JPS6215436B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to an apparatus for supplying oil or other liquids from a main tank to a service tank.

Generally, for fuel oil, the main tank is installed underground, the service tank is installed above ground, and the required amount of oil is pumped into the service tank through a pipe using a gear pump or the like installed near the main tank. However, if a hole or gap is formed in a part of the intermediate pipe due to corrosion or poor connection, the pressure inside the pipe is higher than that of the atmosphere, causing an oil leak, and if the pipe is underground. These were discovered late, resulting in the loss of a considerable amount of oil, contamination of soil and groundwater, and the risk of causing a major disaster if ignited.

This invention fundamentally improves the drawbacks of such conventional devices, and eliminates the possibility of liquid leakage even if a hole is formed in the pipe connecting the main tank and the service tank due to corrosion. There is no or only a small amount is needed, and the liquid cannot be sent to the service tank unless the hole is repaired, eliminating loss of liquid due to leakage and contamination of soil and groundwater, and is highly safe. It is for obtaining equipment.

This invention provides an apparatus in which a main tank is installed above a service tank, these two tanks are connected by a pipe, and a required amount of liquid is pumped into the service tank through the pipe as needed, The pipe is a siphon pipe,
Two branch pipes are installed in sequence in the middle, the first branch pipe near the main tank is connected to a vacuum pump with a check valve, and the other two branch pipes are normally closed and can be opened in an emergency. It is connected to the middle of the rising ventilation pipe provided in the service tank via a valve, and between the branch point of the siphon pipe and the second branch pipe and the service tank, there is a valve that can be opened and closed as desired from the service tank. A valve, a full cutoff valve, and an emergency cutoff valve are provided in sequence, and the full cutoff valve is closed by the output signal of the full liquid level detector provided in the service tank, and opened by the output of the lower limit liquid level detector, and the full cutoff valve is closed by the output signal of the full liquid level detector provided in the service tank. The emergency release valve opens and the emergency cutoff valve closes at the same time, and the emergency release valve and the emergency cutoff valve respond to the output signal of the dangerous liquid level detector or the full liquid level detector. This liquid supply device is characterized in that it is provided with a control device for resetting the liquid.

The invention will now be described on the basis of exemplary embodiments shown in the drawings.

In the figure, 10 is the main tank, 11 is the service tank, and these two tanks are connected by a pipe, that is, a siphon pipe 12, whose middle part is above these positions, and this siphon pipe A small auxiliary tank 14 and a check valve 1 are installed in the first branch pipe 13 near the main tank 12.
A vacuum pump 16 is connected via 5. A second branch pipe 17 of the siphon pipe 12 closer to the service tank is connected to the middle of the ventilation pipe 19 provided in the service tank 11 via a normally closed emergency release valve 18.

A portion of the siphon pipe 12 that connects the branch point 20 between the siphon pipe 12 and the second branch pipe 17 and the service tank 11 is provided with an optional on-off valve 21 and a full cutoff valve 2 from closer to the service tank 11.
2 and an emergency shut-off valve 23 are provided, the optional on-off valve 21 is generally a manual valve, and the full shut-off valve 2
2. The emergency shutoff valve 23 and the emergency release valve 18 are solenoid operated. 24 is service tank 1
1 is a full liquid level detector, 25 is a dangerous liquid level detector installed slightly higher than this, and 26 is a lower limit liquid level detector. The cutoff valve 22 changes from the open state to the closed state, and the emergency release valve 18 opens from the closed state in response to the liquid level detection signal from the dangerous liquid level detector 25. The emergency cutoff valve 23 changes from the open state to the closed state, and the emergency release valve 23 changes from the open state to the closed state. Valve 1
8 and the emergency cutoff valve 23 are reset by the off signal from the dangerous liquid level detector 25 or the full liquid level detector 24, and the full cutoff valve 22 is reset by the off signal from the lower limit liquid level detector 26. Control devices 27 and 28 are provided, respectively, so as to be controlled.

In addition, in the figure, 29 and 30 are a supply pipe and a ventilation pipe provided in the main tank. Reference numeral 31 denotes a pump for pumping out oil from the service tank 11, and 33 is a drain pipe provided at the bottom of the service tank for supplying oil to the boiler 32, for example.

In the apparatus of the present invention constructed as described above, if the main tank 10 has sufficient oil and the service tank 11 is empty or the liquid level is below the lower limit liquid level detector, the emergency release valve 18 is closed, the full shutoff valve 22 is open, and the inside of the siphon pipe 12 is assumed to be empty.

In this state, to pump liquid into the service tank 11, first close the optional on-off valve 21.
When the vacuum pump 16 is operated, the inside of the siphon pipe from the main tank to the valve 21 becomes a vacuum state, and oil is sucked up from the main tank 10 into this siphon pipe 12, and this liquid level becomes auxiliary. When the vacuum pump 16 reaches the tank 14, the operation of the vacuum pump 16 is stopped.

Then, when the valve 21 is opened, the oil flows into the service tank 1.
1 by siphon action without using any power, and the water is pumped into the service tank 11.
When the liquid level rises to the position of the full liquid level detector 24 inside, the full shutoff valve 22 is closed by this detection signal, and the liquid in the siphon pipe 12 remains in that state. . Therefore, when the liquid in the service tank 11 is pumped out by the pump 31 and the liquid level in the service tank 11 decreases and reaches the lower limit liquid level detector 26 position, the valve 22 is turned off by this off signal. After opening, the liquid is transferred from the main tank 10 to the service tank 1 by siphon action again.
1 through a siphon pipe 12.

