Mobile Fluid Transfer Control Without Flow Meter Restrictions
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing lube skids face limitations due to flow restrictions from flow meters, requiring slow fluid evacuation and refilling rates, and necessitate separate calibrations for different fluids. Additionally, they lack data acquisition and communication capabilities, making it difficult to manage fluid operations efficiently and safely.
Innovation Solution
The mobile fluid transfer system incorporates a fluid evacuation system, a fluid refill system, a sensing system, and a control circuit to manage fluid operations. This system uses sensing devices to measure fluid levels accurately, eliminating the need for flow meters and enabling faster fluid transfer rates. The control circuit manages the operations, including preventing overfilling and integrating with inventory management systems.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If flow meters are installed in the lube skid to measure fluid flow, then measurement capability is provided, but fluid transfer rate becomes slow due to flow restrictions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes flow meters from the fluid transfer system entirely. Instead of measuring flow through restrictive meters, the system uses tanks with level sensors to track fluid volumes. The control system calculates transfer rates by monitoring level changes over time, eliminating the flow restriction while maintaining measurement capability.
2Measurement precision
If flow meters are calibrated for different fluid viscosities to ensure accuracy, then measurement accuracy is improved, but system complexity and calibration time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical flow meters with a level-based measurement system. Tanks equipped with level sensors monitor fluid heights, and the control system calculates volumes based on tank geometry and level changes. This substitution eliminates viscosity-dependent flow measurement and its associated calibration complexity.
3Device complexity
If traditional lube skids are used without data management capabilities, then simplicity is maintained, but ability to manage and track fluid operations is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a control system that continuously monitors tank levels, tracks fluid transfer volumes, and provides real-time feedback on operation status. The system records data about fluid evacuation and refilling, enabling comprehensive tracking and management of fluid operations while maintaining relative system simplicity.
Data Source
AI summary
A mobile fluid transfer system. The system includes a fluid evacuation system, a fluid refill system, a sensing system and a control system. The fluid evacuation system comprises a first fluid storage container. The fluid refill system comprises a second fluid storage container. The sensing system is coupled to the fluid evacuation system and the fluid refill system. The control system is coupled to the sensing system, the fluid evacuation system and the fluid refill system. The control system is configured to determine an amount of a first fluid in the first fluid storage container based on a first signal from the sensing system, and determine an amount of a second fluid in the second fluid storage container based on a second signal from the sensing system.