Automatic sampling device for tank truck
Patent Information
- Application Number
- CN202611075829.7
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Applications(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2026-07-20
- Publication Date
- 2026-10-09
AI Technical Summary
[0004]人员需攀爬3.75~4.0m罐顶,易发生高空坠落;长期直面罐口油气,存在中毒、静电起火隐患;取样器挂油滴落污染现场,增加火灾风险;
[0026]全程无需人员登罐接触油气,规避坠落、中毒、燃爆风险;多重安全防护实时联锁停机,满足油库安全生产无人化管控要求;
Smart Images

Figure CN122882149A_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This invention belongs to the field of petrochemical oil product testing and sampling technology, specifically relating to an automatic sampling device for oil tankers. Background Technology
[0002] In the process of oil product trade handover and warehousing quality inspection, oil tanker sampling is a key step in determining the water content, density, impurities, and aging degree of oil products. The oil sample must completely cover the longitudinal cross-sectional distribution of the medium inside the tank, and 100% cross-sectional sampling is required to truly reflect the overall quality of the oil products in the entire vehicle.
[0003] Currently, manual sampling is still the mainstream method used in oil depots, which has the following problems:
[0004] Personnel need to climb the 3.75-4.0m top of the tank, which is prone to falls from heights; prolonged exposure to oil and gas at the tank opening poses risks of poisoning and static electricity ignition; oil dripping from the sampler contaminates the site, increasing the risk of fire.
[0005] Manually judging depth by rope markings can easily disturb the stratification inside the tank and damage the oil-water interface when lowering and pulling it up; manual mixing of oil samples is prone to human error and may underestimate the water and sediment content at the bottom of the tank.
[0006] Traditional sampling containers are simply wiped clean, leaving residues of high-viscosity oils and gums that easily adhere to the walls. Furthermore, during continuous sampling, oil samples from different trips interfere with each other, resulting in distorted test data.
[0007] Sampling by a single vehicle takes 10-15 minutes and is prone to congestion during peak traffic hours; the entire process is recorded on paper, and vehicle, sampling, and testing data cannot be automatically archived and traced, which does not meet the needs of unmanned upgrades for smart oil depots.
[0008] The limited number of automated sampling devices on the market fall into two categories, neither of which can meet the national standard requirements for sampling and fully automated processes:
[0009] Pipeline bypass online sampling device: It can only collect flowing oil, cannot perform vertical sampling on stationary tank trucks, cannot determine the emulsification, sedimentation, and aging state of oil, and has a narrow range of applications;
[0010] Sampling equipment using winches / simple robotic arms: relying on rope lifting makes it prone to swaying and disturbing the stratification; the sampling cylinder lacks a constant temperature and anti-drip structure, and high-viscosity oil is prone to sticking to the wall and leaving residue; it lacks an automatic cleaning and license plate recognition linkage system, and still requires manual opening of the cover and removal of the sample container, thus not achieving full automation. Summary of the Invention
[0011] The purpose of this invention is to provide an automatic sampling device for oil tankers, which eliminates high-risk manual operations, avoids cross-contamination of oil products, and enables full traceability of sampling data.
[0012] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides the following technical solution: an automatic sampling device for oil tankers, comprising an oil tanker, a carbon steel platform, a safety protection unit, a vehicle identification and positioning unit, an industrial robot, a cleaning unit, and an intelligent control host;
[0013] The safety protection unit is located on the outside of the carbon steel platform and includes a safety fence, a cylinder-driven movable safety door, and a safety light curtain.
[0014] The vehicle identification and positioning unit includes a license plate recognizer and a 3D vision positioning module integrated into the end effector of an industrial robot.
[0015] The industrial robot is fixedly installed on a carbon steel platform, and a sampler for completing sampling is detachably connected to the industrial robot. The sampler includes a bottom sampling and acquisition component, a middle constant temperature heating layer, and a top pneumatic drive buffer component.
[0016] The cleaning unit is an oil sample container fixedly installed on a carbon steel platform;
[0017] The intelligent control host is electrically connected to the safety protection unit, vehicle identification and positioning unit, industrial robot, sampler, and cleaning unit. It has a built-in GB / T 4756 full-section continuous sampling control program, which collects data in segments along the longitudinal direction of the tank to achieve 100% cross-section full coverage sampling. It automatically divides the longitudinal full-section sampling interval and stores and uploads the entire sampling process data.
