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Storage Leak Detection System For Petroleum Products

Technology Benefits

The new UC technology provides the following benefits: Continuous real-time detection and notification of petroleum tank release; An inexpensive system that can be readily adaptable to currently available double-walled tanks and is upgradeable after deployment to improve sensitivity; An optical system that is not triggered by aqueous condensation, which reduces the potential for false alarms.

Technology Application

This new UC invention has applications in leak detection for petroleum storage systems.

Detailed Technology Description

Scientists at the University of California have developed and created a prototype of a novel leak detection system for storage tanks that contain petroleum materials. This device uses a unique optical platform to detect a fluorescent signal from leaked petroleum products.

Supplementary Information

Patent Number: US7227139B2
Application Number: US20049760A
Inventor: Kram, Mark | Laverman, Leroy
Priority Date: 4 Nov 2003
Priority Number: US7227139B2
Application Date: 9 Dec 2004
Publication Date: 5 Jun 2007
IPC Current: G01N002164 | G01M000338
US Class: 250301
Assignee Applicant: The Regents of the University of California
Title: System and method for optical detection of petroleum and other products in an environment
Usefulness: System and method for optical detection of petroleum and other products in an environment
Summary: For detecting presence of petroleum based liquid with polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbon (claimed) or other petroleum based products in environment. It can also be used in optical applications involving cooling water leak detection, medical applications, single and multi-wavelength probes for environmental characterization of distribution of contaminates in soil, total maximum daily loads of industrial discharges, biosensors, DNA analyses, water quality assessment, air quality assessment, air quality assessment, vegetation stress characterization and classification, soil analyses, organic constituent analyses, ocean water quality application for (in)organic concentrations, anthropogenic oil spill detection and monitoring, and oil research activities.
Novelty: Detecting presence of petroleum based liquid or other petroleum based products in environment, has coupling sensor package to alarm system, and modifying user when optical sensor package detects possible release

Industry

Environmental/Green Technology

Sub Category

Natural Resource

Application No.

7227139

Others

Tech ID/UC Case

10254/2002-304-0

Related Cases

2002-304-0

*Abstract

Petroleum materials, such as gasoline and fuel oils, are often stored in underground and aboveground tanks. A leak in the tank can allow these materials to enter the subsurface and contaminate ground water resources, which then requires expensive assessment and remediation efforts. The optical leak detection systems currently in use can only distinguish the difference between aqueous and non-aqueous media through the use of conductivity sensors. These sensors are expensive and complex, and aqueous condensation can trigger false-positive alarms.

*IP Issue Date

Jun 5, 2007

*Principal Investigator

Name: Mark Kram

Department:

Name: Leroy Laverman

Department:

Country/Region

USA