A marine plunger pump mini oil tank liquid level automatic detection system

Abstract

This invention discloses an automatic level detection system for a mini oil tank in a marine plunger pump, adapted to a small mini oil tank on the cylinder liner of a marine plunger pump, for monitoring the lubricating oil level in the tank. The system mainly consists of a conductive metal plate, a float, an electrode rod trigger switch, and an alarm device. The float supports the conductive metal plate, which floats on the lubricating oil surface. Two electrode rods are positioned at the low warning level of the oil tank and are electrically connected to an external alarm device. As the lubricating oil is consumed, the level drops, causing the conductive metal plate to fall synchronously. When the warning level is reached, the metal plate contacts the two electrode rods, activating the alarm circuit and triggering the alarm. This system adopts a minimalist modular structure, adaptable to small mini oil tanks, solving the problem of existing equipment lacking compatible detectors. It also avoids detection errors caused by oil characteristics and assembly misalignment, resulting in high level detection accuracy and stable operation.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of marine plunger pump lubrication monitoring technology, and particularly relates to an automatic detection system for oil tank level of marine plunger pumps. Background Technology

[0002] When a marine plunger pump is working, the plunger reciprocates, which can easily cause wear to the cylinder liner. A dual protection method is typically used, involving increasing the hardness of the cylinder liner and injecting lubricating oil to penetrate the gap between the plunger and the cylinder liner, in order to extend the service life of the equipment. However, in existing technologies, the corresponding lubricating oil tanks are usually quite large, and level detection often uses conventional equipment such as standard float sensors or capacitive sensors.

[0003] For the mini oil tanks (with a capacity of only 60-100ml) configured for marine plunger pumps, due to their extremely small internal space and compact structure, there are almost no suitable level detectors of the corresponding size on the market. Conventional detection equipment cannot be installed or has insufficient detection accuracy. When the lubricating oil in the mini oil tank runs out, it cannot alarm in time, which will lead to lubrication failure between the plunger and the cylinder liner, accelerate cylinder liner wear, and in severe cases, cause water leakage. This affects the reliability and service life of the plunger pump, posing a significant safety hazard. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This invention aims to solve the technical problems of existing mini oil tanks lacking suitable liquid level detection devices and failing to provide timely alarms when oil is low. It provides a compact, adaptable, high-accuracy, and reliable automatic liquid level detection system for marine plunger pump mini oil tanks, ensuring continuous and effective lubrication and extending the service life of the plunger pump.

[0005] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, the present invention adopts the following technical solution: An automatic level detection system for a mini oil tank in a marine plunger pump includes a mini oil tank and an alarm device. The mini oil tank has a volume of 60-100ml and is fixedly mounted on the cylinder liner housing of the marine plunger pump, serving to supply lubricating oil to the gap between the hardened cylinder liner and the plunger. Its distinguishing feature is that: It also includes a conductive metal plate, a float, and a trigger switch; The float is located below the conductive metal plate and floats in the lubricating oil to support the conductive metal plate on the surface of the lubricating oil. The trigger switch consists of two electrode rods, which are arranged side by side at intervals on the side of the mini fuel tank. Both electrode rods are located at the low warning level of the mini fuel tank. The inner end of the electrode rod extends into the interior of the mini fuel tank, and the outer end protrudes from the side wall of the mini fuel tank to the outside. The alarm device is electrically connected to the outer ends of the two electrode rods respectively; As the lubricating oil in the mini oil tank is continuously consumed, the conductive metal plate descends synchronously with the level of the lubricating oil. When the conductive metal plate descends to the low warning level, it simultaneously contacts the inner ends of the two electrode rods, thereby forming a closed alarm circuit with the alarm device, the two electrode rods, and the conductive metal plate. Once the alarm circuit is activated, it triggers the alarm device to issue an alarm signal.

[0006] Furthermore, a guide mechanism is provided between the mini fuel tank and the conductive metal plate to ensure that the conductive metal plate remains in a horizontal position during lifting and lowering.

[0007] Furthermore, the guiding mechanism consists of a top guide hole provided in the mini fuel tank and a lifting guide rod that is vertically connected to the upper surface of the conductive metal plate and passes upward through the guide hole.

