Overflow prevention system and method using laminar-to-turbulent flow transition

A system for preventing overflow in a storage tank having a fill tube and a fill tube inlet, said system comprising:

• a flow disturber arranged to travel in said fill tube;
• a fluid level sensor for sensing fluid level in said storage tank;
• and
• an actuator connected between said flow disturber and said fluid level sensor, said actuator causing said flow disturber to move toward said fill tube inlet in response to rising fluid level, such that said flow disturber causes flow in said fill tube to transition from lminar to turbulent when a predetermined fluid level is reached.

A system for preventing overflow in a storage tank having a fill tube, said system comprising:

• a flow disturber arranged to travel between a first position in which said flow disturber does not cause an incoming fluid flow to be turbulent and a second position in which said flow disturber causes an incoming fluid flow to be turbulent;
• a fluid level sensor for sensing fluid level in said storage tank;
• and
• an actuator responsive to said fluid level sensor to move said flow disturber to said second position when a predetermined fluid level is reached.