Liquid level detection device of liquid supplying facility, liquid level detection method of liquid supplying facility, and liquid supplying facility having the liquid level detection device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10495495-B2
Application number	US-201616068983-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 21, 2016
Priority date	Jan 27, 2016
Publication date	Dec 3, 2019
Grant date	Dec 3, 2019

Abstract

A liquid level detection device for a liquid supplying facility includes: a lower pipe which is in communication with a liquid-phase section of an interior space of a tank, the liquid-phase section being occupied by a liquid; an upper pipe which is in communication with a gas-phase section of the interior space of the tank, the gas-phase section being disposed above the liquid-phase section and occupied by a high-pressure gas; a differential pressure gauge for detecting a differential pressure between the lower pipe and the upper pipe; and a liquid level calculation part for calculating a liquid level of the tank on the basis of a differential pressure detection result of the differential pressure gauge. An inside of the upper pipe is filled with a filling liquid at least in a partial range.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A liquid level detection device of a liquid supplying facility which comprises: a tank, in which a liquid is stored and a high-pressure gas is enclosed; a discharge pipe for discharging the liquid in the tank to outside with the high-pressure gas; and a valve, disposed in the discharge pipe, for switching a communication state between the tank and the outside, the liquid level detection device comprising:
a lower pipe which is in communication with a liquid-phase section of an interior space of the tank, the liquid-phase section being occupied by the liquid;
an upper pipe which is in communication with a gas-phase section of the interior space of the tank, the gas-phase section being disposed above the liquid-phase section and occupied by the high-pressure gas;
a differential pressure gauge for detecting a differential pressure between the lower pipe and the upper pipe; and
a liquid level calculation part for calculating a liquid level of the tank on the basis of a differential pressure detection result of the differential pressure gauge,
wherein an inside of the upper pipe is filled with a filling liquid at least in a partial range.

2. The liquid level detection device for a liquid supplying facility according to claim 1 , further comprising a flow rate calculation part for obtaining a flow rate of the liquid flowing through the discharge pipe of the liquid supplying facility, on the basis of a temporal change of the liquid level of the tank detected by the liquid level calculation part.

3. The liquid level detection device for a liquid supplying facility according to claim 1 ,
wherein an end of the upper pipe is in communication with a gas-phase section of the tank via a pipe header, and
wherein a liquid level of the filling liquid filling an inside of the upper pipe is within minus 50 cm from a height at which the pipe header is positioned.

4. The liquid level detection device for a liquid supplying facility according to claim 1 ,
further comprising a temperature sensor for detecting a temperature of the high-pressure gas in the tank,
wherein the liquid level calculation part is configured to calculate the liquid level of the tank on the basis of a temperature detection result obtained by the temperature sensor, in addition to the differential pressure detection result.

5. The liquid level detection device for a liquid supplying facility according to claim 1 ,
wherein the high-pressure gas contains nitrogen gas.

6. A liquid supplying facility, comprising:
a tank in which a liquid is stored and a high-pressure gas is enclosed;
a discharge pipe for discharging the liquid in the tank to outside with the high-pressure gas; and
a valve, disposed in the discharge pipe, for switching a communication state between the tank and the outside; and
the liquid level detection device according to claim 1 , configured to detect a liquid level of the tank.

7. A liquid level detection method of a liquid supplying facility which comprises: a tank in which a liquid is stored and a high-pressure gas is enclosed; a discharge pipe for discharging the liquid in the tank to outside with the high-pressure gas; and a valve, disposed in the discharge pipe, for switching a communication state between the tank and the outside, the liquid level detection method comprising:
a step of detecting a differential pressure between: a lower pipe which is in communication with a liquid-phase section of an interior space of the tank, the liquid-phase section being occupied by the liquid; and an upper pipe which is in communication with a gas-phase section of the interior space of the tank, the gas-phase section being disposed above the liquid-phase section and occupied by the high-pressure gas; and
a step of calculating a liquid level of the tank on the basis of a detection result of the differential pressure,
wherein an inside of the upper pipe is filled with a filling liquid at least in a partial range.

Assignees

• Mitsubishi Heavy Ind Ltd

Inventors

• Asahara Taiki
• Sakata Hideyuki
• Ogino Takafumi

Classifications

• G01F1/007

  by measuring the level variations of storage tanks relative to the time · CPC title

• G01F23/18

  Indicating, recording or alarm devices actuated electrically · CPC title

• G01F1/34 Primary

  by measuring pressure or differential pressure · CPC title

• G01F23/14 Primary

  by measurement of pressure · CPC title