[0008] Furthermore, the mini fuel tank has a cylindrical structure, the guide hole is located at the center of the top of the fuel tank, and the conductive metal plate has a disc structure with a diameter slightly smaller than the inner wall diameter of the mini fuel tank.

[0009] Furthermore, the bottom of the mini oil tank has an oil drain port leading to the gap between the plunger and the cylinder liner, the opening of the oil drain port is higher than the bottom surface of the mini oil tank, and the low warning fluid level is slightly higher than the opening of the oil drain port.

[0010] Furthermore, the conductive metal plate is a stainless steel plate.

[0011] Furthermore, the float is a PP ball.

[0012] Furthermore, the alarm device is a 6V audible and visual alarm powered by a switching power supply and a high-power, high-decibel buzzer controlled by a 6V relay.

[0013] By adopting the above technical solution, the present invention has the following beneficial effects: 1. Compatible with mini oil tanks: It adopts a minimalist combination of electrode rod + stainless steel cover plate + float ball, with a compact structure that can be directly installed in a very small mini oil tank, solving the problem that existing detection equipment does not have a compatible liquid level detector.

[0014] 2. High detection accuracy: Utilizing the characteristic that stainless steel has a higher density than oil, and with the support of PP float ball, it avoids the stainless steel cover plate sinking to the bottom or the triggering accuracy being affected by oil film tension and viscosity; the lifting guide rod is designed to be higher than the oil tank to ensure the concentricity of the cover plate and eliminate detection failure caused by assembly misalignment.

[0015] 3. Reliable alarm: When the liquid level is low, the stainless steel cover plate contacts the electrode rod to complete the circuit, triggering a 6V audible and visual alarm. A high-power buzzer can be connected via a relay to overcome noise interference on the ship and ensure that workers can promptly detect oil shortages and refuel.

[0016] 4. High durability: The core components are made of stainless steel (corrosion resistant) and PP polypropylene (oil resistant and anti-aging), which can withstand long-term immersion in lubricating oil without failure, making them suitable for harsh working environments on ships and with low maintenance costs.

[0017] 5. Dual protection: Real-time monitoring of the mini oil tank level, immediate alarm for low oil level, ensuring continuous lubrication between the plunger and cylinder liner, avoiding cylinder liner wear and water leakage caused by lubrication failure, and greatly improving the reliability and service life of the plunger pump. Attached Figure Description

[0018] The present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments: Figure 1 A three-dimensional schematic diagram of a marine plunger pump; Figure 2 This is a side view of a marine plunger pump. Figure 3 for Figure 2 Sectional view of AA; Figure 4 for Figure 3 Enlarged diagram of point A in the middle. Detailed Implementation

[0019] like Figure 1 As shown, the marine plunger pump mini oil tank automatic level detection system of the present invention includes a mini oil tank 100, a conductive metal plate 201, a float 202, a trigger switch 300, and an alarm device 400.

[0020] The mini fuel tank 100 is a cylindrical structure with a volume of 60-100ml (80ml in this embodiment). It consists of a tank body 101 and a removable, sealed cover 102 that covers the opening of the tank body 101. The mini fuel tank 100 is fixedly mounted on the cylinder liner housing 11 of the marine plunger pump 10, and has an oil drain port 103 at its bottom. The opening 103a of the oil drain port 103 is 6-7mm higher than the bottom surface of the mini fuel tank 100. The cylinder liner housing 11 and the hard cylinder liner 12 of the marine plunger pump 10 are respectively provided with a first oil hole 15a and a second oil hole 15b that communicate with each other. A sealing element 14 is also provided between the cylinder liner housing 11 and the hard cylinder liner 12 on both sides of the first oil hole 15a. In this way, the first oil hole 15a and the second oil hole 15b form an oil delivery channel 15 that connects the oil drain port 103 to the gap between the hard cylinder liner 11 and the plunger 13. The lubricating oil filled in the mini oil tank 100 leaks through the oil delivery channel 15 into the gap between the hard cylinder liner 11 and the plunger 13, lubricating the hard cylinder liner 11 and the plunger 13, reducing the wear of the hard cylinder liner 11, and thus improving the service life and reliability of the marine plunger pump 10. In this invention, the lubricating oil is a common lubricating oil with insulating properties.