[0018] As a preferred technical solution of the present invention, the bottom sampling and acquisition component includes an instantaneously closed one-way valve, an anti-drip oil collection tank, and a bottom detection sensor; when lowered to the target depth, the one-way valve is instantly closed to open the oil inlet; when the industrial robot lifts, the one-way valve is instantly closed to seal; and after the bottom detection sensor contacts the bottom of the tank, it sends a position signal to the intelligent control host.
[0019] As a preferred technical solution of the present invention, the central constant temperature heating layer has a built-in electric heat tracing temperature control module to maintain a constant temperature of 60~80℃, and a heat insulation protective layer is provided on the outside of the central constant temperature heating layer.
[0020] As a preferred technical solution of the present invention, the top pneumatic drive buffer assembly includes a detection cylinder, an oil unloading pressure valve, and an outer wall oil scraping drive module; the detection cylinder buffers the descent impact, the oil unloading pressure valve is connected to a 0.5~0.7MPa air source to assist in oil discharge, and the outer wall oil scraping module slides along the rod to scrape off the oil stains on the outer wall.
[0021] As a preferred technical solution of the present invention, the sampler further includes a fastening cylinder fixedly connected to an industrial robot, a fixing plate and a protective frame fixedly installed at one end of the fastening cylinder, a base fixedly installed inside the protective frame, a servo motor fixedly installed on the top of the base, a lead screw set on the output shaft of the servo motor, a threaded seat threadedly connected to the lead screw, a sampler body fixedly installed on the threaded seat, a guide cylinder fixedly installed on the top of the fixing plate for the sampler body to pass through, and a first motor fixedly installed at the bottom of the fixing plate, wherein the output end of the first motor is rotatably connected to a protective cover.
[0022] As a preferred technical solution of the present invention, the 3D vision positioning module scans 3 to 6 DN400 to 500mm tank openings on the top of the tanker truck in real time, automatically identifies the tank opening coordinates and the total height of the tank body, and the intelligent control host takes the complete longitudinal section from the liquid surface to the bottom of the tank as the collection range, evenly divides it into multiple continuous collection sections, and controls the sampler to move at a constant speed along the entire longitudinal section to collect in segments, so as to achieve 100% longitudinal section full coverage sampling of the tank body and completely capture all oil medium layers in the entire section.
[0023] As a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the license plate recognition device includes a fixed plate, a support column fixedly mounted on the fixed plate, and a high-definition camera rotatably mounted on the support column.
[0024] As a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the top of the sampler cleaning tank is provided with a semi-automatic liquid replenishment interface, and the bottom is provided with a first valve.
[0025] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the present invention are:
[0026] The entire process requires no personnel to climb onto the tanks and come into contact with oil and gas, avoiding the risks of falls, poisoning, and explosions; multiple safety protections and real-time interlocking shutdowns meet the requirements for unmanned management and control of safe production in oil depots.
[0027] The sampler integrates a constant temperature, instantaneous sealing, anti-disturbance, and depth detection structure, combined with 3D vision for precise positioning and uniform speed lowering control, without disrupting the natural stratification inside the tank. The constant temperature structure solves the problem of high-viscosity oil residue adhering to the tank wall, and the full-domain segmented collection mode achieves 100% longitudinal cross-section full coverage sampling of the tank, fully meeting the GB / T 4756 full-section sampling specification, and completely collecting all media inside the tank. The hardware and control logic provide dual guarantees for the authenticity and full-domain representativeness of the sample.
[0028] After each sampling, the sampler's inner and outer walls are automatically soaked and scraped to thoroughly remove residual adhesive and emulsified impurities, eliminating the need for manual wiping and significantly improving the stability of test data; the anti-drip structure prevents on-site oil contamination.
