Tracking of fuel transportation with Escort TD-500 and DU-BLE sensors

Summary

This case study describes how Escort fuel level and tilt angle sensors helped create a comprehensive monitoring system for fuel truck tanks.

Application: Fuel transportation monitoring
Equipment: Escort TD-500 fuel level sensors, Escort DU-BLE wireless tilt angle sensors
Client: Federal fuel transportation company
Location: CIS region
Result: Up to 40% lower fuel costs and full payback within 3 months

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Issues and objectives

During the hauls, the drivers must meet the strictest safety requirements. Nevertheless, their actions as well – as those of other personnel involved – must be closely observed. Negligence, fuel thefts during the course of hauls, fuel under-refillings and drains are a common occurrence.

Even small scale thefts eventually cause significant losses and damage the supplier’s reputation. Lack of control allows for systematic thefts. This results in the supplier being literally ‘held hostage’ by the thieves.

What is worse is that such thefts most often also involve breaches of the safety regulations. This may lead to higher chances of accidents with the supplier being held accountable.

Solution

Standard on-board diagnostics

Standard on-board diagnostics tools installed on the modern-day fuel truck tanks have their advantages but they are not enough to closely monitor the actions of employees and prevent thefts in a timely fashion, especially when the truck

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tank is en route. For comprehensive monitoring and control of the fuel level during the loadings, haulage and unloadings, it is vital to implement extra equipment.

Magnet locks and keys

When it comes to the haulage, restricting access to the fuel by installing magnet locks and implementing magnet keys unfortunately has its limitations. The technologies used in such locks are quite primitive and easy to circumvent. Moreover, it is simply ineffective and inconvenient to install such locks on every segment of a fuel dispensing system of the truck tank. Aside from the dispenser tank of the vehicle, the upper sections of the truck tank also must be monitored.

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GLONASS/GPS monitoring

In reality, this is the right way to control the fuel truck tanks. However, installing a GPS device to track down the location of each asset is simply not enough.

It is vital to install various sensors on the hatches of the truck tanks and on various parts of the dispenser unit as well as provide video surveillance and employee identification system. All the data collected by this equipment then must be further uploaded onto the monitoring platform. Here is how it is done.

Implementation

Our customer – the federal company – agreed on that it would be more cost-effective and efficient to install not only GPS devices but also several types of sensors that would monitor all activities around the truck tanks and provide timely reports on any security breaches in real time.

A pilot project for 80 truck tanks was launched. In under two months, all assets were fitted with Escort TD-500 fuel level sensors and Escort DU-BLE wireless tilt angle sensors.

The customer also had digital locks installed on the dispenser tanks. This prevented access to the fuel unless the truck was in an authorized geo-zone and the employee had the required clearance. Each dispenser tank was also fitted with an Escort DU-BLE sensor to monitor the lid status (open or closed). Additionally, a video surveillance system was installed on every asset.

All this enabled the customer to get access to the full data, available even on mobile devices, on what was going on with the adapters and bottom drainage valves and on whether there were any unauthorized under-refillings and/or drains.

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Learn more about TD-500

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Learn more about DU-BLE

Thanks to this complex monitoring system, it became easy to monitor any activity around the truck tanks. When a fuel truck leaves a station, the system checks if all tanks and hatches are closed. If everything is in order, the tanks and hatches are sealed. When the truck arrives at the destination point, an employee can see that the seals are intact and the sensors have reported no alarms.

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The truck is then cleared for unloading. After that, an employee uses their digital key and the systems checks if the asset is in the proper geo-zone and whether this employee is authorized to initiate the unloading of the fuel. If everything is in order, the digital lock opens and the fuel is unloaded.

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Good practices: our experience and recommendations

As mentioned above, the recommended solution includes a GPS/GLONASS device, Escort TD-500 fuel level sensors, Escort DU-BLE wireless tilt angle sensors, a video surveillance system, and a driver identification system with RFID readers and tags.

The fuel level sensors are mounted on the tank hatches. Escort DU-BLE sensors are installed on the truck tank lids to monitor their open or closed status.

Additional DU-BLE sensors are installed on the dispenser tank lid where the drainage pipelines of the tank sections are located.

Escort DU-BLE sensors do not require cabling, which simplifies their installation on tank and dispenser lids. The wiring requirements for TD-500 sensors and other components of the monitoring system depend on the type and configuration of the fuel truck.

During installation, all sensors must be properly configured and calibrated to ensure accurate data. An experienced integrator should perform and verify these settings.

The integrator should also verify the data received from the sensors and check the operation of the video surveillance system. Before installation, make sure you are working with an experienced and qualified integrator. You can also check whether the company is an official partner of Escort Monitoring Systems.

Below you can find a file with the case materials in French:

Cas en français

Performance

Customer’s review:

“After we installed the fuel level and tilt angle sensors, we were able to monitor the fuel level in every section of the truck tanks, the volume of refueling and draining events, as well as the status of every section hatch and dispenser tank lid. Some highlights:

24/7 access to data on every truck’s location, route, and transportation history
10–40% lower fuel costs
2× lower vehicle inspection costs
30% reduction in idling time
Improved employee discipline and professional conduct
Elimination of fuel theft by drivers and other employees

Overall, the newly implemented solution started paying off within just a few weeks after installation. All installation costs were fully recovered by the third month. We no longer suffer financial losses caused by a lack of control and can focus on improving the profitability of our operations.”

Integrator’s review:

“It has been more than a year since the equipment was installed on 77 assets, and during this time the system has proved its effectiveness. Under-refueling and fuel theft have been eliminated. The customer now operates a dispatch center whose personnel continuously monitor the condition of every truck and the sensors installed on it. Each vehicle is also equipped with seven cameras, allowing the customer to monitor what is happening around each truck tank.”

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Products used

Escort DU-BLE

WIRELESS TILT & ROTATION SENSOR

Escort TD-600

Wired Fuel Level Sensor with accelerometer