[0021] The conductive metal plate 201 is a stainless steel plate with a thickness of 0.5-0.8 mm and a disc structure. In this embodiment, the thickness of the stainless steel is 0.6 mm. The float 202 is a plastic ball; in this embodiment, a PP ball with a diameter of 6 mm is selected. In this invention, there are multiple floats 202, and the number of floats should be such that the conductive metal plate 201 just floats on the surface of the lubricating oil.

[0022] As the lubricating oil in the mini oil tank 100 is consumed, the conductive metal plate 201 descends synchronously with the decrease in the level of the lubricating oil.

[0023] To ensure the conductive metal plate 201 remains horizontal during lifting and lowering, a guide mechanism is provided between the conductive metal plate 201 and the mini fuel tank 100. This guide mechanism comprises a guide hole 501 located at the top of the mini fuel tank 100 and a lifting guide rod 502 vertically connected to the upper surface of the conductive metal plate 201 and passing upward through the guide hole 501. Specifically, the guide hole 501 is located at the center of the tank cover 102, and the lifting guide rod 502 is vertically connected to the center of the upper surface of the conductive metal plate 201, passing upward through the guide hole 501. The tank cover 101 has a certain thickness, thus enabling the guide hole 501 to provide guidance. In this embodiment, the thickness of the tank cover 101 is 3mm, and the diameter of the guide hole 501 is 3.2mm. The lifting guide rod 502 is a stainless steel rod with a diameter of 3mm. The height of the lifting guide rod 502 is greater than the height of the mini fuel tank, ensuring that the conductive metal plate 201 remains within the guide hole 501 regardless of its descent position within the mini fuel tank, preventing it from detaching from the guide hole 501. Furthermore, in this invention, the diameter of the conductive metal plate 201 is set to be slightly smaller than the inner wall diameter of the mini fuel tank 100 by 0.6-1.2 mm. In this embodiment, the diameter of the conductive metal plate 201 is further set to be slightly smaller than the inner wall diameter of the mini fuel tank 100 by 1.0 mm, resulting in a 0.5 mm gap between the conductive metal plate 201 and the inner wall of the mini fuel tank 100. This small gap prevents the conductive metal plate 201 from easily tilting or getting stuck in the mini fuel tank 100. Therefore, in this invention, on the one hand, the guide hole 501 has a lifting and guiding function for the lifting guide rod 502, which can prevent the lifting guide rod 502 and the conductive metal plate 201 from tilting. On the other hand, the inner wall of the mini oil tank 100 also has a lifting and guiding function for the conductive metal plate 502. Through the double lifting and guiding, the conductive metal plate 201 can always maintain a horizontal posture as the liquid level drops, thereby preventing the conductive metal plate 201 from tilting and getting stuck when it rises and falls in the mini oil tank 100.

[0024] The trigger switch 300 consists of two electrode rods 301. The two electrode rods 301 are arranged side-by-side at a distance from each other on the side of the mini-tank 101, and both electrode rods 301 are located at the low warning level of the mini-tank. This low warning level is slightly higher than the opening 103a of the leak vent 102 by 2-3 mm. The inner ends of the two electrode rods 301 extend into the interior of the mini-tank 100, and the outer ends protrude through the side wall of the mini-tank to the outside. In this embodiment, the diameter of the float 202 is smaller than the installation height of the electrode rods 301 from the bottom surface of the mini-tank. When the conductive metal plate 201 descends with the lubricating oil level to the low warning level, it can touch the inner ends of the two electrode rods 301.

[0025] The alarm device 400 is electrically connected to the two electrode rods 301 via wires. Therefore, as the lubricating oil in the mini oil tank 100 is continuously consumed, the conductive metal plate 201 descends synchronously with the oil level. When the conductive float 200 descends to the low warning level, the conductive metal plate 201 simultaneously contacts the inner ends of the two electrode rods 301, thus forming a closed alarm circuit with the alarm device 400, the two electrode rods 301, and the conductive metal plate 201. Once the alarm circuit is activated, the alarm device 400 is triggered to issue an alarm signal, prompting the worker to refuel. When refueling, the worker first opens the tank cover 102, removes the conductive metal plate 201 along with the cover, then pours new lubricating oil into the tank 101, and finally replaces the cover 102 with the conductive metal plate 201 back onto the tank 101.

