JP2001090899A - Liquid level detecting device for bulk storage tank - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a liquid level detecting device for a bulk storage tank having a simple means enabling the liquid level of LP gas in the bulk storage tank to be viewed from the outside. SOLUTION: A detection member 6 made by coating a heat-transmissive sheet 7 with a temperature-sensitive paint film 8 is stuck to an outer circumferential surface of the bulk storage tank 1, and the liquid level of a liquid phase part 4 is detected by a change of color of the paint film 8.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an apparatus for detecting a liquid level in a bulk storage tank, and more particularly, to a liquid level detection apparatus for a liquefied petroleum gas (LP gas) in a bulk storage tank. The present invention relates to a liquid level detecting device of a mold type.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In general, in a bulk storage tank filled with LP gas and supplied to a consumer, a liquid level gauge is provided, and a liquid amount (remaining amount) of the LP gas is displayed by the liquid level gauge. It has become so.

[0003]

In an experimental bulk storage tank for performing various experiments by filling a bulk storage tank with LP gas, it is necessary to confirm the remaining amount of LP gas, as in the case of the existing bulk storage tank. Is equipped with a liquid level gauge. However, it is uneconomical to attach an expensive liquid level gauge to the experimental bulk storage tank, and a means for checking the remaining amount of liquid with a simple device is desired.

In addition, it is necessary to confirm whether the indication of the liquid level gauge is normal also in the existing bulk storage tank, and an inexpensive confirmation means is desired.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and has as its object to provide an apparatus for detecting the level of a liquid level of LP gas in a bulk storage tank which can be visually observed from outside by simple means. Aim.

[0006]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a detecting member comprising a heat-conductive thin plate provided with a temperature-sensitive paint film which changes color by sensing a change in temperature. The heat conductive thin plate is attached to the outer peripheral surface of a bulk storage tank in close contact with the bulk storage tank.

Therefore, according to the first aspect of the present invention, the temperature of the bulk storage tank is transmitted to the heat conductive thin plate, and the liquid level of the LP gas inside can be visually recognized from the outside by the color change of the temperature-sensitive paint film. That is, when the gas is consumed, the temperature of the liquid phase portion is lower than that of the gas phase portion due to vaporization, so that the boundary between the liquid phase portion and the gas phase portion in the storage tank is formed by the temperature-sensitive paint film. It can be detected by color change. The temperature-sensitive paint film at this time exhibits a reversible color change, and can sufficiently cope with repeated temperature changes.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided the liquid level detecting device for a bulk storage tank according to the first aspect, wherein the heat conductive thin plate is a single plate and has a plurality of different temperature sensitive regions. Wherein the temperature-sensitive paint film is formed in a strip shape on the heat conductive thin plate.

Therefore, according to the second aspect of the present invention, even if there is a change in ambient temperature, one of the temperature-sensitive paint films operates to enable liquid level detection.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided the liquid level detecting device for a bulk storage tank according to the first or second aspect, wherein the heat conductive thin plate is a plurality of band-shaped plates, and has different temperature sensitive regions. A plurality of temperature-sensitive paint films are individually formed on each of the heat conductive thin plates to form a plurality of detection members.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, the most suitable one is selected from a plurality of detecting members according to the ambient temperature and attached to the bulk storage tank, so that even if there is a change in the ambient temperature, the detecting member is detected. The members can detect the liquid level correspondingly.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided the liquid level detecting device for a bulk storage tank according to any one of the first to third aspects, wherein the detection member is attached to and detached from the bulk storage tank via an adhesive. It is characterized by being attached as possible.

Therefore, according to the present invention, it is possible to attach and detach the detecting member, and it is possible to easily replace the detecting member when the ambient temperature changes or when the end of its life.

[0014]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIGS. 1 to 3 show a first embodiment of the present invention. The bulk storage tank 1 is installed horizontally on a base 3 via a leg 2. This bulk storage tank 1 is filled with the liquid of the LP gas, and the lower part is a liquid phase part 4 of the LP gas and the upper part is a gas phase part 5.

Generally, when LP gas is consumed,
The temperature of the liquid phase portion 4 is lower than that of the gas phase portion 5 due to a temperature decrease due to vaporization. Utilizing this principle, by detecting a temperature change in the bulk storage tank 1 as follows, the boundary between the liquid phase part 4 and the gas phase part 5, that is, the liquid level of the liquid phase part 4, is detected, and the LP gas is detected. Is to detect the remaining amount.

A detection member 6 is attached to the outer peripheral surface of the bulk storage tank 1 over substantially a half circumference. The detecting member 6 includes a heat conductive thin plate 7 and a temperature-sensitive paint film 8 applied to one surface of the heat conductive thin plate 7.

As the heat conductive thin plate 7, a thin plate made of a heat conductive, heat resistant, and flexible material such as a thin plate of a metal material such as iron, copper, or aluminum, or a thin plate of a plastic magnet is used.

The temperature-sensitive paint film 8 is formed, for example, by forming a coating film using a temperature-sensitive discoloration printing agent in which a change in color → colorless or colorless → color is repeated reversibly in a certain temperature range. Provided.

As shown in FIG. 2, the detection member 6 having such a configuration is adhered to the outer peripheral surface of the bulk storage tank 1 through an adhesive such as an adhesive or a double-sided adhesive tape.
The bonding means is preferably an adhesive material that can be attached and detached or a double-sided adhesive tape. As a result, when the ambient temperature changes or when the life of the battery has been extended due to long-term use, it can be replaced with another battery.

As described above, since the temperature of the liquid phase part 4 is different from that of the gas phase part 5, the temperature-sensitive paint film 8 has different colors between the liquid phase part 4 and the gas phase part 5. The boundary of the color change corresponds to the liquid surface of the liquid phase portion 4.

