Description

Field of the invention

The invention relates to the field of monitoring fuel pumps located in fixed and/or mobile stations and environmental monitoring. Even more specifically, the present invention is aimed at optimizing the use of fuel pumps by monitoring their operating conditions for predictive maintenance and prevention purposes and by monitoring the environmental impact deriving from their use.

Prior art

In any type of activity based on the use of machinery, the implementation of regular maintenance plans is essential in order to keep the technical resources in perfect working order. Failures and breakages due to neglect generate emergency stops with costly repairs up to the replacement of entire machinery, seriously affecting overall costs.

In recent years, there has been the emergence of innovative maintenance methods which, not without arousing amazement and disbelief among users, replace the traditional reactive maintenance techniques that have been the standard in industrial maintenance for many years. To date, the operation of predictive maintenance is based on the installation of sensors capable of transmitting a flow of data directly from the equipment to a central processing unit. By combining and relating the results of different inspection techniques it is possible to develop a much more complete synergistic methodology than that based on several non-integrated inspection methods.

The measurement of the levels of vibrations generated by any equipment allows deviations from the standard values of normal operation to be identified. Out-of-range frequency and amplitude values indicate the presence of an anomaly on a device that will lead to a failure and consequent sudden stop for maintenance. An example is the subject of the patent application US8660875B2 of M. YEDATORE, D. BHATIA and J. PRESCOTT. The invention relates to a method and a system for automated corrective and predictive maintenance. A failure notification associated with a device is sent. Maintenance data includes one or more maintenance events for the same device. An optimal plan is generated by merging failure notifications and maintenance data.

Another example is the subject of the patent application US7895047B2 of M. WETZER, G.R. GARROW, D P. WEST, PE. WEIR and C.P. NEWTON. The invention relates to a computerized system for carrying out predictive maintenance on a device including a database for current and desired configurations. The processor determines if the current configuration matches the desired one or if improvements are needed to the system.

An example relating to the use of LoRa technology is the subject of the patent application CN207099118U of W. KAIWANG. The invention relates to a monitoring apparatus for sewage systems and in particular to a wastewater disposal device with LoRa monitoring system for obtaining wastewater data and sending them to a data acquisition unit via LAN communication.

The object of the present invention is to propose an innovative joint machinery and environmental monitoring system exploiting the LoRa communication technology which works on non-critical frequencies and with very low electromagnetic emissions. Also presented are new devices capable of self-feeding through single solar panels integrated into the power supply system. Even more advantageously, the data recorded by the various components are collected in a central data acquisition and processing device which guarantees complete traceability and usability through a specific web portal and/or application.

Description of the invention

According to the present invention, an environmental monitoring system for fuel pumps is provided which combines the favorable aspects of mechatronics, such as the interaction between electronics, mechanics and information technology and those of the known LoRa communication technology, providing an advantageously cost-effective and safe solution. Said monitoring system is used to optimize the use of fuel pumps in an airport environment by checking their operating conditions for maintenance purposes and for detecting the presence of fuel in the run-off water at the exit of the purification plants and/or at the entrance to the plants themselves to check the load and effectiveness thereof. Said monitoring system is connected to a web portal and / or through an application and is able to use a notification / email system in such a way as to allow the buyer, in real time, to acquire information on the operating status of the fuel pumps and the environmental pollution conditions related to their business.

Specifically, the monitoring system comprises a central data acquisition and processing unit and two types of devices intended respectively for the fuel pumps and the wells of the purification plants. Both types of devices include a data feed and transmission module of the LoRa type and at least an external vibration sensor connected to the module itself via cable. Said LoRa (Long Range) technology consists of an expanded spectrum modulation derived from chirp spread spectrum (CSS) technology and is the first low-cost implementation of the chirp spread spectrum for commercial use. This allows the sensors to transmit data to the microcontroller which then communicates them to the central data acquisition and processing unit in wireless Long Range radio frequency mode.

For devices intended for fuel pumps, the vibration sensors may be accelerometers such as MEMS (Micro Electro Mechanical Systems) translators, piezoelectric discs, or other types.

Said data feed and transmission module comprises a battery, powered by a solar panel, and with an input for a charging support. The module is also provided with a LED light bulb which indicates any low battery charge status. An additional low battery warning system is provided by means of a wireless transmitter which, connected to the communication system of the operators on site, can provide a specific acoustic signal. Said data feed and transmission module is activated by means of an activation manual command, if placed on a movable pump. Said activation manual command is connected to a system called manual command coupling having a circular or quadrangular shape, which allows the simultaneous pressing of said activation manual command and a pre-existing button on said movable pump. The outer casing of the data feed and transmission module is waterproof and fire resistant, as are the connecting cables.

As regards the environmental control unit intended for monitoring the purification plants, the data feed and transmission module is vertically connected to a second floating module.

Said floating module floats on the water surface by virtue of the presence of at least a float and contains at least a water conductivity sensor, and at least an atmospheric detection sensor, adapted to determine the presence of pollutants in the water and in the air, respectively. An internal air recirculation system then ensures that the atmospheric detection sensor is adequately exposed to the air. The connection between the two modules is of a mechanical nature, and the connection of the sensors to the microprocessor takes place via a connection cable of solid, flexible and waterproof material.

In said environmental control unit, the module is fixed at the head of the inspection well. In order to keep it stable and to make it easily removable, in case of need, it is mounted on a fixing system made with an expandable telescopic handlebar to be able to adapt to the different types of well.

The advantages offered by the present invention are clear in the light of the above description and will be even clearer from the accompanying figures and the related detailed description.

