Systems and methods for tank level monitoring

A tank monitoring computer device comprising at least one processor in communication with at least one memory device, the tank monitoring computer device in communication with a plurality of sensor arrays each including a plurality of sensors externally attached to a side of a tank, wherein the at least one processor is programmed to:

• initialize the plurality of sensor arrays by transmitting an address query request to the plurality of sensor arrays, wherein the plurality of sensor arrays includes a first sensor array and a second sensor array, wherein the tank monitoring computer device is serially connected to the first sensor array, wherein the plurality of sensors includes a first sensor and a last sensor, wherein the plurality of sensors are serially connected from the first sensor to the last sensor, wherein the first sensor array is serially connected to the second sensor array, and wherein the second sensor array is a last sensor array of the plurality of sensor arrays;
• receive an address query response from the last sensor array including address information for the plurality of sensors in the plurality of sensor arrays, wherein, prior to the at least one processor receiving the address query response from the last sensor array, the address query response is received by the last sensor array from an attached sensor array, wherein the address query response includes the address information for the plurality of sensors in the plurality of previous sensor arrays, and wherein the last sensor array is configured to determine that it is the last sensor array, add its address information to the address query response, and transmit the address query response to the tank monitoring computer device;
• transmit a sensor query request to the first sensor array;
• receive a sensor query response from the second sensor array including a plurality of sensor readings from the plurality of sensors associated with the plurality of sensor arrays, wherein each sensor array of the plurality of sensor arrays includes a housing enclosing a plurality of sensors that are serially connected, wherein each sensor reading is associated with an address of a corresponding sensor of the plurality of sensors,
• wherein the plurality of sensor readings are readings of a plurality of surface temperatures of the tank at a plurality of points along the exterior of the tank,
• wherein the first sensor of the first sensor array is a first top sensor, and
• wherein the last sensor of the second sensor array is a last bottom sensor;
• calculate a first tank level using a first method and the plurality of sensor readings, the plurality of sensor readings comprising:
• a first top sensor reading including a sensor reading for a gas portion of the tank, and
• a last bottom sensor reading including a sensor reading for a liquid portion of the tank,
• wherein the plurality of sensor readings is grouped for the gas portion based on the first top sensor reading,
• wherein the plurality of sensor readings is grouped for the liquid portion based on the last bottom sensor reading, and
• wherein the plurality of sensor readings grouped for the gas portion and the plurality of sensor readings grouped for the liquid portion are used in the first method to calculate the first tank level;
• and
• report the first tank level.

A method of externally monitoring a tank level, the method implemented by a tank monitoring computer device comprising at least one processor in communication with at least one memory device, the tank monitoring computer device in communication with a plurality of sensor arrays each including a plurality of sensors externally attached to a side of a tank, wherein the method comprises:

• transmitting a sensor query request to a first sensor array of the plurality of sensor arrays, wherein the plurality of sensor arrays includes the first sensor array and a second sensor array, wherein the tank monitoring computer device is serially connected to the first sensor array, wherein the second sensor array is a last sensor array of the plurality of sensor arrays;
• receiving a sensor query response from the second sensor array including a plurality of sensor readings from the plurality of sensors associated with the plurality of sensor arrays,
• wherein each sensor array of the plurality of sensor arrays includes a housing enclosing a plurality of sensors that are serially connected,
• wherein the plurality of sensors includes a first sensor and a last sensor,
• wherein the plurality of sensors are serially connected from the first sensor to the last sensor,
• wherein the first sensor array is serially connected to the second sensor array,
• wherein the first sensor of the first sensor array is a first top sensor,
• wherein the last sensor of the second sensor array is a last bottom sensor;
• and
• wherein the plurality of sensor readings are readings of a plurality of surface temperatures of the tank at a plurality of points along the exterior of the tank;
• calculating a first tank level using a first method and the plurality of sensor readings, the plurality of sensor readings comprising:
• a first top sensor reading including a sensor reading for a gas portion of the tank, and
• a last bottom sensor reading including a sensor reading for a liquid portion of the tank
• wherein the plurality of sensor readings is grouped for the gas portion based on the first top sensor reading,
• wherein the plurality of sensor readings are grouped for the liquid portion based on the last bottom sensor reading, and
• wherein the plurality of sensor readings grouped for the gas portion and the plurality of sensor readings grouped for the liquid portion are used in the first method to calculate the first tank level;
• and
• reporting the first tank level.