TANK FULLNESS MONITORING SYSTEM
What is disclosed is a tank fullness monitoring system. The tank fullness monitoring system includes a plurality of buoyant sensor nodes coupled in series along a line, where the buoyant sensor nodes are configured to hang in series along the line, and where each of the buoyant sensor nodes is configured to indicate when floating at a fluid interface. The tank fullness monitoring system also includes a control node attached to the tank and coupled to a first one of the buoyant sensor nodes, and configured to monitor the buoyant sensor nodes.
1 . A tank fullness monitoring system, comprising:
a plurality of buoyant sensor nodes coupled in series along a line, wherein the buoyant sensor nodes are configured to hang in series along the line, and wherein each of the buoyant sensor nodes is configured to indicate when floating at a fluid interface;
a control node attached to the tank and coupled to a first one of the buoyant sensor nodes, and configured to monitor the buoyant sensor nodes.
2 . The tank fullness monitoring system of claim 1 , wherein the fluid interface comprises an interface between a gas and a liquid, and wherein each of the buoyant sensor nodes is configured to indicate when floating on a surface of the liquid.
3 . The tank fullness monitoring system of claim 1 , wherein at least a last one of the buoyant sensor nodes along the line has a relative density less than a first liquid but greater than a second liquid.
4 . The tank fullness monitoring system of claim 3 , wherein the first liquid comprises water and the second liquid comprises oil.
5 . The tank fullness monitoring system of claim 1 , wherein the line comprises an electrical signaling portion and a tension support portion.
6 . The tank fullness monitoring system of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of buoyant sensor nodes comprises a buoyancy portion and a sensor portion.
7 . The tank fullness monitoring system of claim 1 , wherein the line comprises a flexible cable.
8 . The tank fullness monitoring system of claim 1 , wherein the line comprises a signal link, wherein each of the buoyant sensor nodes is configured to indicate when floating at a fluid interface by signaling along the signal link, and wherein the control node is configured to monitor the signal link to monitor the buoyant sensor nodes.
9 . The tank fullness monitoring system of claim 1 , wherein each of the buoyant sensor nodes is configured to wirelessly indicate when floating at a fluid interface, and wherein the control node is configured to wirelessly monitor the buoyant sensor nodes.
10 . The tank fullness monitoring system of claim 1 , wherein each of the buoyant sensor nodes is configured to communicate over the line with the control node.
11 . A method of operating a tank fullness monitoring system, the method comprising:
in each of a plurality of buoyant sensor nodes coupled in series along a line and configured to hang in series along the line, indicating when floating at a fluid interface;
in a control node attached to the tank and coupled to a first one of the buoyant sensor nodes, monitoring the buoyant sensor nodes.
12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the fluid interface comprises an interface between a gas and a liquid, and wherein indicating when floating at the fluid interface comprises, in each of the buoyant sensor nodes, indicating when floating on a surface of the liquid.
13 . The method of claim 11 , wherein at least a last one of the buoyant sensor nodes along the line has a relative density less than a first liquid but greater than a second liquid.
14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the first liquid comprises water and the second liquid comprises oil.
15 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the line comprises an electrical signaling portion and a tension support portion.
16 . The method of claim 11 , wherein each of the plurality of buoyant sensor nodes comprises a buoyancy portion and a sensor portion.
17 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the line comprises a flexible cable.
18 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the line comprises a signal link, wherein indicating when floating at the fluid interface comprises, in each of the buoyant sensor nodes, indicating when floating at a fluid interface by signaling along the signal link, and wherein monitoring the buoyant sensor nodes comprises, in the control node, monitoring the signal link.
19 . The method of claim 11 , wherein indicating when floating at the fluid interface comprises, in each of the buoyant sensor nodes, wirelessly indicating when floating at a fluid interface, and wherein monitoring the buoyant sensor nodes comprises, in the control node, wirelessly monitoring the buoyant sensor nodes.
20 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
in each of the buoyant sensor nodes, communicating over the line with the control node.