FLUID STORAGE SYSTEMS AND MONITORING
A fluid storage monitoring system includes a fluid storage receptacle defining an interior volume and including a drainage fluid line, a fluid control valve in the drainage fluid line, and a monitoring unit coupled to the fluid storage receptacle. The monitoring unit includes a sensor to attach to the fluid storage receptacle and detect an amount of empty space between fluid contents of the fluid storage receptacle and the sensor, a transmitter to receive and transmit data from the sensor and a remote server, and a controller to selectively open the fluid control valve.
1 . A fluid storage monitoring system, comprising:
a fluid storage receptacle defining an interior volume and configured to hold fluid contents, the fluid storage receptacle comprising a drainage fluid line;
a fluid control valve in the drainage fluid line, the fluid control valve configured to control a fluid flow along the drainage fluid line; and
a monitoring unit coupled to the fluid storage receptacle proximate a top of the fluid storage receptacle and communicably coupled to the fluid control valve, the monitoring unit comprising:
a sensor directed vertically downward into the interior volume of the fluid storage receptacle, the sensor configured to detect an amount of space between the fluid contents and the sensor;
a transmitter in communication with a remote server, the transmitter configured to receive and transmit data from the sensor and the remote server; and
a controller configured to selectively open the fluid control valve.
2 . The fluid storage monitoring system of claim 1 , wherein the monitoring unit comprises a proximity sensor configured to detect a presence of a beacon within a proximity range of the monitoring unit, and the controller configured to open the fluid control valve in response to the proximity sensor detecting the presence of the beacon within the proximity range.
3 . The fluid storage monitoring system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to open the fluid control valve in response to a signal from the remote server.
4 . The fluid storage monitoring system of claim 1 , wherein the fluid control valve comprises a motorized ball valve configured to selectively open in response to a command from the controller.
5 . The fluid storage monitoring system of claim 1 , further comprising a vacuum switch in the drainage fluid line downstream of the fluid control valve, the vacuum switch being communicably coupled to the monitoring unit, the vacuum switch configured to detect a pressure change in the drainage fluid line downstream of the fluid control valve.
6 . The fluid storage monitoring system of claim 1 , further comprising a ventilation cap at a top of the fluid storage receptacle, the ventilation cap configured to control ventilation of the interior volume of the fluid storage receptacle, and wherein the monitoring unit is coupled to the ventilation cap.
7 . The fluid storage monitoring system of claim 1 , wherein the sensor is an ultrasonic sensor.
8 . The fluid storage monitoring system of claim 7 , wherein the ultrasonic sensor comprises a horn configured to channel ultrasonic waves from the ultrasonic sensor toward fluid contents in the interior volume of the fluid storage receptacle.
9 . The fluid storage monitoring system of claim 8 , wherein the horn is a conical horn.
10 . The fluid storage monitoring system of claim 1 , wherein the monitoring unit comprises at least one magnet, and the fluid storage receptacle comprises an interior metallic surface, the monitoring unit configured to magnetically attach to the interior metallic surface of the fluid storage receptacle.
11 . A method, comprising:
attaching a monitoring unit to a fluid storage receptacle proximate a top of the fluid storage receptacle, the fluid storage receptacle configured to hold fluid contents;
detecting, with a fluid level sensor of the monitoring unit, an amount of space between the fluid contents and the fluid level sensor;
transmitting, with a transmitter of the monitoring unit, data from the fluid level sensor to a server, the data being representative of the amount of space between the fluid contents and the fluid level sensor; and
determining, based on the transmitted data from the fluid level sensor, an operational state of the fluid storage receptacle.
12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein detecting the amount of space between the fluid contents and the fluid level sensor comprises detecting the amount of space over a time interval.
13 . The method of claim 11 , wherein determining an operational state of the fluid storage receptacle comprises:
determining that a fluid level in the fluid storage receptacle has reached a service threshold level, and
determining that the fluid storage receptacle requires a drainage operation.
14 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising detecting a presence of a truck within a proximity range of the monitoring unit, and wherein determining the operational state of the fluid storage receptacle comprises determining that the fluid storage receptacle is ready to be emptied in response to detecting the presence of the truck.
15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein detecting a presence of a truck comprises detecting, with a proximity sensor of the monitoring unit, the presence of a beacon on the truck within the proximity range of the monitoring unit.
16 . The method of claim 14 , wherein detecting a presence of a truck comprises receiving a signal from the server that the truck is within the proximity range of the monitoring unit.
17 . The method of claim 14 , further comprising opening a fluid control valve in a drainage fluid line of the fluid storage receptacle in response to detecting the presence of the truck within the proximity range.
18 . The method of claim 17 , further comprising:
detecting that the truck is no longer present within the proximity range of the monitoring unit, and
closing the fluid control valve.
19 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the fluid control valve comprises a motorized ball valve, and opening the fluid control valve comprises opening the motorized ball valve.
20 . The method of claim 19 , wherein opening the motorized ball valve comprises providing power to the motorized ball valve.
21 . The method of claim 11 , wherein attaching the monitoring unit to the fluid storage receptacle comprises attaching the monitoring unit to a ventilation cap at a top of the fluid storage receptacle, the ventilation cap configured to control ventilation of an interior volume of the fluid storage receptacle.
22 . The method of claim 11 , wherein attaching the monitoring unit to the fluid storage receptacle comprises magnetically attaching, with at least one magnet of the monitoring unit, the monitoring unit to a metallic interior surface of the fluid storage receptacle.
23 . The method of claim 11 , wherein transmitting data from the fluid level sensor to the server comprises wirelessly transmitting the data over a network to a remote server in a location remote from the monitoring unit.