JPH0780520B2 - Inventory control system at gas stations - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an inventory amount adjusting system for effectively utilizing inventory in a gas station having a plurality of underground tanks of the same oil type.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as shown in FIG.
Although 1 and 2 weighing machines 37-40 were connected from 1,32 via the oil supply pipes 33-36, the vehicle was refueled,
Depending on the installation location of the weighing machine, there are weighing machines that are frequently entered by the vehicle and weighing machines that are infrequently used, resulting in a large difference in the amount of refueling.

The difference in the amount of refueling is directly related to the amount of stock in the underground tank, and even for the same tank of 10 kiloliters,
Inventories of tanks connected to weighing machines with high refueling volume decrease rapidly, and tanks connected to weighing machines with low refueling volume decrease only slightly.

Finally, although one tank is sufficiently in stock, the other tank is out of stock, and the weighing machine connected to the unstocked tank cannot be used. There is a lot of waste, such as inducing tanks and arranging tank trucks just for tanks that are out of stock.

In order to solve this, there is an automatic balancing system as shown in FIG. This is the underground tank 5
The suction pipes from 0 to 54 are connected to the three-way valves 61 to 63, and the liquid level detectors 70 provided in the respective underground tanks 50 to 54
This is a system in which the output of 74 is monitored by a digital liquid level gauge 81, and the controller 82 operates the three-way valves 61 to 63 according to the change of the stock amount to switch the underground tank to be used.

[0006]

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, if the system is to be installed at an existing gas station, it is necessary to replace all the piping from the tank to the weighing machine, which requires a long construction period and hinders gas station operations. There are many problems such as being done.

The problem to be solved by the present invention is to adjust the amount of underground tank stock at a gas station so that the inventory can be used efficiently, and the construction range can be minimized to significantly reduce the business interruption time at the gas station. It is in.

[0008]

In order to solve this problem, the inventory amount adjusting system of the present invention is designed so that a stocking station having a plurality of underground tanks storing the same type of oil droops into each underground tank. Provide a suction pipe whose base end is led to the outside, connect the base ends of the suction pipes with each other, and install a pump in the middle of the pipe , and connect it to the inlet side of the pump.
Provide a solenoid valve in at least one conduit on the outlet side, and
Pumps and solenoid valves control one underground tank to another.
Characterized by having means for supplying oil to the underground tank
It

The oil supply between the tanks is carried out by each underground tank.
It may be done manually by monitoring the oil amount or liquid level of
For signals from sensors that detect the oil level or liquid level in each underground tank
The oil level or liquid level in any of the underground tanks is below a certain level
Or, the difference in oil amount or liquid level from other underground tanks is above a certain level
Drive the pump when
High underground tank to low oil level or low liquid level
It is desirable to provide a control device for refueling the tank.

Further, the construction is such that the base ends of the suction pipes provided in the respective underground tanks are connected to each other by a pipe, and the same pipe is provided with a solenoid valve connected to the atmosphere side and a solenoid valve connected to the suction device. You can also

In this case, a pump is used as the suction device, and the amount of oil or liquid level in each underground tank is monitored to manually operate the pump, or a sensor for detecting the amount of oil or liquid level in each underground tank is used. Depending on the signal, when the oil amount or liquid level in one of the underground tanks is below a certain level or the difference in the oil amount or liquid level from other underground tanks is above a certain level, the pump is automatically driven and each rising pipe Fill the tank with oil so that the liquid level in all underground tanks becomes equal by siphoning.

[0012]

In the present invention, the oil amount or the liquid level of each underground tank is monitored, and the oil amount or the liquid level of any of the underground tanks is below a certain level or the oil amount or the liquid level of another underground tank. When the difference exceeds a certain level, oil is automatically supplied from the underground tank with a large remaining amount to the underground tank with a small remaining amount through the rising pipe, so that the remaining amount in each underground tank becomes almost equal. .

