GB2082326A

GB2082326A - Dipsticks

Info

Publication number: GB2082326A
Application number: GB8125337A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: BP PLC
Current assignee: BP PLC
Priority date: 1980-08-19
Filing date: 1981-08-19
Publication date: 1982-03-03

Abstract

This invention relates to a water detecting probe, which is a transparent bar and has graduations thereon. The bar 1 has one surface 5 receptive to a water detecting paste and an opposite surface 6 which can be cleaned so as to enable inspection of the paste through the bar. In comparison with prior art probes, this probe saves time and prevents the discoloured paste from being accidentally removed during cleaning. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Water-finding probe The present invention relates to a water-finding probe, in particular a probe to determine the level of water collected at the bottom of oil storage tanks.

Water-finding probes which are graduated bars work on the following principle: the surface of the probe is coated with a paste which is discoloured on contact with water. This paste is hereafter called the water-finding paste. The coated probe is then lowered in a vertical position into an oil storage tank in which the level of water is to be measured. The probe is left in contact with the bottom of the tank for an appropriate period to allow the water to penetrate through any superficial oil layers formed on top of the coated paste due to the supernatant oil in the tank. The probe is thereafter withdrawn from the tank. On withdrawal, the supernatant oil again forms superfical layers on the coated, but now discoloured paste making it difficult to read off the level of discolouration against the graduations.To render this discoloured coating visible, the superficial oil layer must be removed from the probe either by washing vigorously with a solvent such as kerosine or white oil, or by wiping off the oil. This procedure is time consuming, inefficient and wasteful and the discoloured coating of the water-finding paste may accidentally be removed.

These problems during water level measurement are associated with the types of probes used hitherto which have invariably been an opaque, graduated bar.

It has now been found that these problems of the prior art opaque probes may be mitigated by using a transparent probe.

Accordingly, the present invention is a waterfinding probe comprising a transparent graduated bar having a surface receptive to a water-finding paste and an opposite surface capable of being cleaned so as to permit inspection of the water finding paste through the bar.

The graduated bar may be of glass or other suitable polymeric material which is resistant to an attack detrimental to its transparency by the constituents of petroleum products such as, for example those encountered in crude oil or fuel oils.

The surface of the bar receptive to a waterfinding paste may be a matt surface. The opposite surface capable of being cleaned so as to permit inspection of the water-finding paste through the bar is preferably a smooth, even surface which facilitates the cleaning operation. This latter surface may either be wiped clean or be cleaned with a solvent to enable inspection of the waterfinding paste through the transparent bar.

In order to improve the robustness of the probe, the transparent bar may be encased in channels of robust material, suitably metallic, which will protect the bar from accidental damage during handling, such as for instance, by an impact with the walls of a storage tank during the lowering or withdrawal stages of the measuring operation.

The use of a metallic channel also serves as a ballast thus giving stability to the probe and facilitating the lowering of such a probe in relatively dense liquids. The encasing channels are preferably of brass which is resistant to corrosion and any other attack of the constituents of petroteum products. When an encasing channel is used, the graduations are suitably on the outer surface of the channels which maximises the area of visibility through the bar.

The water finding probes of the present invention are usually only about 30 cm long. Thus, if it is necessary to measure the level of water in a tank which is relatively deep, the probe may be suspended from a line or a tape on a reel. In order to facilitate suspending the probe in this manner, the probe may be provided at one end with an eyelet into which the line or tape may be hooked.

The invention is further illustrated with reference to the accompanying drawing.

In the drawing Figure 1 shows a sectional, frontal view of the probe and Figure 2 shows a plan view of the probe.

In the drawings the water-finding probe has a transparent glass bar 1 which is 0.5 inches thick, 1.75 inches wide and 12 inches long and has brass channelling 2 along its edges. The brass channelling is graduated along one of its longitudinal edges as shown. At one end 3 of the bar is attached an eyelet 4 to enable a line or tape measure to be hooked therein. At the other end is fitted a protective brass base 7. The bar 1 has a matt finish receptive to a water-finding paste on side 5 and a smooth, easy to clean finish on the opposite side 6.

In use, the matt side 5 of the glass bar 1 is coated with a water finding paste and the coated probe lowered into a tank containing the oil and water and of which the water level is to be measured. The probe is suspended in the tank such that the base 7 is just in contact with the base of the tank. After a period, the probe is withdrawn and the smooth side 6 of the probe wiped clean with a rag. The transparent nature of the bar enables the level of discolouration of the water finding paste on the matt side to be inspected and the level of water to be measured against the graduations.

1. A water finding probe comprising a transparent graduated bar having a surface receptive to a water-finding paste and an opposite surface capable of being cleaned so as to permit inspection of the water-finding paste through the bar.

