Systems and methods for tank level monitoring

1 . A system for externally monitoring a tank level comprising:

a tank monitoring computer device; and

a plurality of sensor arrays,

wherein each sensor array of the plurality of sensor arrays includes a housing enclosing a plurality of sensors that are serially connected and also includes a plurality of fasteners,

wherein the plurality of sensor arrays includes a first sensor array and a second sensor array, wherein the tank monitoring computer device is serially connected to the first sensor array,

wherein the plurality of sensors includes a first sensor and a last sensor,

wherein the plurality of sensors are serially connected from the first sensor to the last sensor,

wherein the first sensor array is serially connected to the second sensor array,

wherein each sensor array is configured to be externally attached to a tank by the plurality of fasteners,

wherein the first sensor of the first sensor array is a first top sensor, and

wherein the last sensor of the second sensor array is a last bottom sensor, wherein the second sensor array is a last sensor array of the plurality of sensor arrays; and

wherein the tank monitoring computer device is in communication with the plurality of sensor arrays, and wherein the tank monitoring computer device is programmed to:

transmit a sensor query request to the first sensor array;

receive a sensor query response from the second sensor array including a plurality of sensor readings from the plurality of sensors associated with the plurality of sensor arrays, wherein the plurality of sensor readings are readings of a plurality of surface temperatures of the tank at a plurality of points along the exterior of the tank;

calculate a first tank level using a first method and the plurality of sensor readings, the plurality of sensor readings comprising:

a first top sensor reading including a sensor reading for a gas portion of the tank, and

a last bottom sensor reading including a sensor reading for a liquid portion of the tank,

wherein the plurality of sensor readings is grouped for the gas portion based on the first top sensor reading,

wherein the plurality of sensor readings are grouped for the liquid portion based on the last bottom sensor reading, and

wherein the plurality of sensor readings grouped for the gas portion and the plurality of sensor readings grouped for the liquid portion are used in the first method to calculate the first tank level; and

report the first tank level, and

wherein the first sensor array is configured to:

receive the sensor query request from the tank monitoring computer device;

collect a first plurality of sensor readings from the plurality of sensors in the first sensor array;

create the sensor query response with the first plurality of sensor readings; and

transmit the sensor query response to an attached sensor array of the plurality of sensors arrays, and

wherein the last sensor array is configured to:

receive the sensor query response from an attached sensor array of the plurality of sensor arrays, wherein the sensor query response includes a plurality of sensor readings including sensor readings from the attached sensor array;

collect a second plurality of sensor readings from the plurality of sensors in the second sensor array;

append the second plurality of sensor readings to the sensor query response; and

transmit the sensor query response to the tank monitoring computer device.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the tank monitoring computer device is further programmed to:

calculate a second tank level using a second method and the plurality of sensor readings;

compare the first tank level to the second tank level to determine a final tank level; and

report the final tank level.

3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the tank monitoring computer device is further programmed to:

determine a maximum value and a minimum value from the plurality of sensor readings;

compare the minimum value to the maximum value to detect a difference; and

if the difference is less than a predetermined threshold, activate a heater to apply heat to the tank and request updated sensor readings from the plurality of sensors associated with the plurality of sensor arrays.

4 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of fasteners include a plurality of magnets, and wherein a magnet of the plurality of magnets is associated with each sensor of the plurality of sensors to thermally attach to the corresponding sensor to the tank.

5 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of fasteners include at least one of double faced tape, adhesive, or straps.

6 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of sensors are thermistors.

7 . The system of claim 1 , wherein each sensor array of the plurality of sensor arrays includes 12 sensors.

8 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the tank monitoring computer device is further programmed to:

store a plurality of addresses for the plurality of sensors, wherein each sensor of the plurality of sensors is associated with an address of the plurality of addresses; and

receive the plurality of addresses from the plurality of sensor arrays upon initialization of the plurality of sensor arrays and the tank monitoring computer device.

9 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of sensors in the plurality of sensor arrays are in a serial configuration, and wherein the tank monitoring computer device is further programmed to receive the plurality of sensor readings from the plurality of sensors in the serial configuration.