Generally, the temperature-sensitive paint has a narrow temperature-sensitive temperature range (usually about 10 ° C.), so that when the temperature of the surface of the bulk storage tank 1 becomes a temperature outside this range, the temperature-sensitive paint film 8 does not change. The surface temperature of the bulk storage tank 1 also depends on the outside air temperature. For example, the surface temperature differs greatly in summer and winter. Therefore, in order to operate the detecting member 6 throughout the four seasons in response to fluctuations in the outside air temperature, a plurality of types of temperature-sensitive paints having different temperature-sensitive temperatures are used as shown in FIGS. , Four types of band-shaped temperature-sensitive paint films 8a, 8b, 8c,
8d.

For example, the temperature-sensitive paint film 8a is 10-2.
0 ° C, the temperature-sensitive paint film 8b is 20 to 30 ° C, the temperature-sensitive paint film 8c is 30 to 40 ° C, and the temperature-sensitive paint film 8d is 40 to 50 °.
It is composed of a temperature-sensitive paint for detecting each of the areas C. It should be noted that as the number of the temperature-sensitive paint films 8 increases, the temperature change in a wider range can be dealt with. However, when the temperature-sensitive paint film 8 is used only for a specific time or a short-term experiment, only one kind may be used. Not done.

As described above, in the present embodiment, since the detection member 6 in which the heat-sensitive thin film 7 is coated with the temperature-sensitive paint film 8 is attached to the outer periphery of the bulk storage tank 1, the liquid level of the LP gas in the inside is large. The color change of the warm paint film 8 makes it visually recognizable from the external appearance, and it can be easily attached to and detached from the bulk storage tank with a simple configuration, so that it is effectively used particularly for liquid level detection in the bulk storage tank 1 for performing various experiments. .

The present invention is also effective for confirming whether the display of the liquid level gauge is normal even in the existing bulk storage tank to which the liquid level gauge is attached.

By forming several types of temperature-sensitive paint films 8a to 8d on one heat conductive thin plate 7, it is possible to cope with a change in ambient temperature.

FIG. 4 shows a second embodiment.
The temperature-sensitive paint films 8a, 8b, 8c, and 8d are provided on different strip-shaped heat conductive thin plates 7, respectively, and four types of detection members 6a,
6b, 6c and 6d. Note that, also in the present embodiment, the number of detection members is arbitrary. In this embodiment, one or an arbitrary number of the detection members 6 a to 6 d may be selected in accordance with the ambient temperature and may be attached to the bulk storage tank 1.

Also in the present embodiment, it is preferable to use an adhesive adhesive or a double-sided adhesive tape so that it can be replaced when the ambient temperature changes or when the life is over.

In the above-described embodiment, the example of the bulk storage tank 1 of the horizontal type is shown. However, the bulk storage tank of the vertical type can also be used if the detection member is attached along the vertical direction of the bulk storage tank.

[0030]

As described above in detail, according to the first aspect of the present invention, since the detecting member provided with the heat-sensitive paint film on the heat conductive thin plate is attached to the outer peripheral surface of the bulk storage tank, the internal LP is formed.
The liquid level of the gas can be visually recognized from the appearance by the color change of the temperature-sensitive paint film,
The present invention is effective as a simple liquid level detecting device for an experimental bulk storage tank or as a detecting device for confirming a liquid level gauge display of an existing bulk storage tank.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, a plurality of temperature-sensitive paint films made of temperature-sensitive paints having different temperature-sensitive areas are formed in a belt shape. Therefore, even if there is a change in the ambient temperature, one of the temperature-sensitive paint films operates and the liquid level can be detected.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, a plurality of temperature-sensitive paint films made of temperature-sensitive paint having different temperature-sensitive areas are formed on different heat conductive thin plates to provide a plurality of detection members. In addition to the effects of the invention described in claim 1, in addition to selecting the most suitable one from among the plurality of detection members according to the ambient temperature and attaching it to the bulk storage tank, even if there is a change in the ambient temperature, the detection can be performed. The members can detect the liquid level correspondingly.

According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, since the detecting member is detachably attached to the bulk storage tank via an adhesive, in addition to the effects of the first to third aspects,
The attachment and detachment of the detection member can be easily performed, and the detection member can be replaced when the ambient temperature changes or when the service life expires.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side view showing a first embodiment of a liquid level detecting device for a bulk storage tank according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a central sectional view of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a detection member according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a detection member according to a second embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Bulk storage tank 4 Liquid phase part 6, 6a, 6b, 6c, 6d Detection member 7 Heat transfer thin plate 8, 8a, 8b, 8c, 8d Temperature-sensitive paint film

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page F term (reference) 2F014 AA14 AB01 AB02 AB03 AC02 CA10 2H111 HA07 HA12 HA22 HA34 3E072 AA03 AB12 DA01 GA02

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A detecting member comprising a heat-conductive thin plate provided with a temperature-sensitive paint film that changes color by sensing a change in temperature, and attached to the outer peripheral surface of a bulk storage tank by closely contacting the heat-conductive thin plate. A liquid level detecting device for a bulk storage tank. 2. The heat conductive thin plate is a single plate, and a plurality of the temperature-sensitive paint films having different temperature sensitive areas are formed in a strip shape on the heat conductive thin plate. A liquid level detecting device for a bulk storage tank as described in the above. 3. The heat-conductive thin plate is a plurality of strip-shaped plates, and a plurality of temperature-sensitive paint films having different temperature-sensitive areas are individually formed on each of the heat-conductive thin plates to form a plurality of detection members. The liquid level detecting device for a bulk storage tank according to claim 1, wherein: 4. The liquid level detection of a bulk storage tank according to claim 1, wherein the detection member is detachably attached to the bulk storage tank via an adhesive. apparatus.