Tank Level Research Articles

A novel fault detection and diagnostic Petri net methodology for dynamic systems

Faults can have significant, negative impacts on the operation and performance of simple and complex dynamic systems. Based on the integration of Bayesian network diagnostic features with Petri net formalism, the existing Bayesian-supported Petri net tool has demonstrated the flexibility of using the Petri net approach for diagnosing failure scenario of a dynamic system. However, studies on using the proposed hybrid Petri net approach for condition monitoring and early detection and diagnosis of single and multiple failures in a dynamic system with feedback control loops are yet to be investigated. Thus, this paper presents a methodology to address this research gap using the operation of a water tank level control system as a case study. The method combines the constructed Generalised Stochastic Petri Net (GSPN) model of the system operation with its corresponding fault diagnostic Petri net model, created using the proposed modified Bayesian Stochastic Petri Net (mBSPN) formalism. The GSPN model establishes the causal relationships between the system’s components and/or subsystems. It further identifies deviations in the sensor measurements of the observable process variables characterising the system operation. The information provided by the sensors in the system model are then inputted into the mBSPN model to diagnose the root cause of the observed deviations. The obtained results demonstrated the capability of using the proposed integrated Petri net methodology for system condition monitoring, early fault detection and diagnosis of single and multiple failures in a dynamic system with feedback control loops.

The Iconic Philippine Coral Reef at Steinhart Aquarium: The Husbandry, Welfare, Behavior, and Veterinary Care Considerations of a Large Multi-Taxa Living Coral Reef System

In 2008, Steinhart Aquarium at the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco, CA, USA, unveiled a brand new facility with the 212,000 gallon Philippine Coral Reef habitat as its iconic centerpiece. Designing and managing a system that consists of a living reef this large, with associated invertebrates and teleosts, has been a challenge for the aquarium’s husbandry and veterinary teams. Establishing appropriate lighting, water quality, and flow has required a scientific approach and resulting adjustments to the original habitat design. The medical management of reef species has required an in-habitat approach as well as trial-and-error therapeutics. Determining the criteria for assessing the welfare of corals and other tank inhabitants has been a shifting process that has heavily utilized photography-tracked changes and other quantitative parameters as baselines. This report details the successes and limitations of establishing the environmental and veterinary management of this mesocosm. The consideration of interplay between species is discussed, and recommendations for monitoring welfare both on an individual and tank level are made. Making adjustments for the benefit of the exhibit and its animals is key for the unique aquarium displays that comprise captive coral reef systems.

Methodology for probabilistic tsunami-triggered oil spill fire hazard assessment based on Natech cascading disaster modeling

A novel modeling methodology is presented for cascading disasters triggered by tsunami hazards considering uncertainties. The proposed methodology focuses on tsunami-triggered oil spills and subsequent fires, a type of natural hazard-triggered technological (Natech) event. The methodology numerically simulates the time-varying behavior of tsunami-triggered oil spill fires for numerous stochastically generated scenarios and performs a probabilistic mapping of the maximum radiative heat flux as a quantitative measure of the fire hazard. To enable these assessments, probabilistic tsunami hazard assessments are extended to include the tsunami-induced movement of oil storage tanks, resulting oil spills, tsunami-driven oil fire spread, and thermal radiation from fires. The uncertainty of the earthquake fault slip distribution, oil filling level of storage tanks, and fire starting time and position is incorporated into the new assessments. To demonstrate the methodology, a realistic case study is conducted for a coastal petrochemical industrial park in Japan conditioned on possible offshore moment magnitude 9.1 earthquakes. Contrary to typical tsunami direct impact assessments, the results highlight the cascading effects of tsunamis and large variability in key output variables concerning oil spills and fires. This indicates that the methodology is useful for deepening stakeholders’ understanding of tsunami-triggered cascading disasters and improving risk reduction plans.

Control Algorithm for Two-Tank System using Multiparametric Programming

The two-tank system consists of two connected tanks, where the goal is to control the liquid levels in both tanks by manipulating the inflow rates. This study proposes a control algorithm for a two-tank system based on multiparametric programming. In this work, the flow rate is determined using multiparametric programming. The simulation studies demonstrate the proposed work’s effectiveness by comparing its performance with and without noise. Results show accurate and robust regulation of liquid levels, minimizing control effort and making it suitable for systems with dynamic variations or parameter uncertainties. In conclusion, the implementation of multiparametric programming is able to estimate the value of the output for the control algorithm of the two-tank system.