[0029] The entire process of vehicle, sampling, and cleaning data is automatically collected and uploaded, and electronic ledgers are automatically generated, eliminating the need for paper records and meeting the needs of intelligent and digital upgrades for oil depots. Attached Figure Description
[0030] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the present invention;
[0031] Figure 2 This is a partial structural diagram of the present invention;
[0032] Figure 3 This is a top view of the structure of the present invention;
[0033] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the sampler cleaning tank structure of the present invention;
[0034] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the sampler structure of the present invention;
[0035] Figure 6 For the present invention Figure 5 A schematic diagram of a local structure in the image;
[0036] Figure 7 For the present invention Figure 6 A schematic diagram of the enlarged structure of region F in the diagram;
[0037] In the picture:
[0038] 1. Tanker truck; 2. Carbon steel platform; 3. Industrial robot; 4. Sampler; 41. Protective frame; 42. Fastening cylinder; 43. Fixing plate; 44. Protective cover; 45. Base; 46. Sampler body; 47. Guide cylinder; 48. First motor; 49. Detection cylinder; 490. Unloading pressure valve; 5. Sampler cleaning tank; 51. First valve; 6. Safety fence; 7. Oil sample tank; 8. License plate recognition device. Detailed Implementation
[0039] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.
[0040] Please see Figures 1 to 7 The present invention provides an automatic sampling device for oil tanker trucks, including an oil tanker truck 1, a carbon steel platform 2, a safety protection unit, a vehicle identification and positioning unit, an industrial robot 3, a cleaning unit, and an intelligent control host.
[0041] In this embodiment, the industrial robot 3 is model R-2000iC / 125L, with a 6-axis multi-joint structure, a maximum working radius of 3100mm, and a maximum wrist load of 125kg. The 6-axis multi-joint structure has high degrees of freedom and can flexibly adjust its posture to adapt to 3 to 6 different tank openings on the top of the oil tanker 1 without adjusting the vehicle's parking position, making it suitable for multi-compartment tankers. The 3100mm ultra-large working radius fully covers the top area of conventional long oil tankers without the need to lengthen the platform, reducing modification costs. The 125kg high wrist load can stably hold the 3.5m long, stainless steel heavy sampler 4 without shaking during lifting and translation, avoiding disturbance to the oil-water stratification inside the tank.
[0042] The safety protection unit is located outside the carbon steel platform 2 and includes a safety fence 6, a cylinder-driven movable safety door, and a safety light curtain. The safety fence 6 is arranged outside the carbon steel platform 2 to completely isolate the robot sampling operation area and prevent unauthorized personnel from accidentally entering the dangerous area of mechanical movement. The cylinder-driven movable safety door is only opened after sampling is completed to achieve physical isolation of the mechanical operation area. The safety light curtain forms photoelectric sensing protection. When personnel intrude, a signal is sent to the intelligent control host, and the industrial robot 3 immediately stops. This double protection eliminates mechanical collisions and oil and gas contact safety accidents, meeting the explosion-proof safety standards of oil depots.
[0043] The vehicle identification and positioning unit includes a license plate recognizer 8 and a 3D vision positioning module integrated at the end of an industrial robot 3. The license plate recognizer 8 automatically collects the license plate information of the tanker truck 1, binds it to each set of oil samples, realizes one file per vehicle, and ensures accurate data traceability. The 3D vision module is integrated at the end of the industrial robot 3 and moves synchronously with the industrial robot 3 to scan, reducing the space occupied by on-site equipment. The combination of vision recognition and license plate recognition allows for the simultaneous acquisition of vehicle identity and tank opening position, eliminating the need for manual input of vehicle information and manual calibration of tank opening position, thus reducing human intervention. The 3D vision positioning module scans the top 3 to 6 DN400 to 500mm tank openings of the tanker truck 1 in real time, automatically identifying the tank opening coordinates and the total height of the tank. The intelligent control host uses the complete longitudinal section from the liquid surface to the bottom of the tank as the collection range, evenly divides it into multiple continuous collection sections, and controls the sampler to move at a constant speed along the entire longitudinal section for segmented collection, achieving 100% longitudinal cross-sectional full coverage sampling of the tank and completely capturing all oil medium layers within the entire cross-section.
