Apparatus and method for determining the depth of liquid in a drum

Abstract

Apparatus and method for determining: proper operation of a cleaning system, the depth of liquid in a drum, the predicted failure of a pump, improving the ability to monitor cleaning system, improving the ability to monitor dairy wash systems, improving the ability to monitor animal husbandry systems, and/or increasing the efficiency with which various types of equipment, fluid levels, and/or systems can be serviced or monitored.

I claim: 
     
         1 . A method for providing a system for measuring a depth of a liquid in a drum, the method comprising the steps of:
 providing a first sensor configured to be located in fluid communication with an inside of the drum, the first sensor being an air pressure sensor generating a first signal corresponding to the pressure of the liquid at a bottom of the drum;   providing a second sensor configured to be in fluid communication with ambient atmosphere outside of the drum, the second sensor being an air pressure sensor generating a second signal corresponding to ambient pressure outside the drum;   providing a at least one software module stored on a non-transitory computer readable storage medium, the software module being configured such that when operating on a processor, the processor is configured to automatically determine the depth of the liquid in the drum based on at least one of the first signal and the second signal.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising providing a processor including the at least one software module thereon, the processor being configured to automatically determine the depth of the liquid in the drum based on at least one of the first signal and the second signal. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the step of providing a processor further comprises the processor being configured to receive a plurality of inputs representing at least one of a dimension of the drum, a dimension of the sensor apparatus, and a specific gravity of the liquid for use in computing a volume of the liquid in the drum. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the step of providing a processor configured to use the first and second signals to automatically determine the depth of the liquid in the drum, further comprises of the processor being configured to subtract the ambient pressure outside the drum from the pressure of the liquid at a bottom of the drum. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the step of providing the processor further comprises the processor being configured for entry of the plurality of inputs via a remote electronic device. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , further providing a tube having an opening therein, the opening configured to let the liquid in the drum partially fill the tube, wherein the step of providing the processor further comprises the processor being configured to automatically determine the depth of the liquid in the drum according to:
     H =( P   b   −P   a )/( PPIC*SG   liquid ),   
       wherein
 P b  is the pressure in the drum at the opening of the tube as measured by the first sensor, 
 P a  is the atmospheric pressure outside the drum as measured by the second sensor, 
 SG liquid  is the specific gravity of the liquid inside the drum, 
 H is the depth, or height, of the liquid inside the drum above the opening, 
 PPIC is determined by ((H−TUBE liquidinches )*249.17)/H) 
 TUBE liquidinches  is the height of liquid in the tube above the opening, 
 249.17 is the standard pressure exerted by a one inch column of water. 
 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the step of providing a tube further comprises the tube having a first end and a second end, the second end being configured for placement within the liquid. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the step of providing the processor further comprises the processor automatically determining the volume of the liquid in the drum and taking into account any adjustment needed due to the presence of the tube therein by using the depth of the liquid in the drum and dimensions of the drum to determine an initial volume of liquid in the drum, then the processor automatically adjusts the initial volume of liquid in the drum to get a final volume of liquid in the drum that takes into account the tube, according to:
     V drum-final= V drum-initial−(( H−D liquid-in-sensor)* A ),
   
       wherein
 H is the depth of liquid in the drum above the opening; 
 Vdrum-final is the final volume of liquid in the drum above the opening; 
 Vdrum-initial is the initial volume of liquid in the drum above the opening; 
 A is a cross sectional area of the tube; 
 Dliquid-in-sensor is the depth of the liquid in the tube determined as follows:
     D liquid-in-sensor=( L −((( Pi*Vi/Ti )*( Tf/Pf ))/ A )),
 
 
 
