Liquid Level Probe Blowdown Control for Contamination

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Solution Overview

Problem

Liquid level probes in systems like boilers and tanks become contaminated, leading to inaccurate readings, and determining when to clean them is difficult, resulting in potential over-cleaning or under-cleaning issues.

Innovation Solution

A liquid level system with a blowdown feature that includes a control unit connected to probes, using threshold parameters and a timer to determine if a probe is contaminated, and signaling when a blowdown is necessary to maintain accurate readings.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If probes are cleaned frequently to maintain accurate readings, then measurement precision is improved, but loss of time and productivity deteriorate due to unnecessary cleaning operations

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveliquid level reading accuracyVSAvoidtime for cleaning operations

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system continuously monitors probe readings and compares them against threshold parameters to determine contamination status. This feedback mechanism triggers cleaning operations only when actual contamination is detected, rather than following a fixed schedule, thus maintaining measurement precision while avoiding unnecessary cleaning time loss

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs self-diagnosis by monitoring its own probe readings and automatically determining when cleaning is needed through the control unit's analysis of contamination indicators, eliminating the need for external monitoring or scheduled maintenance interventions

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

2Loss of time

If probes are cleaned less frequently to save time, then loss of time is reduced, but measurement precision deteriorates due to contaminated probes

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetime for cleaning operationsVSAvoidliquid level reading accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of timeVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The continuous monitoring and threshold comparison system ensures that cleaning operations are triggered immediately when contamination reaches levels that would affect measurement accuracy, preventing precision deterioration while minimizing cleaning frequency

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The system detects contamination trends before they severely impact measurement precision by monitoring readings against threshold parameters, allowing proactive cleaning before accuracy degradation occurs, thus maintaining precision with optimized cleaning timing

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Measurement precision

If multiple threshold parameters are used to accurately determine contamination, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontamination detection accuracyVSAvoidcontrol system complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The contamination detection range is segmented into multiple threshold levels (first threshold parameter for initial contamination, second threshold parameter for severe contamination). This segmentation allows precise detection and differentiated response to various contamination stages, improving measurement precision while keeping the control logic manageable through clear staged thresholds

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentUS9329069B2Liquid level system with blowdown feature

Publication Date: 2016.05.03 CLARK RELIANCE LLC

AI summary

The present invention provides a liquid level system with a blowdown feature.