[0044] Industrial robot 3 is fixedly mounted on carbon steel platform 2, and a sampler 4 for completing sampling is detachably connected to industrial robot 3. Sampler 4 includes a bottom sampling and acquisition component, a middle constant temperature heating layer, and a top pneumatic drive buffer component; wherein,
[0045] The bottom sampling and acquisition component includes an instantaneously closing one-way valve, an anti-drip oil collection tank, and a bottom detection sensor; when lowered to the target depth, the instantaneously closing one-way valve opens the oil inlet; when the industrial robot lifts it up, the instantaneously closing one-way valve seals it; after the bottom detection sensor contacts the bottom of the tank, it sends a position signal to the intelligent control host.
[0046] The central constant temperature heating layer has a built-in electric heat tracing and temperature control module to maintain a constant temperature of 60~80℃, which is used to melt high-viscosity oils and gums and prevent residues from sticking to the inner wall. A heat insulation protective layer is set on the outside of the central constant temperature heating layer.
[0047] The top pneumatically driven buffer assembly includes a detection cylinder 49, an oil unloading pressure valve 490, and an outer wall oil scraping drive module; the detection cylinder 49 buffers the descent impact, the oil unloading pressure valve 490 is connected to a 0.5~0.7MPa air source to assist in oil discharge, and the outer wall oil scraping module slides along the rod to scrape off the oil stains on the outer wall.
[0048] The cleaning unit is an oil sample container 7 fixedly installed on a carbon steel platform 2. The collected oil sample is placed in the oil sample container 7 at the designated location.
[0049] The intelligent control host is electrically connected to the safety protection unit, vehicle identification and positioning unit, industrial robot 3, sampler 4, and cleaning unit. It has a built-in GB / T 4756 full-section continuous sampling control program, which collects samples in segments along the longitudinal direction of the tank to achieve 100% cross-section full coverage sampling. It automatically divides the longitudinal full-area sampling interval and stores and uploads the entire sampling process data. The intelligent control host automatically records the tanker license plate, sampling time, sampling depth, sampling temperature, and equipment cleaning records, and uploads them to the oil depot unmanned metering system via TCP / HTTP protocol to achieve full traceability of sampling data.
[0050] In this embodiment, the sampler 4 further includes a fastening cylinder 42 fixedly connected to the industrial robot 3. A fixing plate 43 and a protective frame 41 are fixedly installed at one end of the fastening cylinder 42. A base 45 is fixedly installed inside the protective frame 41. A servo motor is fixedly installed on the top of the base 45. A lead screw is provided on the output shaft of the servo motor. The sampler 4 also includes a threaded seat threadedly connected to the lead screw. A sampler body 46 is fixedly installed on the threaded seat. A guide cylinder 47 for the sampler body 46 to pass through is fixedly installed on the top of the fixing plate 43. A first motor 48 is fixedly installed at the bottom of the fixing plate 43. The output end of a motor 48 is rotatably connected to a protective cover 44. When the sampler body 46 moves downward to collect samples, the first motor 48 needs to be started to drive the protective cover 44 to rotate away from the sampler body 46 and below it to avoid interference. The fastening cylinder 42 rigidly fixes the sampler 4 to the industrial robot 3. The servo motor, lead screw, and threaded seat constitute a precision lifting mechanism, which can accurately control the lifting displacement of the sampler body 46, with high positioning accuracy to meet the requirements of precise control of sampling depth. The guide cylinder 47 restricts the radial sway of the sampler body 46, making the lowering process smooth and further reducing the disturbance to the stratification of oil in the tank.
[0051] In this embodiment, the license plate recognition device 8 includes a fixed plate, a support column fixedly installed on the fixed plate, and a high-definition camera rotatably installed on the support column. The high-definition camera can rotate around the support column and can finely adjust the shooting angle according to the parking position of the tanker truck 1 to adapt to different vehicle parking deviations, resulting in a higher license plate recognition rate and no blind spots in recognition.
[0052] In this embodiment, the top of the sampler cleaning tank 5 is equipped with a semi-automatic liquid replenishment interface, and the bottom is equipped with a first valve 51. The semi-automatic liquid replenishment interface can quickly and quantitatively replenish the cleaning solvent; the bottom first valve 51 can periodically discharge oily waste solvent, making waste liquid discharge convenient and facilitating the unified collection and treatment of hazardous waste; after each sampling, the sampler body 46 is automatically soaked and cleaned to remove residual oil and prevent cross-contamination of oil from different oil tankers.
