Gas Cylinder Usage Monitoring via Cover and Environmental Sensing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current gas cylinder management systems face challenges in determining if and when cylinders are in use, leading to inefficient inventory management, waste, and administrative burdens due to the need for manual checks and difficulty in locating unused or expired cylinders.
Innovation Solution
A gas cylinder monitoring system that includes a flow control valve, an environmental parameter sensor, and a transmitter to detect and signal the status of the cylinder's use, allowing for automated inventory management and location tracking using sensors like light or humidity detectors and transmitters such as RFID, Audio, or Bluetooth.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If manual checking of cylinder stock and use status is performed, then inventory management can be achieved, but significant time and administrative burden are consumed
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables automatic self-monitoring of cylinder status through environmental sensors that detect parameters like light, temperature, or humidity changes when a cylinder is moved or accessed. This eliminates the need for manual inventory checks while maintaining accurate tracking of cylinder location and usage status.
Solution Approach 2:
Manual mechanical inventory checking is replaced with an automated electronic monitoring system using environmental sensors and transmitters. The system automatically detects and reports cylinder status changes, substituting human labor with sensor-based detection and wireless communication.
2Loss of information
If pressure gauges are installed on cylinders, then gas remaining information is available, but human intervention is still required to retrieve and interpret the information
Solution Approach 1:
The system incorporates automatic feedback mechanisms where environmental sensors continuously monitor cylinder conditions and transmit status information to a central system. This provides real-time feedback on cylinder location, usage status, and environmental conditions without requiring manual intervention to retrieve or interpret data.
Solution Approach 2:
Manual reading and interpretation of pressure gauges is replaced with automated environmental sensing and wireless transmission of status information. The system automatically detects changes in environmental parameters and communicates cylinder status electronically, eliminating the need for human operators to physically check gauges.
3Quantity of substance
If cylinders are placed in storage for long periods, then inventory availability is maintained, but cylinders may pass use-by dates before being used
Solution Approach 1:
The monitoring system provides continuous feedback on cylinder status including environmental conditions and usage patterns. This enables the system to identify cylinders that are approaching or have passed their use-by dates, allowing for timely intervention to prevent using expired cylinders.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary detection of cylinder status changes and environmental conditions before cylinders are actually used or expire. By monitoring environmental parameters and usage patterns in advance, the system can alert users to potential issues before they affect cylinder usability.
4Quantity of substance
If unused cylinders are returned to the supplier, then inventory is replenished, but time and gas are wasted and administrative burden increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system provides real-time feedback on actual cylinder usage status, enabling accurate identification of which cylinders are truly unused versus those that have been accessed. This prevents the premature return of cylinders that may still be usable, reducing waste of gas and time while maintaining adequate inventory levels.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system reduces manual intervention in inventory management, prevents waste by tracking cylinder usage, and ensures timely replacement of expired or unused cylinders, optimizing gas supply and reducing administrative burdens.
Implementation Method 1
the input device may comprise a light sensor for detecting the presence or absence of light
Implementation Method 2
said input device may comprise a humidity sensor for detecting the level of humidity in the air adjacent the input device
Data Source
AI summary
A gas cylinder monitoring system comprising a gas cylinder for receiving and distributing gas. A flow control valve is associated with the gas cylinder and operable to allow or prevent the flow of gas from the cylinder. A monitor is provided for monitoring a signal from an input device associated with the flow control valve. The monitor has an environmental parameter sensor for detecting the presence or absence of a selected environmental parameter in the vicinity of the cylinder. The environmental parameter sensor is connected to the monitor for transmitting an environmental status signal thereto. A removable cover is provided for covering both the flow control valve and the environmental parameter sensor such as to only allow access to the flow control valve when the cover is removed. A transmitter is also provided for transmitting a signal, obtained by the monitor from the input device, to a receiver.