A composite bulk storage and transport apparatus comprising:
- a flexible intermediate bulk container (FIBC) device comprising one or more side members and a bottom member, the one or more side members and the bottom member of the FIBC device defining an inner space of the FIBC device, and the one or more side members defining at least one aperture for allowing access to the inner space of the FIBC device through the one or more side members defining the at least one aperture;
- an in-liner container comprising one or more side members and a bottom member, the one or more side members and the bottom member of the in-liner container defining an inner space of the in-liner container for receiving and holding an associated filled product, the in-liner container being received in the inner space of the FIBC device and comprising:
- a multilayered composite film combination forming a bag defining a product fill opening, the multilayered composite film combination comprising:
- a first polymer film having vacuum holding properties, the first polymer film acting as an inner layer of the in-liner container;
- a second polymer film having vacuum holding properties, the second polymer film acting as an outer layer of the in-liner container;
- and
- a third polymer film disposed between the first and second polymer films, the third polymer film having oxygen barrier properties;
- and
- a plurality of sensor devices disposed in the inner space of the in-liner container received in the inner space of the FIBC device and located adjacent to the at least one aperture defined by the one or more side members of the FIBC device for viewing the plurality of sensor devices through the at least one aperture, the plurality of sensor devices sensing a level of a chemical in the inner space of the in-liner container and generating a signal representative of the sensed level of the chemical;
- wherein:
- the one or more side members of the FIBC device comprise front and back panels and left and right gussets that together with the bottom member define the inner space of the FIBC device;
- the at least one aperture comprises:
- a first elongate vertical aperture defined between the back panel and the left gusset;
- a second elongate vertical aperture defined between the left gusset and the front panel;
- a third elongate aperture defined between the front panel and the right gusset;
- and
- a fourth elongate vertical aperture defined between the right gusset and the back panel;
- and
- the plurality of sensor devices comprise:
- a first oxygen sensor device disposed in the inner space of the in-liner and located adjacent to the first elongate vertical aperture, the first oxygen sensor sensing a concentration of oxygen in the inner space of the in-liner container near to the first sensor and generating a first color signal representative of the sensed concentration of oxygen in the inner space of the in-liner container near to the first sensor;
- a second oxygen sensor device disposed in the inner space of the in-liner and located adjacent to the second elongate vertical aperture, the second oxygen sensor sensing a concentration of oxygen in the inner space of the in-liner container near to the second sensor and generating a second color signal representative of the sensed concentration of oxygen in the inner space of the in-liner container near to the second sensor;
- a third oxygen sensor device disposed in the inner space of the in-liner and located adjacent to the third elongate vertical aperture, the third oxygen sensor sensing a concentration of oxygen in the inner space of the in-liner container near to the third sensor and generating a third color signal representative of the sensed concentration of oxygen in the inner space of the in-liner container near to the third sensor;
- a fourth oxygen sensor device disposed in the inner space of the in-liner and located adjacent to the fourth elongate vertical aperture, the fourth oxygen sensor sensing a concentration of oxygen in the inner space of the in-liner container near to the fourth sensor and generating a fourth color signal representative of the sensed concentration of oxygen in the inner space of the in-liner container near to the fourth sensor.