Translucent Tank Illumination for Visible Sensor Status
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing systems for monitoring tank parameters, such as level, pressure, and flow, often rely on indicator lights that may not be easily visible to operators, especially when viewing the tank itself, which limits visibility and usability, particularly in night conditions or when the operator is not in close proximity.
Innovation Solution
An in-tank illumination system with sensors and a controller that adjusts lighting based on sensor readings, using LED assemblies to illuminate the tank's interior, allowing external visibility of parameter indications through color, blink patterns, and brightness changes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If indicator lights are mounted on control panels or attached to the sides of tanks, then the system structure remains simple, but the visibility of tank parameters to operators is poor
Solution Approach 1:
The illumination source is placed inside the tank (nested within the tank structure) rather than externally mounted. This internal placement allows the light to illuminate the tank contents and parameters from within, making them visible through the translucent tank wall, thereby improving visibility without adding external structural complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The translucent tank wall acts as an intermediary medium that transmits the illumination from the internal light source to the external observer. This allows the light to effectively communicate tank parameter information from the interior to the exterior without requiring direct line-of-sight to internal components
2Loss of information
If traditional indicator lights are used on control panels, then the system remains simple, but the information provided is limited and less detailed
Solution Approach 1:
The illumination system transitions from static indicator lights to dynamic, multi-color LED illumination that can change color (e.g., green, yellow, red) and blinking patterns based on real-time sensor readings. This dynamic behavior provides detailed information about different tank conditions and parameter ranges, significantly increasing the information content while using programmable control
Solution Approach 2:
Different colors of illumination are used to represent different tank parameter conditions or ranges. For example, green may indicate normal operating conditions, yellow may indicate warning conditions, and red may indicate critical conditions. This color-coding system provides intuitive, detailed information about tank status without requiring complex displays
3Ease of operation
If indicator lights are placed on control panels, then installation is straightforward, but operators cannot easily view indications when not in close proximity or during nighttime
Solution Approach 1:
The illumination source can operate in periodic or intermittent modes rather than continuous operation. The controller can activate the illumination only when sensor readings indicate specific conditions that require visual indication, or use periodic blinking patterns to attract operator attention. This reduces overall energy consumption while maintaining effective visibility when needed
Solution Approach 2:
The illumination intensity and duration parameters are dynamically adjusted based on ambient light conditions and detected tank parameter values. The system can increase illumination intensity when nighttime or low-light conditions are detected, and adjust the timing/duration of illumination based on the urgency or nature of the indicated condition, optimizing the balance between visibility and energy consumption
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
Enhances visibility and usability by providing clear, external indication of tank conditions, enabling operators to easily monitor parameters like level, pressure, and flow, even when not directly adjacent to the tank, improving both daytime and nighttime visibility.
Implementation Method 1
The illumination source can be a light emitting diode (LED) assembly
Data Source
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AI summary
An in-tank illumination system (700) is disclosed. The in-tank illumination system (700) comprises a translucent tank (202, 204, 206, 208), one or more sensors (340, 640, 730, 732, 734, 736, 738); the translucent tank (202, 204, 206, 208) has an interior configured to hold material, and the one or more sensors (340, 640, 730, 732, 734, 736, 738) are configured to monitor conditions of the translucent tank (202, 204, 206, 208) and the material, the in-tank illumination system (700) further comprises an illumination source (720) configured to illuminate the interior of the translucent tank (202, 204, 206, 208) such that the tank illumination is visible outside of the translucent tank (202, 204, 206, 208), a controller (710) configured to monitor sensor readings of the one or more sensors (340, 640, 730, 732, 734, 736, 738), to determine tank conditions based on the sensor readings, and to send control signals to the illumination source (720). The controller (710) determines occurrence of a tank illumination condition based on the readings of the one or more sensors (340, 640, 730, 732, 734, 736, 738), and the controller (710) sends control signals to the illumination source (720) to illuminate the tank (202, 204, 206, 208) to indicate the tank illumination condition. Further, a vehicle (110) and cart (100) combination and an in-tank illumination method is disclosed.