Smart storage tank and drainage scheduling

Abstract

Disclosed is one or more tanks wherein each tank includes one or more sensor devices that measure one or more of the volume of fluid in the tank, the rate of fluid input into the tank and characteristics of the fluid entering the tank. The data has several uses including scheduling the draining of the tank and determining where to empty the contents drained from the tank.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A tank for storing liquids, the tank including an entrance through which liquid can enter and an exit through which liquid can exit; the tank further having a volume and a device to measure one or more of (a) the volume of liquid in the tank, (b) the composition of any water in the tank, (c) the amount of total dissolve solids (TSD) in the tank, (d) the amount of any crude oil in the tank, and (e) the chemical composition of any crude oil in the tank. 
     
     
         2 . The tank of  claim 1  wherein fluid enters the entrance directly or indirectly from an oil well. 
     
     
         3 . The tank of  claim 1  wherein fluid is removed through the exit and placed into a tanker truck. 
     
     
         4 . The tank of  claim 1  wherein the device is self-powered. 
     
     
         5 . The tank of  claim 4  wherein the device includes a secondary battery. 
     
     
         6 . The tank of  claim 4  wherein the device includes a primary battery. 
     
     
         7 . The tank of  claim 1  wherein the device is powered by one or more of a solar collector, piezo chip, and a thermal energy source. 
     
     
         8 . The tank of  claim 5  wherein the secondary battery is recharged by one or more of a solar collector, piezo chip, and a thermal energy source. 
     
     
         9 . The tank of  claim 1  wherein the device measures the volume of liquid in the tank. 
     
     
         10 . The tank of  claim 1  wherein the device measures the volumetric rate of liquid entering the tank over time. 
     
     
         11 . The tank of  claim 1  wherein the device measures the chemical composition of liquid in the tank. 
     
     
         12 . The tank of  claim 1  wherein the device measures the TDS of the liquid in the tank. 
     
     
         13 . The tank of  claim 1  wherein the device measures the salinity of at least some liquid in the tank. 
     
     
         14 . The tank of  claim 1  wherein the device measures the amount of crude oil in the tank. 
     
     
         15 . The tank of  claim 1  wherein the device measures the percentage of crude oil within the tank. 
     
     
         16 . The tank of  claim 15  wherein the device measures the amount of sulfur in the crude oil within the tank. 
     
     
         17 . The tank of  claim 1  wherein the device includes a memory for storing information about the fluid collected in a tank. 
     
     
         18 . The tank of  claim 1  wherein the device includes a transmitter for transmitting some or all of the data it has collected. 
     
     
         19 . A method for scheduling the drainage of a storage tank having a predetermined volume, the scheduling time for drainage based upon one or more of the following parameters:
 (a) the volume of liquid in the tank,   (b) the composition of any water in the tank,   (c) the amount of total dissolve solids (TSD) in the tank,   (d) the amount of any crude oil in the tank,   (e) the chemical composition of any crude oil in the tank; and   (f) the flow rate of liquid into the tank.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19  wherein a truck is scheduled to empty the tank. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20  wherein the truck is emptied at a location based upon the chemical composition of the fluid inside the tank.