Microprocessor controlled system and method for automatically determining the rate of leakage from a fluid storage tank

Claim 3

The method defined in claim 1, and including the further steps of: (a) determining the system is not in Phase #1; (b) printing the message "TEST PHASE MUST BE #1" (345); and, (c) returning to the beginning (310) of said test loop.

Claim 4

The method defined in claim 2, and including the additional steps of: (a) determining (350) that the phase setting is not changed; (b) reading (360) said tank diameter (148), tank type (149), tank volume (142), product (152), API gravity (150) and API temperature (151) switches; (c) checking (370) if all of the setting of said switches are the same as first read (320); (d) determining (370) if all of the settings of said switches (142,148,149,150,151,152) are the same; (e) computing (420) the test time for the setting of the test phase switch (120); (f) calculating (430) a thermal coefficient of expansion for the fluid in the tank; (g) calculating (440) a temperature for the fluid in the tank; (h) calculating (450) the volume of fluid pumped into or out of the tank; and, (i) determining if the system is in a first loop for the setting of the test phase switch (120).

Claim 5

The method defined in claim 3, and including the additional steps of: (a) determining (460) that the system is in the first loop of the phase set one the test phase switch (120); (b) printing a phase header (470) and returning to the beginning (310) of the test loop; and, (c) beginning another test loop.

Claim 6

The method defined in claim 3, and including the additional steps of: (a) determining (460) that this is not the first loop for the phase set on the test phase switch (120); (b) printing (480) the test time, thermal coefficient of expansion, temperature, and volume of fluid pumped data just computed in a table; (c) advancing a loop counter (490) by one; (d) returning to the beginning (310) of said loop; and, (e) repeating the steps in said loop until said test time expires.

Claim 7

The method defined in claim 1, and including the additional steps of: (a) determining (330) that this run is not the first run of said system through said test loop; and, (b) checking (500) if the test time for the setting of the test phase switch (120) has expired.

Claim 8

The method defined in claim 1, and including the additional steps of: (a) determining (330) that the system is not making its first run (500) through said test loop, and that the test time for the setting of the test phase switch (120) has expired; and, (b) checking if the phase setting is changed (510).

Claim 9

The method defined in claim 6, and including the additional steps of: (a) determining (500) that the test time for the setting of the test phase switch (120) is equal to a new phase setting; (b) determining (520) that the phase setting of the test phase switch (120) is equal to the old setting of the test phase switch (120) plus 1; (c) printing (530) a phase header "START NEW PHASE"; (d) resetting the loop counter (490) to zero; (e) resetting (540) a phase counter to equal the new setting of the test phase switch (120); and (f) returning to said test loop immediately prior to the step (350) of checking "IS PHASE SETTING CHANGED?".

Claim 10

The method defined in claim 8, and including the additional steps of: (a) determining (510) that the phase setting of the test phase switch (120) is not equal to a new phase of the test phase switch (120); (b) checking (570) to see if the resume key (170) has been depressed; (c) determining (570) that the resume key (170) has been depressed; (d) checking (580') to see if the system is in Phase #4; (e) determining (580') that the system is not in Phase #4; (f) advancing the loop counter (620) by 3; (g) printing (630) the header "CONTINUE FOR FIFTEEN MINUTES"; (h) returning to said test loop immediately prior to the step (350) of checking "IS PHASE SETTING CHANGED?"; (i) determining (570) the resume key (170) has been depressed; (j) checking (580) if the system is in Phase #4; (k) determining (580) that the system is in Phase #4; (l) printing (600) the phase header "LEAK TEST COMPLETED"; and, (m) returning to the beginning of the loop.

Claim 11

The method defined in claim 9, and including the additional steps of: (a) determining (580) the system is not in Phase #4; (b) printing (590) the phase header "END OF PHASE #1 SWITCH TO PHASE #2"; and, (c) returning to the beginning of said test loop.