The work for remodeling can be carried out only on the part where the underground tank is installed, and can be carried out without modifying the site where the weighing machine is installed.

[0014]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will be specifically described below based on the embodiments shown in the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a first embodiment of the system according to the present invention. In the figure, 1 and 2 are underground tanks, and 3 and 4 are suction pipes that hang down until their tips are located at the bottom of the tanks 1 and 2. The rising pipe for refueling is not shown. The base ends 5, 6 of the suction pipes 3, 4 are outside the tank, and the pipe 7 is connected to the base ends 5, 6. The pipe 7 is for supplying oil from the underground tanks 1 to 2 or from the underground tanks 2 to 1,
Pipe lines 7-1, 7-2, 7-3, 7-4, 7-5, 7-6
Consists of. The pipe lines 7-1 and 7-2 are connected to each other via the suction opening / closing solenoid valves 8 and 9 in the middle thereof, and further connected to the oil passage opening / closing solenoid valves 10 and 11 at the tip end portions thereof. Solenoid valves for suction opening / closing 8, 9 and solenoid valve for lubricating opening / closing 10,
An oil supply pump 12 is provided between the oil supply pump 11 and the oil supply pump 11. Reference numeral 13 in the figure is a motor for driving the oil supply pump 12.

The underground tanks 1 and 2 are respectively provided with oil level sensors 14 and 15 for detecting the stock quantity, and the detection outputs thereof are input to a digital indicator 16. The output of the digital indicator 16 is input to the solenoid valve control device 17.

One of the stock quantities of oil in each of the underground tanks 1 and 2 detected by the oil level sensors 14 and 15, for example, the stock quantity of the underground tank 1 is below a certain value, or the mutual difference is a certain value. As described above, the solenoid valve control device 17 issues a command to open the suction opening / closing solenoid valve 9 and the oiling opening / closing solenoid valve 10, and operates the oil supply pump 12. As a result, the oil in the underground tank 2 is sucked up through the suction pipe 4, and the pipelines 7-2 and 7-4, the solenoid valve 9, the pipeline 7-5, the oil supply pump 12, the pipeline 7-6, and the electromagnetic passage. Oil is supplied to the underground tank 1 through the suction pipe 3 through the valve 10 and the pipe line 7-1. Pump 1 when inventory quantity in underground tanks 1 and 2 becomes almost equilibrium value
2 is stopped and the solenoid valves 9 and 10 are closed. A two-way solenoid valve or a three-way solenoid valve can be used instead of the suction opening / closing solenoid valves 8 and 9 and the oil supply opening / closing solenoid valves 10 and 11.

FIG. 2 shows a second embodiment, in which two three-way solenoid valves 18, 19 are used instead of the opening / closing solenoid valves 8, 9, 10, 11 in the first embodiment and the same oil is used. It is made possible to supply.

In this embodiment, for example, when refueling from the underground tank 2 to the underground tank 1, the pipelines 7-2, 7
-4, three-way solenoid valve 18, pipe line 7-5, refueling pump 12,
Oil is supplied through the pipeline 7-6, the three-way solenoid valve 19, and the pipeline 7-1.

The above-mentioned first and second embodiments are examples in the case of two underground tanks, but can be similarly applied to the case of three or more underground tanks.

FIGS. 3 and 4 show an example in which the system similar to the first and second embodiments described above is applied to three underground tanks.

In the third embodiment shown in FIG. 3, the pipe 7 is connected to the base ends 5, 6, 6a of the suction pipes 3, 4, 4a of the three underground tanks 1, 2, 2a. There is. The pipe 7 is
In the pipe 7 of the first embodiment shown in FIG.
-3a and opening / closing solenoid valves 9a and 11a are additionally provided.

The fourth embodiment shown in FIG. 4 uses three three-way solenoid valves 20, 21, 21a instead of the opening / closing solenoid valves 8, 9, 9a, 10, 11, 11a shown in FIG. is there.

