Installation for filling transport tanks with liquids

p0001The invention relates to a system for filling transport tanks with liquids according to the preamble of claim 1. It is particularly intended for hazardous installations for filling vehicle tanks with water fluids, eg with liquid spreading material.

p0002The invention further relates to a method for filling with liquids transport tanks according to the preamble of claim 11.

p0003Such systems consist of a stationary storage container for the liquid spreading material which is pumped for refueling by means of a filling tube into a vehicle tank. For this purpose the stationary storage container is equipped with a pump unit, which consists of a charge pump driven by a motor. Such systems are used for example for fueling the transport tanks of winter service vehicles with a brine liquid. The filling hose which one end is connected to the pump unit, other rends connected by means of a releasable coupling for filling the transport tank.

p0004In order to prevent overfilling of the transport tank, that is equipped with a limit value generator which generates a pump motor abschaltendes signal when reaching the maximum filling level. Typically, the limit switch is switched such that it generates when the maximum filling level in the transport tank an electrical signal which is fed via an electric line a controlling the pump motor control circuit via an electrical line. Upon reaching the maximum level in the transport tank an intended limit indicator in switch so that the switching signal is zero and the pump motor is turned off opens. Thus is prevented that the transport tank is overfilled.

p0005When filling the transport tank with highly electrically conductive liquids, such as chlorides and acetates contained in the liquid material to be spread, but it can lead to problems when these fluids enter the electrical connection cable between the limit sensor and control circuit of the pump motor so that by a short circuit in the connecting line a continuous signal is simulated and thus the pump motor is not switched off, although the maximum filling level of the transport tank is reached.

p0006This leads to congestion of the transport tanks, whereby one part of the tank can be damaged and, secondly uncontrollably enters the liquid spreading material in the subsoil.

p0007Other disorders with the same result can occur if the electromechanical plug-in contacts and cables are damaged, so that a control of the pump motor and thus fueling the spreading vehicle is impossible.

p0008The present invention has for its object to design the described system so that the signal transmission cable neither shorts nor by mechanical damage of the cable or the plug contacts is disturbed and overfilling of the transport tank is safely avoided.

p0009This object is achieved according to the principles of the present invention in that the cable connection between the limit sensor and control circuit of the pump assembly is replaced by a wireless, bi-directional transmission link.

p0010Under the proposal, according to claim 1, both the control circuit of the pump unit and the limit switches of the transport tank are each equipped with a transmitter and receiver module for this purpose, which are wirelessly connected to each other via the bidirectional transmission path. As transmitter and receiver modules bidirectionally acting infrared sensors can be used according to claim 2 bidirectionally acting radio modules or claim. 3

p0011Also, the tank associated transmit and receive module can be combined according to the proposal according to claim 4 with a transponder, with which at the same time to be filled transport tank is identified.

p0012According to claim 8 the receiver module of the control circuit of the pump unit via a data interface with a computer connected advantageously in this case, the filling amounts and address of the transport tanks are recognized for operating data processing in its database. This ensures that only authorized vehicles can remove an assigned amount grit from the pump system. By recording the flow rate per unit of time by means of flow meter or by defining the flow per unit time of the filling pump, the filling amount can be collected and transferred to the database. In the database, all essential operational data is stored and output by a printer paper.

p0013The preferred wiring of the limit switch is indicated by the claims. 5 and 6

p0014Under the proposal, according to claim 7, the maximum, the transmission range of the length of the filling hose should meet so that only made hose connecting a filling is possible.

p0015Offers according to claims 9 and 10 relate to the potential power of the transmitter and receiver modules or the limit switch.

p0016The claims 11 to 15 are directed to a corresponding method, wherein the Claims 12 to 15 describe preferred variants of the method the method according to claim eleventh

p0017Offers invention not only increase the safety of the plant. Rather, they also make a time-consuming cable action superfluous.

p0018Design and function of the inventively designed system are explained in more detail below with reference to a block diagram schematically shown in the drawing.

p0019The pump assembly 10, consisting of the filling pump 12 driven by the motor 11, is connected via a control circuit 14 with a bi-directional transmitting and receiving module 15, for example, respective radio modules or infrared sensors.

p0020Likewise, the container 20 of the vehicle associated limit sensor 22 is connected to a bidirectional transmission and reception module 25th

p0021The signal transmission between the transmitter and receiver modules takes place wirelessly via the bidirectional transmission path 30th

p0022For refueling the vehicle tank 20 the filling pump 11 is connected via a filling hose 13 with this. The power supply of the stationary reservoir associated transmit and receive module 15 is effected with a stationary power source, the power supply of the vehicle container 20 associated transmit receive module 25 takes place by means of the power source of the transport vehicle, typically power sources are used with a DC voltage 10 to 30 volts.

p0023For fueling, the mounted on a Winterdienstfahrzeug container with liquid spreading material, typically a brine liquid, the end Filling hose 13 is connected to the charge pump 11, the Filling hose length 13 is a measure of the maximum range of the transmission path 30th

p0024To initiate the filling operation of the motor 12 of the pump assembly 10 is turned on via the control circuit 14, whereupon the transmitter and receiver module 15 to provided on the vehicle transmitting and receiving module 25 sends a signal via the transmission link 30th Unless the vehicle tank 20 is not yet filled, the level has not yet reached the maximum level 21a of the liquid spreading material 21, the switch 23 of the limit switch 22 so that the pulse train generated by the pulse generator 16 to lie in the output circuit 24 of the pulse generator 26 switch 23 is closed, passes, and a "Start free" signal is generated, via which the transmitter and receiver module 25, the transmission path 30 and the transmit and receive module 15 of the control circuit is sent to the fourteenth

p0025This query with the pulse sequence is continuously repeated, wherein a pulse frequency of 1 Hertz is advantageous, 'ie 1 times per second by the control circuit 14, a query signal is generated.

p0026As well as the liquid spreading material 21 in the vehicle tank 20 the maximum level has reached 21, the switch 23 of the trained level sensor limit switch 22 is opened, so that for a duration that is greater than the pulse duration of, for example one second, not rückmeldendes activating signal of the control circuit is supplied, after which the drive motor 12 of the pump assembly 10 is turned off. Thus, the filling process is interrupted. ensures this procedure is that the vehicle tank can be filled 20 only up to the maximum level 21.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

p0027<dl id="dl0001" compact="compact"><dt>10</dt><dd>pump unit</dd><dt>11</dt><dd>filling pump</dd><dt>12</dt><dd>motor</dd><dt>13</dt><dd>filling hose</dd><dt>14</dt><dd>control circuit</dd><dt>15</dt><dd>Transmitter and receiver module</dd></dl><dl id="dl0002" compact="compact"><dt>20</dt><dd>containers for automobiles</dd><dt>21</dt><dd>liquid material,</dd><dt>21a</dt><dd>liquid level</dd><dt>22</dt><dd>limit indicator</dd><dt>23</dt><dd>switch</dd><dt>24</dt><dd>Output circuit of the pulse generator 26</dd><dt>25</dt><dd>Transmitter and receiver module</dd><dt>26</dt><dd>pulse</dd></dl><dl id="dl0003" compact="compact"><dt>30</dt><dd>Bidirectional transmission path</dd></dl>