Claim 12

The method defined in claim 8, and including the additional steps of: (a) determining (520) that the phase setting of the test phase switch (120) is not equal to the old Phase #1 plus 1; (b) checking (640) if said resume key (170) has been depressed; (c) determining that the resume key (170) has been depressed; (d) waiting (650) a delay time; (e) checking (660) if said resume key (170) has been depressed; (f) determining (660) that said resume key (170) has been depressed; (g) printing (530) the phase header "START NEW PHASE"; (h) resetting (540) the loop counter (490) to zero; (i) resetting (540) the phase counter to equal a new setting of the test phase switch (120); (j) returning to said test loop immediately before checking (350) "IS PHASE SETTING CHANGED?"; (k) determining (640) that said resume key (170) is not on; (l) printing (670) the phase header "TEST PHASE SHOULD BE PHASE (P PLUS 1)"; and, (m) returning to the beginning of said test loop.

Claim 13

The method defined in claim 7, and including the additional steps of: (a) determining (350) that said phase setting is changed; (b) checking (550) if said resume key (170) has been depressed; (c) determining (550) that said resume key (170) has not been depressed; (d) printing (560) the phase header "PHASE P NOT COMPLETED"; (e) returning to the beginning of said test loop; (f) determining (550) (640) said resume key (170) is on; (g) waiting (650) a delay time; (h) checking (660) to see if said resume key (170) is on; (i) determining (660) said resume key (170) is on; (j) printing (530) the phase header "START NEW PHASE"; (k) resetting (540) the loop counter (490) to zero; (l) resetting (540) the phase counter to a new setting of the test phase switch (120); and, (m) returning to said test loop immediately before the step of checking (350) "IS PHASE SETTING CHANGED?".

Claim 14

The method defined in claim 12, and including the additional steps of: (a) determining (640) that the resume key (170) is not on; (b) printing ((670) the phase header "TEST PHASE SHOULD BE (P PLUS 1); and, (c) returning to the beginning of said test loop.

Claim 15

The method defined in claim 12, and including the additional steps of: (a) determining (640) that the resume key (170) is not on; (b) printing ((670) the phase header "TEST PHASE SHOULD BE (P PLUS 1); and, (c) returning to the beginning of said test loop.

Claim 16

The method defined in claim 3, and including the additional steps of: (a) determining (370) that all of the settings of said switches (142,148-152) are not the same; (b) checking (380) if the system is in Phase #1 or Phase #2; (c) determining (380) that the system is in Phase #1 or Phase #2; (d) updating (410) computer memory; and, (e) returning to said test loop immediately before the step of computing: (1) test time (420) (2) coefficient of expansion (430) (3) temperature change (440) (4) fluid pumped in or out (450).

Claim 17

The method defined in claim 3, and including the additional steps of: (a) determining (380) that the test phase is not test #1 or test #2; (b) checking (390) to see if the test phase is 190 3; (c) determining (390) that the test phase is not #3; (d) printing (400) the phase header "CANNOT ACCEPT NEW SETTING"; and, (e) returning to the beginning of said test loop.

Claim 18

The method as defined in claim 3, and including the additional steps of: (a) determining (390) that the test phase is #3; (b) checking (385) to see if the resume key (170) is depressed; (c) determining (385) that the resume key (170) is not depressed; (d) printing (400) the phase header "CANNOT ACCEPT NEW SETTING"; and, (e) returning to the beginning of said loop.

Claim 19

The method defined in claim 17, and including the additional steps of: (a) determining (385) that said resume key (170) has been depressed; (b) updating (410) computer memory; and, (c) returning to said test loop immediately before the step of computing: (1) test time (420) (2) coefficient of expansion (430) (3) temperature change (440) (4) fluid pumped in or out (450).

Claim 20

The method defined in claim 18, wherein the step of computing the test time (420) includes the steps of: (a) reading (700) the phase number setting of the test phase switch (120); (b) reading (700) the setting of the tank volume swich (142); (c) reading (700) the setting of the tank diameter switch (148); (d) checking (710) to see if the setting of the test phase switch (120) to is equal to #1; (e) determining (710) the setting of the phase swtich (120) is equal to #1; (f) checking (720) if a petroleum product is in the tank; (g) determining (720) a petroleum product is in the tank; (h) determining (730) the number of loops the system will go through by multiplying the tank volume in gallons by the number 0.0013; (i) determining (720) that a petroleum is not in the tank; and, (j) determining (740) the number of loops the system will go through by multiplying the tank volume in gallons by the number 0.0016.

Claim 21

The method defined in claim 19, and including the additional steps of: (a) determining (710) that the setting of the test phase switch (120) is not equal to #1, and (b) checking (750) if the setting of the test phase switch (120) is equal to #2.