In the case of these third and fourth embodiments, the first,
As in the case of the second embodiment, oil can be supplied from another tank to a tank with a small remaining amount.

The above is an example of a system in which all underground tanks can be refueled with each other. However, depending on the filling station, the underground tanks that are frequently used due to the location of the weighing machine and the like. In some cases, there are certain underground tanks that are rarely used. Therefore, when the system of FIGS. 1 to 4 is installed, the refueling system for a specific underground tank may not be used. Therefore, it is possible to provide a system in which only an oil supply system from an underground tank that is rarely used to an underground tank that is frequently used is provided.

[0026] FIG. 5 shows a fifth embodiment, 3
The system in the case where the underground tank 1 is a tank which is rarely used among the basic underground tanks 1, 2, and 2a is shown. In this case, (a) is attached to the elements having the same configuration. Then, the suction pipes 4 and 4a are connected to the solenoid valves 24, 2
It is connected to the oil supply pump 12 via 4a. Therefore, when the oil amount or the liquid level of either the underground tank 2 or 2a, for example, the underground tank 2a becomes a certain value or less or the difference from the oil amount or the liquid level of the underground tank 1 becomes a certain value or more, the digital indicator The output of 16 is transmitted to the solenoid valve control device 17,
The corresponding solenoid valve 24a is opened and the motor 1
3 to drive the refueling pump 12 to operate the underground tank 1
The oil inside is sucked up through the suction pipe 3, and the pipe line 7-1, the oil supply pump 12, the electromagnetic valve 24a, the pipe line 7-2a, and the suction pipe 4a.
To the underground tank 2a. In the case of the other underground tank 2, oil is similarly supplied from the underground tank 1.

In the above first to fifth embodiments, the oil level sensors 14, 15, 15 of the underground tanks 1, 2, 2a are used.
An automatic device that automatically drives the solenoid valve control device 17 or the pump drive device 22 according to the detected value of a to transfer the oil has been shown. However, when there is no oil level sensor etc., the operator manually operates the electromagnetic valve. Valve control device 17 or pump drive device 2
It is also possible to operate 2 to transfer the oil.

FIG . 6 shows a sixth embodiment of the present invention, in which a pipe line 7- connected to the base ends of the suction pipes 3, 4, 4a.
1, 7-2, 7-2a are combined into one, and solenoid valves 25, 2
6 is provided. When there is a difference in the remaining amount of any of the underground tanks 1, 2 and 2a, a solenoid valve that automatically connects to the atmosphere 26
Is closed and the pump 12 is operated. The suction of the pump 12 starts, and the pipe lines 7-1, 7-2, 7-2a and the suction pipe 3,
Solenoid valve 2 automatically when air in 4, 4a is exhausted
When 5 is closed and the pump 12 is stopped, the oil naturally moves until the level of the liquid level in the tanks 1, 2 and 2a becomes uniform due to the siphon effect. Receiving a uniform signal from the oil level sensors 14, 15 and 15a to automatically open the solenoid valve 26 to drop the oil in the pipe lines 7-1, 7-2 and 7-2a so that the siphon does not always become a siphon. To

The seventh embodiment of FIG . 7 uses a three-way solenoid valve 27 instead of the opening / closing solenoid valves 25, 26 of FIG. 6 , and since the other construction and operation are the same, the description thereof will be omitted.

In the sixth and seventh embodiments, the signals from the oil level sensors 14, 15, 15a are input to the solenoid valve control device 19 to control the oil level in the underground tanks 1, 2, 2a. Although the leveling is performed, if the oil level sensor is not provided, the operator manually operates the solenoid valve control device 17 to level the oil level in the underground tanks 1, 2, 2a. You can also

In the above embodiment, the pipe 7 is provided separately from the oil supply pipe for supplying oil to the underground tank. However, the oil supply pipe is a double pipe and the pipe is inserted into the oil supply pipe. With the structure, the piping work will be completed simply by replacing the oil supply pipe.

