US Patent:
20200024121, Jan 23, 2020
Inventors:
Andrew Maude - Key West FL, US
William Castle - Wellesley MA, US
Aleem Mawji - Greenwich CT, US
Christopher Ohl - Greenwich CT, US
International Classification:
B67D 7/04
B67D 7/36
B67D 7/38
B67D 7/62
B67D 7/70
B67D 7/78
G05D 9/00
Abstract:
The present invention affords a method and apparatus for autonomous fueling/refueling of numerous machinery operating at work sites such as an active fracking site. The system of the present invention includes a main fuel tank mounted on a frame and a plurality of fuel intake lines individually coupled to the main fuel tank. Pumps are connected to at least some, but not necessarily all, of the fuel intake lines. The pumps are coupled to hoses extending from the main fuel tank to the saddle tanks requiring fueling/refueling. The present invention further includes a refueling cap that is detachably connected to the hoses and configured to mate with the saddle tanks. This cap includes a pressure valve configured to open only in the presence of sufficient pressure input pressure from the hose, which prevents siphoning of fuel out of the saddle tank, for example if a hose becomes ruptured somewhere along its length. The refueling cap further includes a vent coupled to a fluid flow sensing valve and an electrical pass-through for a pressure sensor. The pressure sensor is coupled to the refueling cap and intended to be disposed within a saddle tank to provide a signal indicative of the fuel level within the saddle tank. The pressure sensor is further electrically connected to a wireless transmitter. The wireless transmitter provides signals to a controller for the pumps. In one methodology of the present invention fueling/refueling of individual saddle tanks is initiated when a first signal is received from the wireless transmitter indicative of the saddle tank having been depleted to a first predetermined level and fueling/refueling is terminated when a another signal is received from the wireless transmitter indicative of the saddle tank having been filled to a second predetermined level or if a signal is received from the wireless transmitter indicative of the fluid flow sensor detecting fluid flow through the vent. In further accordance with the methodology of the present invention the controller records the duration of individual saddle tank fueling/refueling and the interval between fueling/refueling of the individual saddle tanks. A first alarm is generated by the controller if the duration of individual saddle tank fueling/refueling is longer than an average of fueling/refuelings for that individual saddle tank. A second alarm is generated by the controller if the interval between fueling/refueling for an individual saddle tank is longer than an average of the interval between fueling/refueling for that individual saddle tank.