Claim 22

The method defined in claim 20, and including the additional steps of: (a) determining (750) the setting of the test phase switch (120) is equal to #2; and, (b) setting (760) the loop counter (490) equal to #1.

Claim 23

The method defined in claim 21, and including the additional steps of: (a) determining (750) that the setting of the test phase switch (120) is not equal to #2; (b) checking (770) to see if the setting of the test phase switch (120) is equal to #3; (c) determining (770) that the setting of the test phase switch (120) is equal to #3; and, (d) determining (780) the number of loops the test will go through, as being equal to the tank diameter in inches times the number 0.275.

Claim 24

The method defined in claim 22, and including the additional steps of: (a) determining (770) that the setting of the test phase switch (120) is not equal to #3; (b) checking (790) to see if the setting of the test phase swtich (120) is equal to #4; (c) determining (790) that the setting of the test phase switch (120) is equal to #4; (d) setting (800) the loop counter (490) to 16; (e) determining (790) that the setting of the test phase switch (120) is not equal to #4; and, (f) printing (810) an error message.

Claim 25

The method defined in claim 18, wherein the step of determining the temperature change (430) includes the steps of: (a) reading (820) a 17-bit analog-to-digital converter; (b) determining (820) the polarity and setting it equal to a first variable S; (c) determining (820) the value of the most signficant byte of the 17-bit analog-to-digital converter; (d) determining (820) the value of the least significant byte of the analog-to-digital converter; (e) determining (830) a new value as being equal to the value of the least significant byte of the analog-to-digital converter plus 256 times the value of the most significant byte of the analog-to-digital converter; (f) computing (840) the voltage as being equal to the new variable divided by the numeral 15,784.54; (g) checking (850) if the polarity is equal to zero; (h) determining (860) that the polarity is equal to zero; (i) setting (860) the value of voltage equal to minus the value of voltage; (j) determining the temperature; (k) determining the change in temperature since the previous loop; (l) performing an error analysis on the system to determine the maximum possible temperature change; and, (m) checking to see if the change in temperature through the loop is greater than the maximum possible temperature variation.

Claim 26

The method defined in claim 24, and including the additional steps of: (a) determining (850) that the polarity is not equal to zero; (b) determining the temperature; (c) determining the change in temperature since the previous loop; (d) performing an error analysis to determine the maximum possible allowable temperature change; (e) checking (900) to see if the change in temperature through the loop is greater than the maximum possible change in temperature; (f) determining (900) that the change in temperature is not greater than the maximum permissable change in temperature; (g) determining (900) that the change in temperature is greater than the maximum permissible change in temperature; and, (h) printing (910) a warning message.

Claim 27

The method defined in claim 18, wherein the step of computing the coefficient of expansion (430) includes the steps of: (a) reading (920) the API temperature; (b) reading (920) the API gravity; (c) computing (930) an initial density value; (d) reading (950) the type of product; and, (e) computing (960,970,980,990) a final density value.

Claim 28

The method defined in claim 18, wherein the step of computing the product pumped in or out includes the steps of: (a) reading (1000) a pump counter to obtain the value of the most significant byte of said counter and a value for the least signficant byte of said counter; (b) calculating (1010) a variable equal to the value of the least signficant byte plus 256 multiplied by the value of the most significant byte; (c) checking (1020) if teh value of the most significant byte is greater than 127; (d) determining (1020) that the value of the most significant byte is greater than 127; (e) setting (1030) the value of the variable to the old value of the variable minus 65,536; (f) checking (1040) if the value of the variable is less than zero; (g) determining (1040) that the new value of the variable is not less than zero; (h) calculating (FIG. 14D) the amount of fluid pumped in gallons as equal to the variable divided by 14,122; (i) determining (1040) that the new value of the variable is less than zero; (j) determining (FIG. 14D) the volume of fluid pumped as being equal to the new value of the variable divided by 14,047; (k) determining (1020) that the value of the most significant byte is not greater than 127; (l) checking (1040) if the value of the variable is less than zero; (m) determining (1040) that the new value of the variable not less than zero; (n) computing (FIG. 14D) the volume of the fluid pumped as being equal to the value of the variable divided by 14,122; (o) determining (1040) that the new value of the variable is less than zero; and, (p) computing (FIG. 4D) the volume of the fluid pumped as equal to the new value of the variable divided by 14,047.