Design of 3×3 Multi Input Multi Output (MIMO) Decoupling on Coupled Tank System with PID Controller

Multivariable processes are the general classification for process features in the chemical industry. The variables in a single process unit interact with one another through more than one input and output. Since parameters interact with one another, changing one parameter's variable requires changing another parameter's variable as well. Further research is needed to determine how to create controllers that can handle interactions in the process. A MIMO control system is exemplified by the coupled tank system. Coupled tanks are present, and they communicate with one another by horizontal pipes. An interacting system can be represented using a coupled tank setup. Decoupling can be added to reduce the interactions that take place between variables. According to the results of the simulation, adding decoupling reduces the IAE value compared to not adding it. When the setpoint for tank level 1 (H1) was changed, the system's IAE value was 17.35 without the addition of decoupling, whereas it was 11.71 with it.

Experimental test-bed for test of pumps with frequency regulation

A literature review was conducted to develop an experimental stand for testing pumps. It was established that frequency regulation is one of the quantitative energy-saving methods of controlling the operation of the pumping unit. At the same time, the influence on the pump unit is carried out by changing the operating point by means of variable pump curve. The hydraulic schemes for experimental study of frequency-controlled pumps presented in the article have certain disadvantages: 1) the location of the pump relative to the tank is ambiguous regarding the operation of the pump under flooded suсtion; 2) pressure regulation is provided only in the direction of its decrease; 3) refers rather to the automation of pumping installations. On the designed and manufactured experimental stand, it is possible to study the operation of the pump with the use of a frequency converter and without it, through a bypass line. When testing the pump for systems that operate according to the fluid level in the suction tank, use either a valve on the discharge pipeline (with the use of a frequency converter) or a ball valve on the discharge pipeline from the discharge tank (without the use of a frequency converter). In addition, pump testing using a frequency converter can be performed for pressure-operated systems. The installed frequency converter is a regulator of the flow of the working fluid, which allows adjusting of the pump discherge. The pump designed on the experimental stand is a self-suction jet that does not need to be installed under flooded suсtion. The discharge tank is located higher than the suction tank, which ensures the circulation of the working fluid by gravity. The working fluid will be water. The preliminary results, performed on the experimental stand, confirm the possibility of frequency regulation of the pump using a frequency converter.

Prototype Development of an SMS-Based Industrial Water Tank Level Monitoring and Control Parameters System

This study describes the creation of a prototype SMS-based fluid parameter monitoring system. Many water industry and oil servicing/plant maintenance companies use workers to measure and monitor fluid parameters such as flow rate, temperature, pressure, and level (taking periodic readings). The method is determined to be extremely difficult and severe, raising serious concerns. To address the aforementioned issue, it is proposed that a system be developed that would reduce the staff stress of manual monitoring of fluid parameters and notify the same to personnel for necessary action. The suggested system is made up of both hardware and software. The hardware section consists of four units: power supply, input, control, and output, all of which were created utilizing a top-down system design approach. The C programming language was used to write the software that controls the entire system. Following that, multiple units were constructed and tested. When the system is turned on, the sensors monitor various fluid (water) characteristics and provide signals to the microcontroller, which analyzes the parameters and sends them to a display unit and the employee's mobile phone for alert notification. The outcome is quite precise and accurate. A simulation of the system performance was also performed in PROTEUS. This proposed method is inexpensive and can be implemented in oil service organizations to provide faultless services in place of employees.

