote control valve is closed, the 2-port and 3-port of the three-way remote control valve are connected, and the 1-port and 3-port of the three-way remote control valve are closed, allowing the ethylene glycol water in the ethylene glycol isolation small tank to flow into the ethylene glycol water circulation system as the pipeline inventory of the ethylene glycol water circulation system. After the liquid level switch no longer detects the liquid level alarm signal, the 2-port and 3-port of the three-way remote control valve are closed, and the 1-port and 3-port of the three-way remote control valve are opened, allowing the ethylene glycol water in the ethylene glycol large tank to flow into the ethylene glycol water circulation system to restore the normal operating condition of the ethylene glycol water circulation system.

[0031] The present invention provides a monitoring system and a monitoring method for the ethylene glycol water tank of a methanol fuel ship. By separating the large and small cabins and heating the ethylene glycol water in the small cabin, combined with liquid level and hydrocarbon detection, accurate judgment of methanol leakage is achieved, solving the problem of false judgment of methanol solution leakage caused by large-amplitude rolling or pitching of the ship and triggering a high liquid level alarm of the ethylene glycol water tank in severe sea conditions. At the same time, by heating, the methanol fuel leaked into the ethylene glycol water is heated and volatilized and discharged to a safe area through a mechanical exhaust fan, solving the problem that the prior art cannot timely handle the methanol pollution of ethylene glycol water.

[0032] The above is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention, and it does not impose any form of limitation on the present invention. Although the present invention has been disclosed above with a preferred embodiment, it is not intended to limit the present invention. Any person skilled in the art, without departing from the scope of the technical solution of the present invention, can make some changes or modifications to the above-disclosed technical content to form equivalent embodiments of equivalent changes. However, as long as it does not depart from the content of the technical solution of the present invention and is based on the technical essence of the present invention, any simple modification, equivalent replacement, and improvement made to the above embodiments still fall within the protection scope of the technical solution of the present invention.

Claims

1. A methanol fuel ship ethylene glycol water tank monitoring system, characterized by: The utility model comprises an ethylene glycol water tank, a partition, a mechanical exhaust fan, a hydrocarbon sensor, a liquid level sensor, a heater, a remote control valve and a three-way remote control valve. The partition separates the ethylene glycol water tank into a large ethylene glycol compartment and a small ethylene glycol isolation compartment, and an overflow hole is opened at the upper end of the partition. The hydrocarbon sensor is arranged at the upper end of the small ethylene glycol isolation compartment, and the liquid level sensor and the heater are arranged at the lower end of the small ethylene glycol isolation compartment. One end of the mechanical exhaust fan is connected to the air outlet at the upper end of the small ethylene glycol isolation compartment, the first liquid outlet at the lower end of the large ethylene glycol compartment is connected to port No. 1 of the three-way remote control valve, port No. 2 of the three-way remote control valve is connected to one end of the remote control valve and the liquid inlet and outlet at the lower end of the small ethylene glycol isolation compartment, and the other end of the remote control valve is connected to the second liquid outlet at the lower end of the large ethylene glycol compartment.

2. The ethylene glycol water tank monitoring system for methanol fuel ships according to claim 1 is characterized by: The upper end of the ethylene glycol tank is provided with a ventilation tube, one end of which is fixed to the upper end of the ethylene glycol tank and communicated with the inner cavity of the ethylene glycol tank, and the other end of which is arranged in a safe area.

3. The ethylene glycol water tank monitoring system for methanol fuel ships according to claim 2 is characterized by: The ventilation tube adopts an inverted U-shaped ventilation tube.

4. The ethylene glycol water tank monitoring system for methanol fuel ships according to claim 1 is characterized by: The heater is an electric heater, and a start-stop switch is provided on the electric heater.

5. The ethylene glycol water tank monitoring system for methanol fuel ships according to claim 1 is characterized by: The other end of the mechanical exhaust fan is connected to one end of the ventilation cap, and the other end of the ventilation cap is arranged in a safe area.

6. The ethylene glycol water tank monitoring system for methanol fuel ships according to claim 1, characterized in that: Port No. 3 of the three-way remote control valve is connected to the ethylene glycol water circulation system.

7. A detection method for the ethylene glycol water tank monitoring system of a methanol fuel ship according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein a ventilation tube is provided at the upper end of the ethylene glycol tank in the ethylene glycol water tank monitoring system of a methanol fuel ship, one end of the ventilation tube is fixed to the upper end of the ethylene glycol tank and communicated with the inner cavity of the ethylene glycol tank, the other end of the ventilation tube is arranged in a safe area, the heater adopts an electric heater, and a start-stop switch is arranged on the electric heater, the other end of the mechanical exhaust fan is connected to one end of the ventilation cap, and the other end of the ventilation cap is arranged in a safe area; characterized in that The following steps are involved: When the liquid level sensor triggers the liquid level alarm signal, the start-stop switch is turned on, and the electric heater starts to heat the ethylene glycol water overflowing into the ethylene glycol isolation small compartment. When the ethylene glycol water in the ethylene glycol isolation small compartment is heated to 70°C, it is determined whether the hydrocarbon sensor triggers the hydrocarbon alarm signal. If the hydrocarbon sensor triggers the hydrocarbon alarm signal, it means that the ethylene glycol water in the ethylene glycol isolation small compartment is overflowed due to the leakage of methanol fuel into the ethylene glycol large compartment; if the hydrocarbon sensor does not trigger the hydrocarbon alarm signal, it means that the ethylene glycol water in the ethylene glycol isolation small compartment is overflowed due to the roll or pitch of the ship; When the hydrocarbon sensor triggers the hydrocarbon alarm signal, the remote control valve opens, allowing the glycol water mixed with methanol fuel in the glycol large tank to flow into the glycol isolation small tank, and the electric heater continues to heat to vaporize and volatilize the methanol fuel mixed in the glycol water in the glycol water tank; when the remote control valve is opened, the mechanical exhaust fan is started synchronously, with the air vent as the air inlet and the air vent cap as the air outlet, to discharge the vaporized and volatilized methanol fuel to a safe area; When the hydrocarbon sensor no longer detects methanol, the start-stop switch is turned off to stop the electric heater from heating. When the start-stop switch is turned off, the remote control valve is closed and the mechanical exhaust fan stops working synchronously. When the remote control valve is closed, ports 2 and 3 of the three-way remote control valve are controlled to be connected, and ports 1 and 3 of the three-way remote control valve are closed, so that the ethylene glycol water in the ethylene glycol isolation small compartment flows into the ethylene glycol water circulation system as the pipeline holding amount of the ethylene glycol water circulation system; when the liquid level switch no longer detects the liquid level alarm signal, ports 2 and 3 of the three-way remote control valve are closed, and ports 1 and 3 of the three-way remote control valve are opened, so that the ethylene glycol water in the ethylene glycol large compartment flows into the ethylene glycol water circulation system to restore the ethylene glycol water circulation system to normal operating conditions.

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