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US 2006/0037383 A1Published application
Method and apparatus for continuously monitoring interstitial regions in gasoline storage facilities and pipelines
AssigneeFranklin Fueling Systems, Inc.
InventorsDonald Kenney, Walt Simmons
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An underground storage system includes a primary containment unit and a secondary containment unit arranged to sealingly encompass the primary containment unit. The underground storage system further includes a leak detection system which is fluidly connected to the secondary containment system, and which is adapted to detect fluid leaks in the primary containment system and the secondary containment system.
Claims6
An underground storage system comprising:
- a primary containment unit;
- a secondary containment unit arranged to sealingly encompass the primary containment unit;
- a vacuum system for periodically applying a vacuum to the secondary containment unit as the vacuum system applies the vacuum;
- sensor circuitry for determining a rate of change of vacuum pressure in the secondary containment unit;
- a leak detection system, wherein the leak detection system is fluidly connected to the secondary containment unit and adapted to learn a vacuum rate of change of the secondary containment unit as the vacuum system applies the vacuum;
- and
- wherein the leak detection system is adapted to establish a threshold vacuum rate of change defined by a vacuum rate of change above and below the learned vacuum rate of change and to activate an alarm if the determined rate of change of vacuum pressure in the secondary containment unit is outside of the threshold vacuum rate of change.
4 more elements
A method of monitoring a secondary containment unit, the method comprising:
- generating a learned vacuum level rate of change in response to a first evacuation of the secondary containment unit when the secondary containment unit is void of liquid;
- establishing a threshold vacuum rate of change defined by a vacuum rate of change above and below the learned vacuum rate of change;
- determining a second vacuum level rate of change within the secondary containment unit in response to a second evacuation of the secondary containment unit;
- comparing the first vacuum level rate of change to the second vacuum level rate of change;
- and
- activating an alarm if the second vacuum level rate of change is outside of the threshold vacuum rate of change.
3 more elements
An underground storage system comprising:
- a primary containment unit;
- a secondary containment unit arranged to sealingly encompass the primary containment unit;
- a vacuum system for periodically applying a vacuum to the secondary containment unit;
- sensor circuitry for determining a rate of change of vacuum pressure in the secondary containment unit as the vacuum system applies the vacuum;
- a leak detection system, wherein the leak detection system is fluidly connected to the secondary containment unit and adapted to learn a vacuum rate of change of the secondary containment unit when the secondary containment unit is void of liquid, as the vacuum system applies the vacuum;
- and
- wherein the leak detection system is adapted to detect a presence of liquid in the secondary containment unit if the determined rate of change of vacuum pressure in the secondary containment unit exceeds the learned vacuum rate of change of the secondary containment system by a threshold amount.
4 more elements
A method of monitoring for liquid in a secondary containment unit, the method comprising:
- generating a first vacuum level rate of change in response to a first evacuation of the secondary containment unit when the secondary containment unit is void of liquid;
- determining a second vacuum level rate of change within the secondary containment unit in response to a second evacuation of the secondary containment unit;
- comparing the first vacuum level rate of change to the second vacuum level rate of change;
- and
- activating an alarm if the second vacuum level rate of change exceeds the first vacuum level rate of change beyond a threshold amount.
2 more elements
An underground storage system comprising:
- a primary containment unit;
- a secondary containment unit arranged to sealingly encompass the primary containment unit;
- a vacuum system including a vacuum line, the vacuum system for periodically applying a vacuum to the secondary containment unit;
- sensor circuitry for determining a rate of change of vacuum pressure in the secondary containment unit as the vacuum system applies the vacuum;
- a leak detection system, wherein the leak detection system is fluidly connected to the secondary containment unit and adapted to learn a vacuum rate of change of the secondary containment unit when the vacuum line is void of liquid, as the vacuum system applies the vacuum;
- and
- wherein the leak detection system is adapted to detect a presence of liquid in the vacuum line if the determined rate of change of vacuum pressure in the secondary containment unit is less than the learned vacuum rate of change of the secondary containment unit by a threshold amount.
4 more elements
For a secondary containment unit including a vacuum system having a vacuum line, the vacuum system for evacuating the secondary containment unit, a method of monitoring for liquid in the vacuum line, the method comprising:
- generating a first vacuum level rate of change in response to a first evacuation of the secondary containment unit when the vacuum line is void of liquid;
- determining a second vacuum level rate of change within the secondary containment unit in response to a second evacuation of the secondary containment unit;
- comparing the first vacuum level rate of change to the second vacuum level rate of change;
- and
- activating an alarm if the second vacuum level rate of change is less than the first vacuum level rate of change beyond a threshold amount.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.