TD-BLE Wireless Fuel Level Sensors for Asphalt Plant Tank Monitoring

Summary

This case study describes how Escort TD-BLE wireless fuel level sensors helped simplify oil product level monitoring in elevated storage tanks and eliminate the need for complex cabling infrastructure.

Application: Oil product level monitoring
Equipment: Escort TD-BLE wireless fuel level sensors
Client: Asphalt production facility
Location: Latin America
Result: One-day installation and reliable remote monitoring of oil product levels

Project specifics and goals

One of our integrator partners received a request for a solution that would help an asphalt plant to monitor the petrochemicals’ level in the cisterns on the plant’s premises. The buyer wanted monitoring equipment that could facilitate the control over the refillings, drains and consumption in the reservoirs

Initially, the task seemed to be a standard one. The regular capacitive fuel level sensors were the obvious choice, However, later on it came to light that the storage tanks were lifted as high as 7 meters above the ground and the control panels they would need to be connected were 10 meters away.

If the buyer had opted for the wired sensors, the integrator would have had to spend extra funds and resources to do the cabling and further protect the cables from any possible damage.

Additionally, nothing was to guarantee that any issues caused by human factor or electro-magnetic fields would not interfere with the sensors’ work.

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Solution

Having considered all the risks mentioned above, the integrator suggested to install the wireless fuel level sensors Escort TD-BLE. Thanks to its Bluetooth Low Energy technology, a TD-BLE sensor is easy to install as there was no cabling involved at all.

Once mounted on the tank, the sensor was also easy to configure and connect to the local monitoring system. That alone saved everyone a lot of time and the trouble of doing the cabling. Moreover, thanks to its low energy consumption, the TD-BLE sensor can work stably during several years which reduces the maintenance costs. And, as an extra benefit, the sensor is certified to be safe for explosive areas.

Escort TD-BLE

Implementation specifics

It took just 1 day to mount the Escort TD-BLE sensors on the cisterns. The configuration of the GPS/GLONASS equipment went down smoothly as well.

The buyer almost immediately was able to remotely monitor the oil products’ level.

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Installation details

The following images can give you an idea how cumbersome the installation could have been if the buyer had chosen the wired sensors. The cabling would significantly inflate the financial and time costs as well as the buyers reservations about the stability of the sensors’ work. With the Escort TD-BLE sensors installed, you would not be able to see any difference before and after the installation: no cables, no signs of any other devices being present.

Only the work still gets done. All data relevant to the oil products’ level changes is now transmitted every second via the Bluetooth connection to the control panel and then is sent to the monitoring platform.

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How the sensor works

Every Escort TD-BLE unit makes high-precision measurements of an oil product’s level in a cistern registering any refillings of the cistern or the truck tanks that are monitored as well. At all times, a dispatch can spot any discrepancies caused by thefts or negligence.

The system keeps record of all data relevant to the cistern’s operation available as detailed reports; helps track down any suspicious activity and increase the performance and the labor discipline.

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Conclusion

Integrator

‘So far, the fuel level sensor, mounted on the cistern, has been stably working for 4 months. The data stream has not been disrupted once. The connection has been stable. The reports sent by the sensor fully meet the requirements and correspond to the claimed specs,’ informs the integrator.

Escort representatives

‘This case further proves that our Escort TD-BLE sensors are effective and versatile. They can be successfully implemented on both vehicles and stationary objects. In any case, the customers not only get access to the precise data on any level changes but also save funds and time installing the sensors. Quick and easy to install.
Reliable. Efficient. All this is what makes the TD-BLE a success and gives the customers the results they need regardless of the specifics of their needs,’ comments one of the Escort representatives.

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