[0053] The working principle and usage process of this invention: The operator manually opens the top of the tanker truck 1 in advance, drives the tanker truck 1 into the sampling position and smoothly stops it in the corresponding working area of the carbon steel platform 2, and keeps the vehicle stationary after it stops.
[0054] The high-definition camera is activated, automatically taking a picture of the license plate of the tanker truck, recognizing the vehicle information and transmitting it to the intelligent control host in real time.
[0055] The 3D vision positioning module mounted on the end of the industrial robot 3 starts scanning to perform three-dimensional imaging of 3 to 6 DN400 to 500mm tank openings on the top of the tanker truck 1, automatically identifying the tank opening coordinates and the total height of the tank. The intelligent control host takes the complete longitudinal section from the liquid surface to the bottom of the tank as the collection range, evenly divides it into multiple continuous collection sections, and controls the sampler to move at a constant speed along the entire longitudinal section to collect samples in segments, achieving 100% longitudinal section full coverage sampling of the tank.
[0056] The intelligent control host plans the motion trajectory of the industrial robot 3, the cylinder in the safety protection unit drives the movable safety door to keep it locked, and the safety light curtain continuously monitors the work area to prevent personnel from entering;
[0057] Industrial robot 3 grips sampler 4 and moves it to above the target tank opening; the first motor 48 is started, driving the protective cover 44 to rotate and move to the side and below the sampler body 46, so as to avoid the protective cover interfering with the lowering action of sampler 4;
[0058] The servo motor drives the lead screw and threaded seat to move the sampler body 46 vertically and smoothly down along the guide cylinder 47, and the guide cylinder 47 restricts the radial sway of the rod body.
[0059] The sampler body 46 completes sampling; the bottom detection sensor sends a signal to the main unit after touching the bottom of the tank.
[0060] The industrial robot 3 lifts the sampler 4. The one-way valve is completely sealed during the lifting process. The outer wall oil scraping drive module simultaneously scrapes off the oil adhering to the outer wall of the sampling rod. The anti-drip oil collection tank collects residual oil on the outer wall to prevent oil from dripping and contaminating the site.
[0061] Industrial robot 3, carrying sampler 4, moves to oil sample tank 7 on carbon steel platform 2, opens oil discharge pressure valve 490, introduces 0.5~0.7MPa air source, and discharges all the mixed oil sample inside into oil sample tank 7 for storage.
[0062] The industrial robot 3 holds the sampler 4 and moves it to the sampler cleaning tank 5 on the carbon steel platform 2, and fully inserts the sampler body 46 into the cleaning tank 5.
[0063] The cleaning solvent in the cleaning tank 5 soaks the sampler body 46. The constant temperature heating layer in the middle of the sampler at 60~80℃ is activated to melt the high viscosity oil and gum adhering to the inner wall. Together with the outer wall oil scraping module, it thoroughly cleans the residual oil on the inner and outer walls and eliminates cross-contamination of oil from different oil tankers 1.
[0064] After cleaning, the industrial robot 3 lifts the sampler 4 to drain the residual liquid; the semi-automatic liquid replenishment interface at the top of the cleaning tank 5 can replenish the cleaning solvent as needed, and the first valve 51 at the bottom can periodically discharge oily waste solvent for unified treatment.
[0065] After the sampling and cleaning processes are completed, the intelligent control host issues a command, and the cylinder drives the movable safety door to open automatically; the operator enters the isolation area, takes out the oil sample container 7 containing the mixed oil sample, seals it, and sends it for testing;
[0066] After manually removing the oil sample container 7, the operator drives the oil tanker 1 away from the sampling area of the carbon steel platform 2, completing the entire sampling operation for a single vehicle.
[0067] Although embodiments of the invention have been shown and described (see the detailed description above), it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes, modifications, substitutions and alterations can be made to these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the invention, the scope of which is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.