[0026] In this invention, the alarm device 400 is a 6V audible and visual alarm powered by a switching power supply.

[0027] To obtain a high-volume alarm sound, the alarm device of this invention can also be a high-power, high-decibel buzzer controlled by a 6V relay. Two electrode rods 301 are first connected to a 6V relay via wires, and the 6V relay is then connected to a 24V or 220V high-power, high-decibel buzzer circuit. When the conductive metal plate 201 simultaneously contacts the inner ends of the two electrode rods 301, the 6V relay is energized, triggering the high-power, high-decibel buzzer circuit, which in turn causes the high-power, high-decibel buzzer to emit an alarm signal.

Claims

1. An automatic level detection system for a mini oil tank of a marine plunger pump, comprising a mini oil tank and an alarm device, wherein the mini oil tank has a volume of 60-100ml, is fixedly mounted on the cylinder liner housing of the marine plunger pump, and is used to supply lubricating oil to the gap between the hardened cylinder liner and the plunger of the marine plunger pump, characterized in that: It also includes a conductive metal plate, a float, and a trigger switch; The float is located below the conductive metal plate and floats in the lubricating oil to support the conductive metal plate on the surface of the lubricating oil. The trigger switch consists of two electrode rods, which are arranged side by side at intervals on the side of the mini fuel tank. Both electrode rods are located at the low warning level of the mini fuel tank. The inner end of the electrode rod extends into the interior of the mini fuel tank, and the outer end protrudes from the side wall of the mini fuel tank to the outside. The alarm device is electrically connected to the outer ends of the two electrode rods respectively; As the lubricating oil in the mini oil tank is continuously consumed, the conductive metal plate descends synchronously with the level of the lubricating oil. When the conductive metal plate descends to the low warning level, it simultaneously contacts the inner ends of the two electrode rods, thereby forming a closed alarm circuit with the alarm device, the two electrode rods, and the conductive metal plate. Once the alarm circuit is activated, it triggers the alarm device to issue an alarm signal.

2. The automatic level detection system for a mini oil tank of a marine plunger pump according to claim 1, characterized in that, A guide mechanism is provided between the mini fuel tank and the conductive metal plate to keep the conductive metal plate in a horizontal position during lifting and lowering.

3. The automatic level detection system for a mini oil tank of a marine plunger pump according to claim 2, characterized in that, The guiding mechanism consists of a top guide hole located on the mini fuel tank and a lifting guide rod that is vertically connected to the upper surface of the conductive metal plate and passes upward through the guide hole.

4. The automatic level detection system for a mini oil tank of a marine plunger pump according to claim 3, characterized in that, The mini fuel tank has a cylindrical structure, the guide hole is located at the center of the top of the fuel tank, and the conductive metal plate has a disc structure with a diameter slightly smaller than the inner wall diameter of the mini fuel tank.

5. The automatic level detection system for a mini oil tank of a marine plunger pump according to claim 1, characterized in that, The bottom of the mini fuel tank has an oil drain port leading to the gap between the plunger and the cylinder liner. The opening of the oil drain port is higher than the bottom surface of the mini fuel tank, and the low warning fluid level is slightly higher than the opening of the oil drain port.

6. The automatic level detection system for a mini oil tank of a marine plunger pump according to claim 1, characterized in that, The conductive metal plate is a stainless steel plate.

7. The automatic level detection system for a mini oil tank of a marine plunger pump according to claim 1, characterized in that, The float is a PP ball.

8. The automatic level detection system for a mini oil tank of a marine plunger pump according to claim 1, characterized in that, The alarm device is a 6V audible and visual alarm powered by a switching power supply.

9. The automatic level detection system for a mini oil tank of a marine plunger pump according to claim 1, characterized in that, The alarm device is a high-power, high-decibel buzzer controlled by a 6V relay.

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