       wherein
 L is a length of the tube; 
 Pi is the initial pressure in the tube prior to insertion of the tube in the liquid; 
 Vi is the initial volume of the tube that is calculated by the dimensions of the tube; 
 Ti is the initial temperature of air in the tube; 
 Pf is a pressure in the tube when the tube is submerged in the liquid as calculated by the first sensor; and 
 Tf is the final temperature of the air inside the tube when the tube is submerged. 
 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the step of providing the processor further comprises the processor being configured to collect a plurality of usage data comprising at least one of a time and a temperature of liquid withdrawn from the drum. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the step of providing the processor further comprises the processor being configured to compare the plurality of usage data against a plurality of predetermined data and issue an alert when a discrepancy occurs. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the step of providing the tube further comprises a seal positioned in the tube and spaced from the second end, the first sensor configured to be located between the seal and the second end. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the step of providing a second sensor further comprises the second sensor being configured to be located at any one of on the first end of the tube, between the seal and the first end, in a compartment attached to the tube, and spaced from the system. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the step of providing the tube further comprises an opening located in the second end of the tube configured to let the liquid in the drum partially fill the tube between the second end and the seal. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the step of providing the tube further comprises a shield configured to be located between the second end and the seal, the shield being configured to form a barrier between the first sensor and an inner surface of the tube such that a drop of the liquid is less likely to flow down the inner surface of the tube and contact the first sensor. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the step of providing the tube further comprises an outer tube configured to be disposed over the tube, the outer tube having a third end and a fourth end, the outer tube configured to withdraw the liquid from the drum when the system is inserted into a hole in a top of the drum, the third end of the outer tube configured to be sealed to the tube at a location on the tube spaced from the second end. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the step of providing the tube further comprises the second sensor configured to be located in a container positioned on the first end of the tube, the container configured to form a second seal between the outer tube and the tube, and, the third end of the outer tube and the atmosphere. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the step of providing the tube further comprises at least one device configured to be located within the fourth end and configured to prevent the liquid in the outer tube from exiting the system between the tube and the outer tube via the fourth end when the sensor apparatus is withdrawn from the liquid in the drum, the at least one device configured to allow the liquid to enter the outer tube through the fourth end. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the step of providing the tube further comprises at least a portion of the tube configured to protrude from the fourth end of the outer tube so that withdrawal of the liquid from the drum via the outer tube does not create suction that seals the outer tube to a bottom of the drum. 
     
     
         19 . A method for providing a system for measuring a depth of a liquid in a drum, the method comprising the steps of:
 providing a first sensor configured to be located in fluid communication with an inside of the drum, the first sensor being an air pressure sensor generating a first signal corresponding to the pressure of the liquid at a bottom of the drum;   providing a at least one software module stored on a non-transitory computer readable storage medium, the software module being configured such that when operating on a processor, the processor is configured to automatically determine the depth of the liquid in the drum based on the first signal; and   providing a processor including the at least one software module thereon.   
     
     
         20 . A method for providing a system for measuring a depth of a liquid in a drum, the method comprising the steps of:
 providing a first sensor configured to be located in fluid communication with an inside of the drum, the first sensor being an air pressure sensor generating a first signal corresponding to the pressure of the liquid at a bottom of the drum;   providing a at least one software module stored on a non-transitory computer readable storage medium, the software module being configured such that when operating on a processor, the processor is configured to automatically determine the depth of the liquid in the drum based on the first signal;   providing a processor including the at least one software module thereon;   providing a tube having an opening therein, the opening configured to let the liquid in the drum partially fill the tube;   wherein the step of providing the processor further comprises the processor being configured to automatically determine the depth of the liquid in the drum according to:
     H =( P   b   −P   a )/( PPIC*SG   liquid ), 
   
       wherein
 P b  is the pressure in the drum at the opening of the tube as measured by the first sensor, 
 P a  is the atmospheric pressure outside the drum as measured by the second sensor, 
 SG liquid  is the specific gravity of the liquid inside the drum, 
 H is the depth, or height, of the liquid inside the drum above the opening, 
 PPIC is determined by ((H−TUBE liquidinches )*249.17)/H) 
 TUBE liquidinches  is the height of liquid in the tube above the opening, 
 249.17 is the standard pressure exerted by a one inch column of water;
 the processor further configured to automatically determine a volume of the liquid in the drum and taking into account any adjustment needed due to the presence of at least one of the first sensor and the tube therein by using the depth of the liquid in the drum and dimensions of the drum to determine an initial volume of liquid in the drum, then the processor automatically adjusts the initial volume of liquid in the drum to get a final volume of liquid in the drum that takes into account at least one of the first sensor and the tube. 
 
 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising providing a processor including the at least one software module thereon, the processor being configured to automatically determine the depth of the liquid in the drum based on at least one of the first signal and the second signal, the processor further being configured to automatically monitor and store data corresponding to the amount of liquid withdrawn by a pump from the drum, the processor being configured to use the data collected from multiple withdrawals to predict pump failure.