10 . The system of claim 1 , wherein individual sensors for the plurality of sensors are unavailable, and wherein the tank monitoring computer device is further programmed to calculate a first tank level using a first method based upon the plurality of sensor readings.

11 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the second sensor array is configured to:

receive a plurality of sensor readings from the first sensor array;

determine a plurality of sensor readings for the second sensor array;

concatenate the plurality of sensor readings from the second sensor array and the plurality of sensor readings for the first sensor array; and

provide the concatenated plurality of sensor readings to the tank monitoring computer device.

12 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the tank monitoring computer device is further programmed to:

calculate a plurality of tank levels using a plurality of methods and the plurality of sensor readings;

compare the plurality of tank levels to determine at least two tank levels that match the plurality of tank levels that match;

determine a final tank level based upon the at least two tank levels that match; and

report the final tank level.

13 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of sensor arrays include a third sensor array, wherein the third sensor array is serially connected between the first sensor array and the second sensor array, wherein the first sensor of the third sensor array is connected to the last sensor of the first sensor array, and wherein the last sensor of the third sensor array is connected to the first sensor of the second sensor array.

14 . A tank monitoring computer device comprising at least one processor in communication with at least one memory device, the tank monitoring computer device in communication with a plurality of sensor arrays each including a plurality of sensors externally attached to a side of a tank, wherein the at least one processor is programmed to:

initialize the plurality of sensor arrays by transmitting an address query request to the plurality of sensor arrays, wherein the plurality of sensor arrays includes a first sensor array and a second sensor array, wherein the tank monitoring computer device is serially connected to the first sensor array, wherein the plurality of sensors includes a first sensor and a last sensor, wherein the plurality of sensors are serially connected from the first sensor to the last sensor, wherein the first sensor array is serially connected to the second sensor array, and wherein the second sensor array is a last sensor array of the plurality of sensor arrays;

receive an address query response from the last sensor array including address information for the plurality of sensors in the plurality of sensor arrays, wherein, prior to the at least one processor receiving the address query response from the last sensor array, the address query response is received by the last sensor array from an attached sensor array, wherein the address query response includes the address information for the plurality of sensors in the plurality of previous sensor arrays, and wherein the last sensor array is configured to determine that it is the last sensor array, add its address information to the address query response, and transmit the address query response to the tank monitoring computer device;

transmit a sensor query request to the first sensor array;

receive a sensor query response from the second sensor array including a plurality of sensor readings from the plurality of sensors associated with the plurality of sensor arrays, wherein each sensor array of the plurality of sensor arrays includes a housing enclosing a plurality of sensors that are serially connected, wherein each sensor reading is associated with an address of a corresponding sensor of the plurality of sensors,

wherein the plurality of sensor readings are readings of a plurality of surface temperatures of the tank at a plurality of points along the exterior of the tank,

wherein the first sensor of the first sensor array is a first top sensor, and

wherein the last sensor of the second sensor array is a last bottom sensor;

calculate a first tank level using a first method and the plurality of sensor readings, the plurality of sensor readings comprising:

a first top sensor reading including a sensor reading for a gas portion of the tank, and

a last bottom sensor reading including a sensor reading for a liquid portion of the tank,

wherein the plurality of sensor readings is grouped for the gas portion based on the first top sensor reading,

wherein the plurality of sensor readings is grouped for the liquid portion based on the last bottom sensor reading, and

wherein the plurality of sensor readings grouped for the gas portion and the plurality of sensor readings grouped for the liquid portion are used in the first method to calculate the first tank level; and

report the first tank level.

15 . The tank monitoring computer device of claim 14 , wherein the at least one processor is further programmed to:

calculate a second tank level using a second method and the plurality of sensor readings;

compare the first tank level to the second tank level to determine a final tank level; and

report the final tank level.

16 . The tank monitoring computer device of claim 14 , wherein the at least one processor is further programmed to:

determine a maximum value and a minimum value from the plurality of sensor readings;

compare the minimum value to the maximum value to detect a difference; and

if the difference is less than a predetermined threshold, activate a heater to apply heat to the tank and request updated sensor readings from the plurality of sensors associated with the plurality of sensor arrays.

