Remote monitoring of material storage containers

摘要

Arrangement and method for monitoring a material storage container which includes a housing defining an interior receivable of removable material. An interior sensor system is arranged on the housing to obtain information about any material in the interior of the housing different than the location of the container. A location determining system is arranged on the housing to monitor the location of the container, and a communication system is coupled to the interior sensor system and the location determining system and transmits information about the material in the housing and the location of the container to one or more remote facilities. The communication system may be arranged on the housing itself, which is especially applicable when the housing is movable, for example, such as the housing of a Frac tank. The location and condition of the material in the container can thus be known at all times.

主权项

1. A material storage container including an arrangement for monitoring the container, comprising:
a housing defining an interior receivable of a removable flowable material, the level or quantity of the material in the interior of the housing being variable during use of the container while the container is fixed or moving on land; an interior sensor system arranged on or in said housing, said interior sensor system being configured to obtain information about a current level or quantity of material in the interior of said housing; a location determining system arranged on or in said housing, said location determining system being configured to determine its location which is considered the same as a location of the container; a communication system coupled to said interior sensor system and said location determining system, said communication system being arranged on or in said housing,
said communication system being configured to transmit the obtained information about the material in the interior of said housing and the determined location of the container to a remote facility separate and apart from the container such that the transmission of the obtained information about the material in the interior of said housing and the determined location of the container originates from the housing; and a wakeup sensor system that detects occurrence of an internal or external requiring a change in the frequency of monitoring of the interior of said housing by said interior sensor system, said interior sensor system being coupled to said wakeup sensor system and configured to change a rate at which it obtains information about the material in the interior of said housing in response to the detected occurrence of an internal or external event by said wakeup sensor system, whereby the rate at which said interior sensor system obtains information about the material in the interior of said housing before the detected occurrence of the internal or external event by said wakeup sensor system is different than the rate at which said interior sensor system obtains information about the material in the interior of said housing after the detected occurrence of the internal or external event by said wakeup sensor system.