System for monitoring propane or other consumable liquid in remotely located storage tanks

A method of monitoring two or more liquid fuel storage tanks comprising:

• determining the fluid level in each storage tank by way of at least one monitoring unit associated with each storage tank and communicatively linked with a fluid sensor that provides fluid level information indicative of the amount of fluid in the storage tank and with a temperature sensor that provides temperature information indicative of the ambient temperature at the storage tank location, said monitoring unit including a processor to receive and process the received fluid level and temperature information;
• storing said fluid level and temperature information for each storage tank;
• determining historical fluid levels for each storage tank over a time period from stored fluid level information;
• calculating the number of Degree-Days over said time period for each tank location using said temperature information.

A system for monitoring propane in two or more remotely located storage tanks at different locations, comprising:

• at least one monitoring unit associated with each storage tank and communicatively linked with a sensor that provides information indicative of the amount of fluid in the storage tank and with a temperature sensor that provides temperature information indicative of the ambient temperature at the storage tank location, said monitoring unit including a processor to receive and process the received fluid level and temperature information, and said monitoring unit to use stored fluid level information to determine historical fuel usage for each tank, use said temperature information to calculate the number of elapsed Degree-Days for each tank location, use historical fuel usage and Degree-Day values to calculate a predicted fluid level for each storage tank, and compare the predicted fluid level to the actual fluid level determined from fluid level information received from said fluid sensor to determine whether a predefined out-of-ordinary event has occurred;
• at least one central server remotely located from the two or more storage tanks to be communicatively linked with each monitoring unit, said central server to process received propane level information to provide displayable fluid level data, and forecast future propane levels utilizing at least stored historic propane level data;
• a graphical user interface connected to the at least one central server via the Internet and configured to allow user input and to download information to be displayed so that (i) information concerning propane level data is organized and displayed graphically, (ii) information is at least displayed as a tank inventory listing customers and corresponding propane levels with levels above or below predetermined thresholds color-coded so that particular propane ranges can be easily identified, and (iii) alarm messages are displayed whenever a remote monitoring unit has notified the central server that a predefined out-of-ordinary event has occurred or that a secondary sensor has detected a value is outside a predetermined range;
• and
• a valve capable of shutting off the flow of fuel out of the storage tank, said valve operably connected to said monitoring unit so that the valve can be closed when a predefined out-of-ordinary event has occurred.