2. A probe according to Claim 1 wherein the bar is of glass or polymeric material resistant to an attack detrimental to its transparency by the constituents of petroleum products.

3. A probe according to Claim 1 or 2 wherein the surface of the bar receptive to a water-finding paste is a matt surface.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Water-finding probe The present invention relates to a water-finding probe, in particular a probe to determine the level of water collected at the bottom of oil storage tanks. Water-finding probes which are graduated bars work on the following principle: the surface of the probe is coated with a paste which is discoloured on contact with water. This paste is hereafter called the water-finding paste. The coated probe is then lowered in a vertical position into an oil storage tank in which the level of water is to be measured. The probe is left in contact with the bottom of the tank for an appropriate period to allow the water to penetrate through any superficial oil layers formed on top of the coated paste due to the supernatant oil in the tank. The probe is thereafter withdrawn from the tank. On withdrawal, the supernatant oil again forms superfical layers on the coated, but now discoloured paste making it difficult to read off the level of discolouration against the graduations.To render this discoloured coating visible, the superficial oil layer must be removed from the probe either by washing vigorously with a solvent such as kerosine or white oil, or by wiping off the oil. This procedure is time consuming, inefficient and wasteful and the discoloured coating of the water-finding paste may accidentally be removed. These problems during water level measurement are associated with the types of probes used hitherto which have invariably been an opaque, graduated bar. It has now been found that these problems of the prior art opaque probes may be mitigated by using a transparent probe. Accordingly, the present invention is a waterfinding probe comprising a transparent graduated bar having a surface receptive to a water-finding paste and an opposite surface capable of being cleaned so as to permit inspection of the water finding paste through the bar. The graduated bar may be of glass or other suitable polymeric material which is resistant to an attack detrimental to its transparency by the constituents of petroleum products such as, for example those encountered in crude oil or fuel oils. The surface of the bar receptive to a waterfinding paste may be a matt surface. The opposite surface capable of being cleaned so as to permit inspection of the water-finding paste through the bar is preferably a smooth, even surface which facilitates the cleaning operation. This latter surface may either be wiped clean or be cleaned with a solvent to enable inspection of the waterfinding paste through the transparent bar. In order to improve the robustness of the probe, the transparent bar may be encased in channels of robust material, suitably metallic, which will protect the bar from accidental damage during handling, such as for instance, by an impact with the walls of a storage tank during the lowering or withdrawal stages of the measuring operation. The use of a metallic channel also serves as a ballast thus giving stability to the probe and facilitating the lowering of such a probe in relatively dense liquids. The encasing channels are preferably of brass which is resistant to corrosion and any other attack of the constituents of petroteum products. When an encasing channel is used, the graduations are suitably on the outer surface of the channels which maximises the area of visibility through the bar. The water finding probes of the present invention are usually only about 30 cm long. Thus, if it is necessary to measure the level of water in a tank which is relatively deep, the probe may be suspended from a line or a tape on a reel. In order to facilitate suspending the probe in this manner, the probe may be provided at one end with an eyelet into which the line or tape may be hooked. The invention is further illustrated with reference to the accompanying drawing. In the drawing Figure 1 shows a sectional, frontal view of the probe and Figure 2 shows a plan view of the probe. In the drawings the water-finding probe has a transparent glass bar 1 which is 0.5 inches thick, 1.75 inches wide and 12 inches long and has brass channelling 2 along its edges. The brass channelling is graduated along one of its longitudinal edges as shown. At one end 3 of the bar is attached an eyelet 4 to enable a line or tape measure to be hooked therein. At the other end is fitted a protective brass base 7. The bar 1 has a matt finish receptive to a water-finding paste on side 5 and a smooth, easy to clean finish on the opposite side 6. In use, the matt side 5 of the glass bar 1 is coated with a water finding paste and the coated probe lowered into a tank containing the oil and water and of which the water level is to be measured. The probe is suspended in the tank such that the base 7 is just in contact with the base of the tank. After a period, the probe is withdrawn and the smooth side 6 of the probe wiped clean with a rag. The transparent nature of the bar enables the level of discolouration of the water finding paste on the matt side to be inspected and the level of water to be measured against the graduations. CLAIMS

4. A probe according to any one of the preceding claims wherein said probe is encased in channels of robust material.

5. A probe according to Claim 4 wherein the robust material is a metal which also serves as a ballast.

6. A probe according to Claim 4 or 5 wherein the graduations are on the outer surface of the encasing channels.

7. A probe according to anyone of the preceding claims wherein said probe is provided at one end with an eyelet to facilitate suspension thereof from a line or a tape.

8. A probe as claimed in any one of the preceding claims and as herein before described with reference to the accompanying drawings.