Floating Roof Tag Imaging for Tank Tilt and Level Monitoring
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional systems for monitoring the tilt angle and surface level of floating roofs in storage tanks are expensive and require additional mounting accessories and cabling, and are prone to mechanical issues due to environmental factors like water accumulation and high winds, leading to malfunctions such as roof tilting or vapor gaps.
Innovation Solution
A system comprising tags installed on the floating roof, an image capturing device, and a processor that determines the distance and orientation of the tags, compares it to predefined thresholds, and generates alarms when the orientation exceeds these thresholds, using image sensors and a gauge unit to monitor the roof's tilt angle and liquid level.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional level transmitters are mounted on top of the tank periphery to monitor floating roof tilt angle and surface level, then monitoring capability is provided, but system cost and device complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses image capturing devices to capture visual images of the floating roof and processes these images to determine tilt angle and surface level. This optical copying method replaces conventional mechanical level transmitters, eliminating the need for complex mounting accessories and cabling while maintaining monitoring reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces mechanical level transmitters with an optical imaging system. The image capturing device captures visual information, and the processor analyzes this information to determine roof orientation and level, substituting mechanical measurement with optical and computational methods.
2Measurement precision
If conventional level transmitters are used to monitor floating roof orientation, then measurement capability is provided, but additional mounting accessories and cabling are required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent captures visual images of the floating roof using image capturing devices and processes these images to determine tilt angle and surface level. This eliminates the need for complex mounting accessories and cabling required by conventional transmitters, significantly simplifying installation while maintaining measurement precision.
3Reliability
If floating roof monitoring systems are installed to prevent malfunctions, then safety is improved, but system cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses image capturing devices to visually capture the floating roof state and processes these images to detect malfunctions such as tilting and submersion. This approach provides reliable safety monitoring at lower cost compared to conventional transmitter systems requiring additional mounting accessories and cabling.
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
Provides cost-effective and reliable monitoring of the floating roof's orientation and liquid level, preventing malfunctions by alerting when thresholds are exceeded, thus ensuring safe operation and reducing the need for expensive transmitters and additional hardware.
Implementation Method 1
at least one image capturing device installed in proximity to the storage tank. Further, the at least one image capturing device is configured to capture one or more images of each of the plurality of tags
Data Source
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AI summary
A system for monitoring a floating roof of a storage tank is disclosed. The system comprising a plurality of tags coupled to a floating roof of a storage tank at a plurality of locations. The storage tank is configured to contain a liquid. At least one image capturing device is installed in proximity to the storage tank and configured to capture one or more images of the plurality of tags. At least one processor is communicatively coupled to the at least one image capturing device and configured to determine a distance of the plurality of tags from the at least one image capturing device; determine an orientation of the floating roof from the determined distance of the plurality of tags; compare the determined orientation with a predefined threshold; and generate one or more alarms when the determined orientation of the floating roof exceeds the predefined threshold.