Optimizing Three-Tank Liquid Level Control: Insights from Prairie Dog Optimization

The management of chemical process liquid levels poses a significant challenge in industrial process control, affecting the efficiency and stability of various sectors such as food processing, nuclear power generation, and pharmaceutical industries. While Proportional-Integral-Derivative (PID) control is a widely-used technique for maintaining liquid levels in tanks, its efficacy in optimizing complex and nonlinear systems has limitations. To overcome this, researchers are exploring the potential of metaheuristic algorithms, which offer robust optimization capabilities. This study introduces a novel approach to liquid level control using the Prairie Dog Optimization (PDO) algorithm, a metaheuristic algorithm inspired by prairie dog behavior. The primary objective is to design and implement a PID-controlled three-tank liquid level system that leverages PDO to regulate liquid levels effectively, ensuring enhanced stability and performance. The performance of the proposed system is evaluated using the ZLG criterion, a time domain metric-based objective function that quantifies the system's efficiency in maintaining desired liquid levels. Several analysis techniques are employed to understand the behavior of the system. Convergence curve analysis assesses the PDO-controlled system's convergence characteristics, providing insights into its efficiency and stability. Statistical analysis determines the algorithm's reliability and robustness across multiple runs. Stability analysis from both time and frequency response perspectives further validates the system's performance. A comprehensive comparison study with state-of-the-art metaheuristic algorithms, including AOA-HHO, CMA-ES, PSO, and ALC-PSODE, is conducted to benchmark the performance of PDO. The results highlight PDO's superior convergence, stability, and optimization capabilities, establishing its efficacy in real-world industrial applications. The research findings underscore the potential of PDO in PID control applications for three-tank liquid level systems. By outperforming benchmark algorithms, PDO demonstrates its value in industrial control scenarios, contributing to the advancement of metaheuristic-based control techniques and process optimization. This study opens avenues for engineers and practitioners to harness advanced control solutions, thereby enhancing industrial processes and automation.

Industrial Data-Driven Processing Framework Combining Process Knowledge for Improved Decision Making—Part 1: Framework Development

Data management systems are increasingly used in industrial processes. However, data collected as part of industrial process operations, such as sensor or measurement instruments data, contain various sources of errors that can hamper process analysis and decision making. The authors propose an operating-regime-based data processing framework for industrial process decision making. The framework was designed to increase the quality and take advantage of available process data use to make informed offline strategic business operation decisions, i.e., environmental, cost and energy analysis, optimization, fault detection, debottlenecking, etc. The approach was synthesized from best practices derived from the available framework and improved upon its predecessor by putting forward the combination of process expertise and data-driven approaches. This systematic and structured approach includes the following stages: (1) scope of the analysis, (2) signal processing, (3) steady-state operating periods detection, (4) data reconciliation and (5) operating regime detection and identification. The proposed framework is applied to the brownstock washing department of a dissolving pulp mill. Over a 5-month period, the process was found to be in steady-state 32% of the time. Twenty (20) distinct operating regimes were identified. Further processing with the help of data reconciliation techniques, principal component analysis and k-means clustering showed that the main drivers explaining the operating regimes are the pulp level in tanks, its density, and the shower wash water flow rate. Additionally, it was concluded that the top four persistently problematic sensors across the steady-state spans that would need to be verified are three flow meters (06FIC137, 06FIC152, and 06FIC433), and one consistency sensor (06NIC423). This information was relayed to process experts contacts at the plant for further investigation.

Radiological study of a wastewater treatment plant associated with radioiodine therapy at a hospital in West Java, Indonesia

Nuclear medicine (NM) services in Indonesia have rapidly developed due to the increasing number of patients, and this growth has been supported by standardized regulations in the field, including the management of solid waste generated. However, multiple reports indicate that licensing control does not regulate liquid waste disposal from patient excretions to protect personnel and the community from radiopharmaceutical exposure. One of the radiopharmaceuticals commonly used in NM and having the longest half-life among the radiopharmaceuticals used in NM is iodine 131(I-131). Thus, this study used a high-purity germanium detector to measure iodine-131 (I-131) activity in liquid waste from decay tanks, temporary collection channels, the hospital’s wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) outlet, and six points around the NM service and liquid waste treatment unit. Concentration measurements in three decay tanks were carried out sequentially every 12 h for 3 d, corresponding to the therapy period. The results showed that the I-131 activity levels in the decay tanks and temporary collection channels, before being mixed with liquid waste from other units, were 95.9 × 106 ± 4.4 × 106 Bq m−3. At the point where the liquid waste from other units was mixed, the activity level decreased significantly to 472 680 ± 22 160 Bq m−3, which was below the clearance level of 107 Bq m−3. However, the recorded concentration exceeded the standard for environmental radioactivity at the hospital’s WWTP outlet, namely 37 670 ± 2040 Bq m−3. The measurement results for I-131 in the air in the open space for two nuclear buildings was above the standard at 1.3 ± 0.27 Bq m−3. According to the RESRAD simulation, based on the initial dose taken from the liquid waste treatment outlet point, the accumulation of doses and the risk of cancer among workers and the community decreased within 3 months after the maximum exposure.

