Eagle

Maybe something like this....?

http://www2.emersonprocess.com/en-US/industries/oil-gas/TerminalandTankManagement/Applications/Pages/tank-farm-management.aspx

...or long distance....

https://www.scadalink.com/products/satscada/remote-tank-monitoring/

...or go low tech, low budget....

https://www.amazon.com/Linortek-Netbell-4-Web-based-Controller-Equipment/dp/B00XH1ENGQ

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01G96U2K6?psc=1

Well learning from others mistakes is important too.

Caribbean Petroleum tank farm disaster 2009 analysis video

is a <...quit old...> solution. It's an app called Alarm Clock 1.0.

This is not an acceptable solution in this case. These sort of tank farms (for various reasons) are quite "loose" in their control and monitoring and hence put far more reliance on people rather than automated control systems to control product flow and prevent mistakes that could lead to catastrophic results (such as overfilling).

The original posting indicates the original poster is either unable or unwilling to self-manage. And yet it also suggests that the facility has not been subject to a rigorous HazOp Study, and places great reliance on individuals to find ways of doing the work better rather than introduce systems and equipment that renders the operation less dependent on the individual's ingenuity. In those circumstances a disaster is inevitable, sooner or later.

What management team would allow such an appalling state of affairs to continue endlessly (rhetorical question - NNTR)?

And what would it do in the event of such a disaster - apportion blame, and sack everyone in sight (rhetorical question - NNTR)?

thank you for ur idea.but actually I don't wants to improve the facility with radar gauge n other measuring devices . because the decision should be taken by top management.it is million dollar cost project.We are using manual system to measure the tank level.and then calculate the time take to finish the transfer or the time taken to fill up the tank.

I can schedule these to a window task schedule or such kind of app.but the problem is there is no way to connect alarm to this program.i believe that there may be software for this.

If you have Windows Outlook email, it has a calendar function that will send an alert to your cell-phone if you have your devices sync'd.

Other than that, put an alarm in your cell phone for X number of minutes from now, then wake the hell up and go switch the tanks over.

It is not rocket science, but there again, how steady is the flow from the pipeline, or tanker off-loading pump? Do both methods pump up and over the top wall of the tank side, or into the bottom. If the pumps are pressure sensitive, that might be an issue.

See the video in post #2 because it is actually going on in this industry.

We need to review the types of level transmitters (intrinsically safe, hermetic), and overflow prevention devices (floating interlock?, vent ball check with pressure rising kill switch on any transfer pump??) What else could there be to help?

How about actually regulating these storage facilities with requirements that match what is required in chemical plants and refineries, as was suggested by the CSB?

Any business manager worth salt should know all this stuff inside and out, and take every possible step to (1) protect the community around their facility (risk management 101), (2) protect their personnel from extreme hazards (risk management 101.1), and (3) protect his company's stockholders (equipment and inventory) from avoidable losses such as an out of control fire event due to negligence.

What I see in these fires is not "operator error", it is management failure plain and simple.

Correct. You never hear about the minor accidents or near-misses.

What systems are currently in place?

I don't know if there is a particular product that is designed for this market but I guess there is some app or program that could be used for this, but it would depend on how many times a day refilling takes place.

Can you give us an idea on how many times a day product transfers take place and how often multiple product transfers occur simultaneously that need to be monitored by the same person?

Do you have access to a computer for product control or is product control (switching) done local to the tanks?

thank you for ur idea.but actually I don't wants to improve the facility with radar gauge n other measuring devices . because the decision should be taken by top management.it is million dollar cost project.We are using manual system to measure the tank level.and then calculate the time take to finish the transfer or the time taken to fill up the tank.

I can schedule these to a window task schedule or such kind of app.but the problem is there is no way to connect alarm to this program.i believe that there may be software for this.

What sort of system do you use for gauging the tanks? Due to static build up you should not be using any manual gauge that you place in the liquid fuel. If you have simple floating pan tanks, you can attach a rope to the the top of the pan and run it over a pulley then down the side of the tank. Attach a heavy enough weight and make it long enough that it is close to the ground before the tank is full.

As for an alarm, you could have the rope pass through a guide that triggers a switch that sets off the alarm at a level that allows you enough time to switch tanks. Modern electronics can do this safely in a tank farm for very little cost. They can even send a radio signal so you don't have to run wires from the tanks. This sort of improvement is important because I know you have had incidents where fuel flowed faster or slower than anticipated and tanks filled faster than you were ready for. I can remember scrambling to change thanks before the high high alarm went off.

Drew K

Suitable App can be developed for your system.

You have to furnish complete system to us.

Try google HOME unit. you can talk to it put the units into a group and if on the same network as your non apple phone they will work in tandem. This will do all kinds of timer/alarm triggers. It must be on a wifi network to work.

I use one in my kitchen, great for short 5 minute to multi hour timer functions. Also can set a alarm within 24 hours.

OK Google "set alarm for 330AM. Google follows up with "ALRIGHT setting alarm for 330AM in 5 hours and40 minutes starting NOW.

here is a link to there page:

https://support.google.com/googlehome/answer/7028899

Here is something you can hook up to your USB port to make an alarm bell ring.

http://www.contec.com/product.php?id=2210

If you can predict the worst case fill rate, you could use this to signal time for action, link it to Excel or something else you are using to compute.

It has to be "intrinsically safe" if it going to be used around gasoline vapor.

My vision for the best sensors/transmitters for tank level, overflow protection, and feeder line flow rate would be (1) sealed hermetic units, (2) very low voltage operating, such as less than 4 volts, with severe limits on available SCC (short circuit current), (3) any connections to actual float switches, sensors, to be as high above ground as is practical without being in the lighting strike hazard, and all having lighting rod coverage for protection, (4) flow meters could operate on similar very low voltage system, and transmit wirelessly, at very low directed energy to Rx station boxes away from tankage, (5) overflow protection devices should include level switches to kill pumps at dock stations, should include a means of physically stopping flow (not abruptly as would cause line hammer with possible rupture of supply piping or the tank), but would make a linear increase in pressure over minutes. The pumping station would have line pressure indication as well, and pump is to trip when line pressure rises faster than a set rate (not consistent with tank volumes).

No valves from secondary containment dikes should ever be left in the open position during off-loading, and safety foam applicators should be available in the event of large spills. Drainage to wastewater processing must be made intrinsically safe with respect to initial collection with vapor collector, proper handling of fuel layer floating on water, etc. Water should never reach the final processing area without having any floating layer of gasoline, etc. removed, and still needs immediate contact with absorbent materials, prior to pump activation. To me, it is only common sense to do so.

Is the installation in question currently including any kind of overflow-retention reservoir?...

They all are required to have secondary dikes if that is what you are asking, at least in the U.S. and territories.