By the way, under the current Fire Defense Law, suction from the underground tank during unloading, that is, sale of oil and movement of oil by a weighing machine is prohibited, so during inventory unloading It is desirable to keep the regulation system inoperative. For example, when the level of the underground tank is increasing at a constant speed, it is automatically detected that the tank is being unloaded, and the power supply of the inventory amount automatic adjustment system of the present invention is turned off, or the movement of oil is stopped. When the operation is completed, it will be automatically restored.

[0033]

As described above, the present invention has the following effects.

Since the system can be constructed with almost no modification to the existing equipment, the business interruption time can be shortened when remodeling.

By adjusting the inventory amount, it is possible to prevent the inventory assets of the tank with poor rotation from being left for a long time, and it is possible to efficiently utilize the inventory.

The frequency of stays decreases significantly with the number of times a tank truck is arranged.

The oil of the specific weighing machine will not run out, and it will not be necessary to guide or replace the passenger car.

Since the inventory quantity of a plurality of tanks at a gas station is uniformly reduced, the amount of oil received at one time is increased, and the oil loading amount of a tank truck is extremely increased, and accordingly, the number of dispatched vehicles is also decreased. The cost can be reduced.

Since there is a margin in the consumed inventory amount, the time designation when arranging a tank truck vehicle is drastically reduced.

Due to the large amount of oil received per gas station,
The number of vehicles for two gas stations will be extremely reduced, and trailer delivery will be possible.

When it is decided that the frequency of use of a particular underground tank is low, the equipment cost can be reduced by omitting the system for refueling the underground tank.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram showing a first embodiment of a system of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram showing a second embodiment of the system of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram showing a third embodiment of the system of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a configuration diagram showing a fourth embodiment of the system of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a configuration diagram showing a fifth embodiment of the system of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a configuration diagram showing a sixth embodiment of the system of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a configuration diagram showing a seventh embodiment of the system of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram showing a configuration of a conventional refueling facility.

FIG. 9 is a configuration diagram showing an example of a conventional inventory balance system.

[Explanation of symbols]

1,2,2a underground tank, 3,4,4a suction pipe,
5, 6, 6a Base end, 7 pipes, 8, 9, 9a, 10, 1
1, 11a solenoid valve, 12 oil supply pump, 13 motor,
14, 15, 15a Oil level sensor, 16 Digital indicator, 17 Solenoid valve control device, 20, 21, 21a Solenoid valve, 22 Pump drive device, 23 Check valve, 24, 24
a, 25, 26, 27 solenoid valve

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. In a gas station having a plurality of underground tanks storing the same type of oil, suction pipes are provided in each of the underground tanks, the base ends of which are led out to the outside, and the base ends of the respective suction pipes. Connect them to each other with a pipe, and insert a port in the middle of the pipe.
Pump and at least one of the inlet and outlet sides of the pump.
Control the pump and solenoid valve by installing a solenoid valve in one pipe line
Supplies oil from one underground tank to another
An inventory adjustment system at a gas station, which is provided with a means for performing . 2. A plurality of underground tanks storing the same type of oil.
At a gas station with a
Provide a suction tube whose lower end is led out to the outside
Connect the base ends with piping and connect the piping to the atmosphere side.
A solenoid valve connected to the continuous solenoid valve and suction device was provided.
Stock amount adjustment system at a gas station. 3. The suction device according to claim 2, which is a pump.
Inventory control system at gas stations. 4. A sensor for detecting the amount of oil in each underground tank
Depending on the signal, the oil level or liquid level in either underground tank
The difference in oil amount or liquid level below a certain level or with other underground tanks is
When it exceeds a certain limit, drive the pump and
Fill the rising pipe and the inside of the pipe with oil, and use the siphon phenomenon to
The liquid level in the lower tank is made equal to each other.
Inventory control system at gas stations.