Design and Development of Automated Indoor Farming with Alert System

Indoor farming is becoming an addition to conventional farming practices. This project focused on designing a new, multilevel automated aeroponics system. This newly designed prototype includes an alert system that can alert the user at low water tank levels. The proposed multilevel aeroponic was tested for suitability for maximum plant growth configurations. The prototype development consists of several phases: primary structure, plastic container, water piping, and system setup. Various experiments were conducted within five weeks. The configurations involve changing lighting hours and irrigation patterns. The project's outcome shows the configuration with 12 hours of lighting and a 20-minute misting cycle provides maximum growth. A few recommendations such as lightning setup, user control and misting cycle were also discussed.

Mirror, mirror on the wall… How tank material and the presence of “enrichments” affect competition and agonism in zebrafish (Danio rerio)

Despite generations of rearing in a laboratory environment, zebrafish (Danio rerio) retain innate preferences for environmental features that mimic their natural habitat (e.g. plants and gravel), but the effects of such preferred housing conditions on agonism are poorly understood. In this study, we worked with > 450 fish in 41 tanks to test two competing hypotheses about body size variation within shoals (a possible proxy for dominance hierarchy strength) and agonistic behaviour: A) the provision of preferred resources increases agonism (relative to levels in empty, barren tanks), possibly due to resource guarding behaviour, and B) barren housing conditions increase agonism (relative to levels in tanks containing preferred resources), possibly because subordinates are less able to hide from dominant fish. In Experiment 1, groups of 11–13 fish were housed for ∼ 1 year in 7 tanks in each of 3 treatments: empty lab-typical tanks, larger empty plastic tanks, and larger “well-resourced” plastic tanks containing preferred resources (gravel and artificial plants). Similarly, in Experiment 2, groups were housed in 5 tanks in each of 4 cross-factored treatments: empty glass aquaria, empty plastic tanks, well-resourced glass aquaria, and well-resourced plastic tanks. Live observations of agonistic behaviours and measures of body size variation (coefficient of variation for standard length and condition factor) were compared between treatments (using GLMs). In Experiment 1, empty lab-typical tanks exhibited significantly more agonistic behaviours than the other two treatment groups, which were not significantly different from each other. In Experiment 2, we found a significant interactive effect of housing treatment and tank material on agonism, where agonistic behaviours occurred most often in empty glass aquaria, possibly due to mirror-like reflections on glass walls. We therefore suggest that reflective surfaces in zebrafish housing systems should be minimized or visually disruptive resources like plants should be added to reduce agonism. Together both experiments also indicate that we need not be hesitant about adding preferred resources to captive zebrafishes’ housing environments, since they likely do not exacerbate agonism (and indeed may even reduce it). We also found two unexpected results: in Experiment 1, shoals exhibiting increased agonism had significantly lower coefficients of variation in standard length and in Experiment 2, fish in barren tanks grew significantly longer than those housed with preferred resources. Possible growth-related hypotheses are discussed and we suggest that high coefficients of variation in body size should not be used to infer high levels of agonism in zebrafish shoals.

Smart Water Tank Level Detection

As the world around, us transforms and becomes more linked and digitalized, public water management is expected to provide in way. How far are we from achieving a true Smart Water Tank Level Detection, from cutting-edge technology to comfort, safety, reliability, and maintain. We notice that cleanliness of the surrounding area in Water Tank is also important because many people using by water stoaring tank, so how much west water is collected in the any other tank. As a result, we are implementing this approach and developing a green and complete water management city. Because of the day by day by many variant viruses in water and clean water is minimum available of sources, the smart water tank finder is primarily focused on human health, The human body will be affected, and the human life span will be reduced. So, by employing this system, the amount of human power necessary will be minimized, and you will be notified automatically on your mobile screen when a water tank needs to be disconnected supply or when an order is detected. Another sensor, ultrasonic sensor