Claims
1. An automatic sampling device for oil tankers, comprising an oil tanker (1), characterized in that: It also includes a carbon steel platform (2), a safety protection unit, a vehicle identification and positioning unit, an industrial robot (3), a cleaning unit, and an intelligent control host; The safety protection unit is located outside the carbon steel platform (2), and the safety protection unit includes a safety fence (6), a cylinder-driven movable safety door, and a safety light curtain; The vehicle identification and positioning unit includes a license plate recognition device (8) and a 3D vision positioning module integrated at the end of an industrial robot (3); The industrial robot (3) is fixedly installed on the carbon steel platform (2), and a sampler (4) for completing sampling is detachably connected to the industrial robot (3). The sampler (4) includes a bottom sampling and acquisition component, a middle constant temperature heating layer, and a top pneumatic drive buffer component. The cleaning unit is an oil sample container (7) fixedly installed on a carbon steel platform (2); The intelligent control host is electrically connected to the safety protection unit, vehicle identification and positioning unit, industrial robot (3), sampler (4) and cleaning unit respectively. It has a built-in GB / T 4756 full-section continuous sampling control program, which collects samples in segments along the longitudinal direction of the tank to achieve 100% cross-section full coverage sampling, automatically divides the longitudinal full-domain sampling interval and stores and uploads the sampling process data.
2. The automatic sampling device for oil tankers according to claim 1, characterized in that: The bottom sampling and acquisition component includes an instantaneously closed one-way valve, an anti-drip oil collection tank, and a bottom detection sensor; when it is lowered to the target depth, the instantaneously closed one-way valve opens the oil inlet, and the industrial robot (3) instantly closes the one-way valve to seal it when it is lifted. After the bottom detection sensor contacts the bottom of the tank, it sends a position signal to the intelligent control host.
3. The automatic sampling device for oil tankers according to claim 1, characterized in that: The central constant temperature heating layer has a built-in electric heat tracing and temperature control module to maintain a constant temperature of 60~80℃, and a heat insulation protective layer is set on the outside of the central constant temperature heating layer.
4. The automatic sampling device for oil tankers according to claim 1, characterized in that: The top pneumatic drive buffer assembly includes a detection cylinder (49), an oil unloading pressure valve (490), and an outer wall oil scraping drive module; the detection cylinder (49) buffers the descent impact, the oil unloading pressure valve (490) is connected to a 0.5~0.7MPa air source to assist in oil discharge, and the outer wall oil scraping module slides along the rod to scrape off the outer wall oil stains.
5. The automatic sampling device for oil tankers according to claim 1, characterized in that: The sampler (4) also includes a fastening cylinder (42) fixedly connected to the industrial robot (3), a fixing plate (43) and a protective frame (41) fixedly installed at one end of the fastening cylinder (42), a base (45) fixedly installed inside the protective frame (41), a servo motor fixedly installed on the top of the base (45), a lead screw set on the output shaft of the servo motor, a threaded seat threadedly connected to the lead screw, a sampler body (46) fixedly installed on the threaded seat, a guide cylinder (47) fixedly installed on the top of the fixing plate (43) for the sampler body (46) to pass through, and a first motor (48) fixedly installed on the bottom of the fixing plate (43), and the output end of the first motor (48) is rotatably connected to a protective cover (44).
6. The automatic sampling device for oil tankers according to claim 1, characterized in that: The 3D vision positioning module scans the top 3-6 DN400-500mm tank openings of the oil tanker (1) in real time, automatically identifies the tank opening coordinates and the total height of the tank. The intelligent control host takes the complete longitudinal section from the liquid surface to the bottom of the tank as the collection range, evenly divides multiple continuous collection sections, controls the sampler to move at a constant speed along the longitudinal section to collect in segments, realizes 100% longitudinal section full coverage sampling of the tank, and completely captures all oil medium layers in the entire section.
7. The automatic sampling device for oil tankers according to claim 1, characterized in that: The license plate recognition device (8) includes a fixed plate, a support column fixedly installed on the fixed plate, and a high-definition camera rotatably installed on the support column.
8. The automatic sampling device for oil tankers according to claim 1, characterized in that: The top of the sampler cleaning tank (5) is equipped with a semi-automatic liquid replenishment interface, and the bottom is equipped with a first valve (51).