Description of the figures

The invention will hereinafter be described in at least a preferred embodiment thereof by way of non-limiting example with the aid of the accompanying figures, in which:

- FIGURE 1 shows a schematic plan of the monitoring system 100 with the representation of the main components;

- FIGURE 2 illustrates the data feed and transmission module 200 according to an embodiment;

- FIGURE 3 shows the sensor for the pumps 300 and the relative coupling to the manual command 304 according to one of the embodiments of the present invention;

- Figure 4 shows the environmental control unit 400 and the relative fixing system 408 according to one of the embodiments of the present invention.

Detailed description of the invention

The present invention will now be described purely by way of non-limiting or binding example with the aid of the figures, which illustrate some embodiments relative to the present inventive concept.

With reference to FIG. 1, a schematic plan of the monitoring system 100 exploiting the LoRa technology according to the present invention is shown. In FIG. 1 as in the following description, the embodiment of the present invention considered to be the best to date is illustrated.

Said monitoring system 100 consists of a central data acquisition and processing device 101; a signal repeater 102; a specific web portal and/or application 103; a pump sensor 300 mounted on each fixed fuel pump 105 or movable fuel pump 106; an environmental control unit 400 mounted on the inspection well 107 at the entrance and/or exit of the run-off water purification plants.

The sensor for the pumps 300 together with the environmental control unit 400 communicates via wireless on LoRa radio frequency with the signal repeaters 102 when they cannot communicate directly with the central data acquisition and processing device 101. The signal repeaters 102 communicate with the central data acquisition and processing device 101 which makes the measurements available for consultation and which can advantageously share the operating status of devices, such as fuel pumps and records relating to environmental monitoring, privately to the buyer, through the connection with a specific web portal and/or application 103.

FIG. 1 shows an on-site operator 104, in charge of moving a movable pump, provided with ear muffs with loudspeaker, which communicate with the sensor for the pumps 300 in the event of a flat battery.

With reference to FIG. 2, the data feed and transmission module 200 according to an embodiment is shown. The data feed and transmission module 200 will be described with reference to FIG. 1. The data feed and transmission module 200 comprises a battery 205 connected to a solar power panel 206 and to a recharge support 210 to be used in the event of a low battery. Said battery 205 is also connected to a bright LED 208 which signals its charge level as well as to an acoustic signal transmitter 209 capable of wirelessly transmitting a sound signal to the headphones of the on-site operator 104. The data feed and transmission module 200 also comprises a LoRa microcontroller 201 for data transmission. Said LoRa microcontroller 201 comprises a processor 203 of the ADC inputs 202 and an external memory input 204.

The information that reaches the LoRa microcontroller 201 through the ADC inputs 202 and once processed by the processor 203, can be transmitted directly to the central data acquisition and processing device 101, if there is good field availability, otherwise the information is temporarily stored in an external memory inserted in the external memory input 204.

With reference to FIG. 3, the sensor for the pumps 300 and the relative coupling to the manual command 304 according to one of the embodiments of the present invention is shown. The sensor for the pumps 300 will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2.

The sensor for pumps 300 consists of vibration sensors 301 connected via a waterproof cable 302 to the ADC inputs 202 of the data feed and transmission module 200. Said vibration sensors 301 record the vibration frequencies of the fixed pump 105 and/or of the movable pump 106 and through the data feed and transmission module 200 are able to transmit them to the central data acquisition and processing device 101 which, by processing them, is able to make an estimate of whether the machinery is functioning correctly or not, the data is then made available on the web portal and/or application 103. Said sensor for pumps 300, when mounted on a movable pump 106, requires an activation manual command 303 to start sampling. In order to simplify the operations for the on-site operator 104 and to perform non- invasive interventions on the movable pump 106, the activation manual command 303 is connected to a manual command coupling 304. Said manual command coupling 304 is an external device which, according to one of its embodiments, comprises a support frame for the button 305 connected to the machinery with a suitable fastening 306. Said activation manual command 304 is in turn connected to a detection/pressure sensor 307 which signals that it has been pressed. Said manual command coupling 304 is placed above the pre-existing button 308 on the movable pump 106, so as to be able to activate the machinery and the sensor for the pumps 300 with a single gesture.

With reference to FIG. 4, the environmental control unit 400 and the relative fixing system 408 according to one of the embodiments of the present invention is shown. The environmental control unit 400 will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2.

Said environmental control unit 400 comprises a data feed and transmission module 200 arranged on the upper portion of the inspection well 107 thanks to a fixing system 408. Said fixing system 408, in one of its embodiments, comprises four handlebars 409 of a quarter of a circumference connected to a telescopic frame 410 capable of being adjusted on site to best adapt to the geometry of the inspection well 107. Said fixing system 408 is connected by mechanical supports 411 to a floating module 402. Said floating module 402 of transparent, impermeable, resistant and chemically inert material, contains inside it atmospheric detection sensors 403, a water conductivity sensor 404, an air recirculation system 405, and is connected by means of a frame 406 to a float 407.

The data feed and transmission module 200 is connected via a solid, flexible and waterproof connection cable 401 to atmospheric detection sensors 403 and to at least a water conductivity sensor 404. Said atmospheric detection sensors 403 are placed in the center of the air recirculation system 405 in order to be always exposed to the air coming from inside the inspection well 107, near the surface of the water, while the water conductivity sensor 404, further down, is in contact with the water inside the inspection well 107.

The data recorded by the atmospheric detection sensors 403 and by the water conductivity sensor 404 are transmitted through the ADC inputs 202 to the LoRa microcontroller 201 of the data feed and transmission module 200 and are then sent, wirelessly over LoRa radio frequency, to the central data acquisition and processing device 101 which processes them and makes them available on the specific web portal and/or application 103.

Finally, it is clear that modifications, additions or variants that are obvious to a person skilled in the art can be made to the invention described so far, without thereby departing from the scope of protection provided by the appended claims.