Smart Energy Management for a Microgrid System Based on Echo State Networks─Gray Wolf Optimizer Hybrid Algorithm

This work present a smart energy management system for a microgrid based on a hybrid intelligent adaptive algorithm composed of an echo state network and gray wolf optimizer techniques. The microgrid connected to the grid is composed of renewable sources such as photovoltaic and wind conversion associated with a hybrid battery hydrogen fuel generation storage system. An adaptive intelligent control unit is developed to manage the power flow between the hybrid power sources and other devices in the system. The controller chooses the optimal operating mode of power sources ensuring the continuous supply of the injecting power in the grid and maintaining the battery state of charge at acceptable levels as the hydrogen tank level. Complete mathematical modeling for the proposed system is implemented in MATLAB/Simulink to track the microgrid performance. Numerical and graphical results are presented to show the effectiveness of the proposed control system

A non-reference detection method of the external ultrasonic liquid level switch using the PZT

Oil tank level is an important control parameter in oil depot management. According to the principle that the liquid in the oil tank can absorb the guided wave propagation energy in the tank wall, this paper studied a non-reference detection method of external ultrasonic liquid level switch based on the signal energy change value between the current and the previously liquid level detection signal. The experimental results show that the ultrasonic guided wave with the center frequency of 30 kHz is sensitive and low misjudgment to liquid level detection. According to the experimental setup, the liquid level judgment threshold is set to 0.9890. The influence of the liquid on the guided wave propagation in the tank wall decreases with the frequency of the guided wave increase. Finally, the effectiveness of the proposed method is verified on a diesel oil tank. The research of this paper provides a method for the research of oil tank external liquid level switch technology, and provides an idea for the research of oil tank liquid level measurement based on ultrasonic guided wave.

Subcooling Effect on PCM Solidification: A Thermostat-like Approach to Thermal Energy Storage

Choosing the right phase change material (PCM) for a thermal energy storage (TES) application is a crucial step in guaranteeing the effectiveness of the system. Among a variety of PCMs available, the choice for a given application is established by several key factors, e.g., latent heat, stability, and melting point. However, phenomena such as subcooling—for which PCM cools in a liquid state below its solidification point—can lead to a reduction in the amount of energy stored or released, reducing the TES overall effectiveness, and also in some inaccuracies when modeling the problem. Thus, understanding the effects of subcooling on PCM performance is crucial for modeling and optimizing the design and the performance of TES systems. To this end, this work analyzes the PCM discharging phase in a cold thermal energy storage coupled to a chiller system. A first conduction-based predictive model is developed based on enthalpy–porosity formulation. Subcooling phenomena are encompassed through a control variable formulation, which takes its cue from the operation of a thermostat. Then, thermal properties of the PCM, i.e., the phase change range and specific heat capacity curve with temperature, are evaluated by using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), in order to derive a second predictive model based on these new data, without including subcooling, for the sake of comparison with the first one. Experimental results from the storage tank confirm both model reliability and the fact that the PCM suffers from subcooling. Between the two numerical models developed, the first one that considers subcooling proves it is able to predict with satisfactory accuracy (RMSE < 1 °C) the temperature evolution on different tank levels.

IoT enabled smart solar water heater system using real time ThingSpeak IoT platform

AbstractThis dissertation aims to reuse the cold water which will initially present inside the water heater and reduce its wastage by sending it back to the water tank. The water heater temperature could be customized based on the number of users either manually or in an automated way using Internet of Things (IoT) techniques. The system is designed and operated using open‐source hardware and an IoT platform. The smart solar water heater with IoT capabilities continuously monitors the tank level, temperature, and pH level, and the data collected by the IoT node is uploaded/published to ThingSpeak. The IoT cloud analyses the sensor value and instructs the control unit of the smart solar system. The IoT enabled solar water heating system efficiency is high for smart homes and Industry 4.0. The main advantages of this model include handling multiple users, reducing the wastage of cold water, and purifying the water based on TDS level and this model aims to make it possible to control the proposed system from anywhere and at any time. The highest efficiency of the respective solar water heater could be well utilized.

