Abstract: An automated lubrication oil filtration device including an oil pump adapted to transfer a lubrication oil from an engine to an oil reservoir, an oil heater associated with the oil reservoir and adapted to increase a temperature of the lubrication oil, a filter pump adapted to transfer the lubrication oil from the oil reservoir through a filtering device and return the lubrication oil to the oil reservoir, and a programmable logic controller adapted to control operation of the oil pump, the oil heater, and the filter pump. The oil heater maintains the temperature of the lubrication oil at a desired temperature.

Abstract: The liquid depth sensing and identification system determines both the pressure head or depth, and therefore the quantity, of a liquid in a tank, as well as determining the characteristics of the liquid at the bottom of the probe. Two principles of operation are disclosed herein. The system may use a gas bubble collector about the outlet end of the purge tube, with the difference in height of the collector and purge tube mouths defining the very small difference in pressure head required to resolve the bubble emission characteristics produced in different liquids. Alternatively, the system incorporates a mass flow sensor capable of detecting minute changes in mass flow as bubbles are emitted from the purge tube in order to determine the type and characteristics of the liquid. The system operates using an open loop principle of operation, with no feedback provided to control the purge pump.

Abstract: The liquid depth sensing and identification system determines both the pressure head or depth, and therefore the quantity, of a liquid in a tank, as well as determining the characteristics of the liquid at the bottom of the probe. Two principles of operation are disclosed herein. The system may use a gas bubble collector about the outlet end of the purge tube, with the difference in height of the collector and purge tube mouths defining the very small difference in pressure head required to resolve the bubble emission characteristics produced in different liquids. Alternatively, the system incorporates a mass flow sensor capable of detecting minute changes in mass flow as bubbles are emitted from the purge tube in order to determine the type and characteristics of the liquid. The system operates using an open loop principle of operation, with no feedback provided to control the purge pump.

Abstract: The present liquid depth sensing system with its liquid identification capability provides an economical device which may be installed in a multitude of different applications to perform multiple quantity measurement and detection functions. The present system includes a miniaturized piezoelectric pneumatic pump, sized and adjusted to produce a consistent stream of bubbles from the outlet end of the dip tube in the purge system of the present invention. The small variations in pneumatic pressure in the system due to the cycling of each bubble working through the surface tension and viscosity of the liquid as the bubble leaves the outlet end of the tube are detected and converted to a voltage signal which is used to identify the liquid at the outlet end of the tube. The present system is extremely valuable for identifying contaminants in the tank, as well as for measuring the liquid quantity in the tank.

Abstract: The present invention is a liquid depth sensing system utilizing the bubble tube or purge operating principle. In this system, a pneumatic tube extends downwardly into the liquid, and air (or other gas) passes through the tube to bubble from the lower end thereof. The air or gas pressure within the tube is equal to the head pressure of the liquid, thus allowing the liquid depth to be determined by measuring the air or gas pressure. Prior art systems are relatively bulky, maintenance prone, and require relatively high energy input due to the constant operation of the relatively large pneumatic pump motor and its high output pressure required due to the electromechanical pressure regulator installed downstream of the pneumatic pump. The present invention overcomes these deficiencies by using the pneumatic pump motor as the regulating device, by operating the motor only as required to produce only sufficient pressure for measuring the liquid depth.

Abstract: The present invention is a liquid depth sensing system utilizing the bubble tube or purge operating principle. In this system, a pneumatic tube extends downwardly into the liquid, and air (or other gas) passes through the tube to bubble from the lower end thereof. The air or gas pressure within the tube is equal to the head pressure of the liquid, thus allowing the liquid depth to be determined by measuring the air or gas pressure. The present system may be applied to either open or closed liquid containers (e. g., fuel quantity indication), and may be adapted for use in the bottling industry.