17 . The tank monitoring computer device of claim 14 , wherein at least one processor is further programmed to:

store a plurality of previous address information;

determine a number of sensors in the plurality of sensors has changed based on the plurality of previous address information and the address information for the plurality of sensors in the address query response; and

transmit one or more alerts based on the determination.

18 . The tank monitoring computer device of claim 14 , wherein the plurality of sensor arrays includes a plurality of magnets, wherein the plurality of sensor arrays is configured to be attached to the tank by the plurality of magnets, and wherein a magnet of the plurality of magnets is associated with each sensor of the plurality of sensors to thermally attach to the corresponding sensor to the tank.

19 . A method of externally monitoring a tank level, the method implemented by a tank monitoring computer device comprising at least one processor in communication with at least one memory device, the tank monitoring computer device in communication with a plurality of sensor arrays each including a plurality of sensors externally attached to a side of a tank, wherein the method comprises:

transmitting a sensor query request to a first sensor array of the plurality of sensor arrays, wherein the plurality of sensor arrays includes the first sensor array and a second sensor array, wherein the tank monitoring computer device is serially connected to the first sensor array, wherein the second sensor array is a last sensor array of the plurality of sensor arrays;

receiving a sensor query response from the second sensor array including a plurality of sensor readings from the plurality of sensors associated with the plurality of sensor arrays,

wherein each sensor array of the plurality of sensor arrays includes a housing enclosing a plurality of sensors that are serially connected,

wherein the plurality of sensors includes a first sensor and a last sensor,

wherein the plurality of sensors are serially connected from the first sensor to the last sensor,

wherein the first sensor array is serially connected to the second sensor array,

wherein the first sensor of the first sensor array is a first top sensor,

wherein the last sensor of the second sensor array is a last bottom sensor; and

wherein the plurality of sensor readings are readings of a plurality of surface temperatures of the tank at a plurality of points along the exterior of the tank;

calculating a first tank level using a first method and the plurality of sensor readings, the plurality of sensor readings comprising:

a first top sensor reading including a sensor reading for a gas portion of the tank, and

a last bottom sensor reading including a sensor reading for a liquid portion of the tank

wherein the plurality of sensor readings is grouped for the gas portion based on the first top sensor reading,

wherein the plurality of sensor readings are grouped for the liquid portion based on the last bottom sensor reading, and

wherein the plurality of sensor readings grouped for the gas portion and the plurality of sensor readings grouped for the liquid portion are used in the first method to calculate the first tank level; and

reporting the first tank level.

20 . The method of claim 19 further comprising:

receiving, by the first sensor array, the sensor query request from the tank monitoring computer device;

collecting, by the first sensor array, a first plurality of sensor readings from the plurality of sensors in the first sensor array;

creating, by the first sensor array, the sensor query response with the first plurality of sensor readings; and

transmitting, by the first sensor array, the sensor query response to an attached sensor array of the plurality of sensors arrays;

receiving, by the attached sensor array, the sensor query response from the first sensor array, wherein the sensor query response includes a plurality of sensor readings including sensor readings from the first sensor array;

collecting, by the attached sensor array, a second plurality of sensor readings from the plurality of sensors in the attached sensor array;

appending, by the attached sensor array, the second plurality of sensor readings to the sensor query response; and

transmitting, by the attached sensor array, the sensor query response to the second sensor array;

receiving, by the second sensor array, the sensor query response from the attached sensor array, wherein the sensor query response includes a plurality of sensor readings including sensor readings from the first sensor array and the attached sensor array;

collecting, by the second sensor array, a third plurality of sensor readings from the plurality of sensors in the second sensor array;

appending, by the second sensor array, the third plurality of sensor readings to the sensor query response;

determining, by the second sensor array, that the second sensor array is the last sensor array of the plurality of sensor arrays; and

transmitting, by the second sensor array, the sensor query response to the tank monitoring computer device.