Analysis of the effects of recycling on process control

Abstract The union of different devices in order to obtain a specific response for a process is commonly called a control system. For a control system, it is necessary to have one or more controllers. Among the most used in the industrial sector are the PID and PI controllers. Next to these controllers is the control software. Scilab is a good example of control software. It is characterized as free code software, with no cost for its acquisition, in addition to having a large computational power and integrated tools, such as Xcos, intended for modeling and simulation. For the union with Scilab, there is Arduino. Such a mixture can be used, for example, to control liquid levels in tanks. In this context, the present work aims to study the tank-level control system based on PID and PI controllers through the union between Scilab and Arduino. Phenomenological models were developed based on closed-loop control (feedback control system) of the process with two tanks not coupled with recycle. Furthermore, for comparison purposes, two approaches were used for each process: one considering the saturation of the manipulated variable and the other without the presence of such saturation. At first, there was a need to implement an anti-windup system. For tuning the controller parameters, the ISE method was used, executed through a programming code developed in Scilab. The parameters found for the two systems were tested on a made-up experimental bench. Therefore, using the block diagrams and the method here called “ISE method”, satisfactory values were obtained for the control parameters. These were ratified in the tests carried out in the experimental module. Level control was achieved with greater prominence for the PI controller since there is one less parameter to be tuned and processed by the system. This controller provided results close to the PID controller for cycles up to 50%. In general, the PI controller showed maximum response deviations smaller than the PID, such as deviations of 1.55 cm and 2.40 cm, respectively, for the case with 75% recycle. It was also clear the influence of the saturation of the manipulated variable on the system response, but not on the tuning of the controller parameters.

Hydrogen based configurations for an overhead crane with quasi-Z-source inverter

Most of the overhead cranes used to date are powered by diesel engine or electrical grid and voltage source inverter. The economic and environmental costs of fossil fuels, and the unsteady price of electricity, encourage exploring new applications for developing electric power technologies. In this scenario, the main objective of this paper is to analyze the technical and economic feasibility of two new configurations based on hydrogen system and quasi-Z-source inverter (qZSI) for an overhead crane. The first configuration uses a fuel cell (FC) connected to a qZSI to supply the crane. The second one integrates an electrolyzer (LZ) as an energy storage system (ESS) into the impedance network of the qZSI (without additional DC/DC converter), which allows to recover energy during the regenerative braking of the crane and use it to produce hydrogen. The modelling and control are described, and short simulations of the working cycle of the crane under different initial hydrogen tank levels, and long simulations with several working cycles, are considered. The results show the technical viability of the two hydrogen-based configurations and the control systems implemented, since they can power the crane under all the situations studied. Nevertheless, the configuration with FC and LZ presents a higher energy efficiency (65% vs 44% with the FC-only configuration). Regarding the economic study, both configurations are compared with a diesel-based and with a full-electric configuration powered by the grid. Analyzing both hydrogen-based configurations, the results show that the configuration with FC and FZ becomes more profitable after 1.56 years, despite the higher initial cost. However, both configurations result more expensive than those based on diesel engine and fully powered by the grid. The two proposed configurations would be more cost-effective than the initial configuration in a plausible future with a 40% decrease in hydrogen cost.

Smart Aqua Tracking System Using IoT

Water is an elixir of life. With the rise of urbanization and digitalization of the world, there is a need to monitor the water quality and quantity in both locally and globally. Smart Aqua Tracking System using IOT is a cutting edge technology that provides an efficient and cost-effective solution for monitoring and managing water quality. To monitor water levels and track the flow rate of water. The system is designed to monitor water levels in storage tanks and to detect water leaks. This system utilizes IoT sensors to collect real-time data on various parameters such as pH levels, total dissolved solids and water flow rate. The sensors measure the water level and temperature of the water, while the microcontroller processes the collected data and sends it to the web server. The web server stores the data and displays it to the user. The system also provides an algorithm for calculating the water flow rate. With Smart Aqua Tracking System, the higher officials can make informed decisions about water usage, conservation and remediation efforts leading to improved sustainability and environmental outcomes. Key Word: pH sensor, Pressure sensor, Turbidity sensor, GSM and GPS module, IoT.