In the device of the present invention constructed as described above, the vacuum pump 16 is first operated to create a vacuum or reduced pressure state in the siphon pipe 12, and then the valve group for control is operated. In addition to the main tank 10, the service tank 1
This has the effect that no power is required to pump the liquid into the tank.

Next, even if there is a hole in any part of the siphon pipe 12 due to corrosion or other reasons, or a gap is created in that part due to a defective connection,
Since the inside of the siphon pipe 12 is in a reduced pressure state, the liquid does not leak to the outside from that part, but rather draws in outside air, so the reduced pressure state of the siphon pipe is not maintained, and some of it returns to the main tank 10 while others flows into the service tank 11 and the siphon pipe 12
The inside becomes empty and the subsequent refueling operation stops.

Therefore, operation can be continued without noticing liquid leakage from the siphon pipe, and there is no risk of liquid loss or ground contamination, and it is safe.

Of course, if the location of the liquid leak is between the branch point 20 and the full cutoff valve 22 and below the liquid level of the main tank 10, the siphon action will occur even when the full cutoff valve 22 is closed. The liquid continues to flow out, but the pipes near this area are usually exposed above ground, so it can be easily detected before it becomes a serious problem, and there is no practical problem. Therefore, the full shutoff valve 22
is installed above the main tank 10. That is, if it is installed above the highest liquid level in the main tank 10, outflow from the siphon pipe 12 can also be prevented.

Next, when the full shutoff valve 22 malfunctions and too much liquid is supplied into the service tank 11, and the liquid level in this tank reaches the dangerous liquid level, the output signal of the dangerous liquid level detector 25 changes. Therefore, the emergency release valve 18 is opened, and at the same time, the emergency cutoff valve 23 is closed, and the emergency cutoff valve 2 is closed.
Outside air enters the siphon pipe 12 on the side of the main tank 10 from the main tank 10 through the ventilation pipe 19 and the branch pipe 17, the depressurized state there disappears, and the liquid inside returns to the main tank 10. Emergency shutoff valve 2
In the part of the siphon pipe 12 that is closer to the service tank 11 than 3, the reduced pressure state is maintained, so the liquid therein remains in that position.
No more liquid is supplied into the service tank, and there is no risk of the liquid overflowing from the service tank 11. Normally, the service tank 11 has an overflow pipe 36.
is provided to allow some liquid to overflow into a reserve tank or saucer.

If refueling is stopped as a result of the two types of malfunctions mentioned above, the cause of the malfunction can be easily determined based on the stopped state, and after these repairs are completed,
When restarting operation, follow the initial starting procedure.

In addition, if the operation is to be stopped for a long time, it is safe to open the emergency release valve 18 manually.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, a liquid level detector 34 is provided in the auxiliary tank 14, so that when the liquid level rises any further, the operation of the vacuum pump 16 is stopped. However, if the branch pipe 13 is sufficiently thick or long, especially the auxiliary tank 1
4 is not necessary, and a liquid level detector 34 may be provided in the middle of this branch pipe 13.

In addition, the control device 27 is designed to operate the emergency release valve 18 and the emergency cutoff valve 23 even if the seismic intensity of an earthquake is 4 or more.
It is preferable to set the input to the OR circuit of the seismometer 35 and the critical liquid level detector 25. Also, dangerous liquid level detector 2
It is preferable that a buzzer or a signal light be activated at the same time by the output signal No. 5.

Although the device of the present invention is most suitable for storing and refueling fuel oil, it can also be used for supplying water and other chemical liquids.

Although an electromagnetic control system is shown as the control system described above, in the case of flammable oil, it is better to use a pneumatic or hydraulic control system from the perspective of explosion protection.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

The drawings show things related to the present invention, and FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the arrangement of the entire device, and FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing piping and a control system. In the figure, symbols 10... Main tank, 11... Service tank, 12... Siphon pipe, 13...
First branch pipe, 16... Vacuum pump, 17...
Second branch pipe, 18...Emergency release valve, 19...
Ventilation pipe, 20... Branch point, 21... Optional opening/closing valve, 22... Full cutoff valve, 23... Emergency cutoff valve,
24...Full liquid level detector, 25...Dangerous liquid level detector, 26...Lower limit liquid level detector, 27, 28...Control device.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. In an apparatus in which a main tank is installed above a service tank, these two tanks are connected by a pipe, and a required amount of liquid is pumped into the service tank through the pipe at any time, the pipe is connected to the main tank. A siphon pipe is used, and two branch pipes are sequentially installed in the middle.A vacuum pump with a check valve is connected to the first branch pipe near the main tank, and the other second branch pipe is always connected to the first branch pipe near the main tank. The service tank is connected to the middle of the rising ventilation pipe provided in the service tank via a closed emergency release valve, and the service tank is connected between the branch point of the siphon pipe and the second branch pipe and the service tank. An arbitrary opening/closing valve, a full cutoff valve, and an emergency cutoff valve are sequentially provided from the service tank. Open,
In response to the output signal of the dangerous liquid level detector in the service tank, the emergency release valve opens and the emergency shutoff valve closes at the same time. A liquid supply device characterized in that it is provided with a control device that is reset by an off signal.