Tank Level Detection via Infrared Imaging
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
The lack of publicly available information on the storage quantities of crude oil and similar liquid energy commodities in tank farms or storage hubs limits market participants' access to valuable operational data, affecting price and availability.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that uses publicly available resources and visual inspections to collect and analyze images of tanks, determining the liquid levels by calculating the height of the roof in floating roof tanks and temperature differences in fixed roof tanks, with data stored in a central database and communicated to interested parties.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If image collection and analysis is conducted for all tanks, then measurement precision of storage quantities is improved, but device complexity and operational cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses photographic images and infrared data as copies or representations of the actual tank contents and physical state. Instead of directly measuring oil volumes through complex physical access, the system creates visual and thermal copies of tanks from external observations, analyzes these copies to determine storage quantities, and uses the analysis results to infer actual oil volumes. This copying approach enables precise measurement without requiring complex direct physical measurement systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces complex mechanical measurement systems with optical and thermal detection systems. Instead of using mechanical sensors, gauges, or physical access to measure oil levels directly within tanks, the system employs photographic imaging and infrared thermal detection from external positions. This substitution of mechanical measurement with optical/thermal fields enables non-contact, precise measurement while reducing system complexity.
2Reliability
If comprehensive tank inspection is conducted, then reliability of storage data is improved, but loss of time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements periodic inspection cycles where tanks are monitored at regular intervals rather than continuously or ad-hoc. The system conducts inspections at predetermined times (such as weekly, monthly, or quarterly cycles) to capture storage quantity changes over time. This periodic action provides reliable time-series data on storage trends while avoiding the time consumption of continuous or frequent inspections, allowing the system to balance data reliability with time efficiency.
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 accurate and transparent information on crude oil storage levels to market participants, enabling better market decisions and operational insights by calculating the volume of crude oil in each tank and analyzing storage patterns over time.
Implementation Method 1
the collection of infrared images or video of each tank
Data Source
AI summary
A method for determining an amount of a liquid energy commodity stored in a tank comprises the steps of: receiving, at a central processing facility, volume capacity information associated with the tank and storing the volume capacity information in a database; receiving, at the central processing facility, one or more images of the tank; analyzing the one or more images of the tank to determine a liquid level for the tank; calculating the amount of the liquid energy commodity in the tank based on the determined liquid level and the volume capacity information retrieved from the database; and communicating information about the amount of the liquid energy commodity in the tank to a third-party market participant.