System, method and apparatus for lading measurement in a rail car
AssigneeBNSF Railway Company
InventorsDarrell Robert Krueger, Corey D. Wills
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A rail vehicle includes a truck having wheels for engaging a railroad track, a bolster supported by the truck, and a tank supported by the bolster for storing a lading. A measurement system measures the level of the lading within the tank and includes gauges and a controller. The gauges are disposed at selected points on the bolster for sensing at least one of lateral and longitudinal localized displacement experienced by the bolster during motion of the rail vehicle. The controller calculates the level of the lading within the tank and compensates for changes in the level of the lading during motion of the rail vehicle in response to signals generated by the gauges.
Claims20
A method of automatic control of refuel equipment, comprising:
- determining that an interlock is actuated;
- actuating, via a controller, a pump relay for a first setpoint pump speed for maximum fuel flow rate;
- actuating, via the controller, the pump relay to change the pump speed to a second setpoint pump speed for an approach flow rate when the first setpoint is reached;
- and
- halting pump operation when the second setpoint is reached.
A method of fuel level monitoring of a fuel tender, comprising:
- applying a strain gauge to at least one of the bolsters of a railcar, wherein the at least one bolster strain gauges are operably coupled to a controller;
- receiving a strain gauge signal;
- displaying information related to the strain gauge signal on an on board display;
- storing and communicating the information via an on-board PLC to an on-board communications package;
- facilitating interaction between a wayside communications package and the on-board communications package;
- and
- relaying the information to a back-office storage.
A method of cryogenic refueling preparation, comprising:
- applying a strain gauge to at least one of the bolsters of a railcar, wherein the at least one bolster strain gauges are operably coupled to a controller;
- receiving a fuel level report;
- determining whether a refuel is needed;
- perform pre-fuel checks;
- and
- determine to refuel automatically, wherein the controller takes over the refuel operation.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.