Technology to Keep

There are many ways to keep track of  inventory. Some are much better than others, since running out of inventory causes costly downtime and lost sales. Oil and Lube businesses that need real-time information about their on-site storage tanks now have a better way to improve operations.

Simple Sonic Technology Tracks Tank Levels

The CTS Sonic Tank Monitor system from BJE tracks liquid levels for oil, waste oil, diesel fuel, antifreeze and other fluids with a low flash point. CTS utilizes a simple sonic range finder that constantly measures the liquid levels of tanks up to 300 inches deep. The information is relayed using a wireless RF transmitter to a receiver that can be up to 120 feet away, which eliminates the need for data cables.

http://www.husky.com/bje/tank-monitors-gauges/cts-sonic-tank-alarm/

Information from as many as six tanks can be connected to one CTS system. The weather-proof CTS transmitters and internal tank transmitters can be connected directly to a power source.

“The CTS Sonic Tank Monitor is an affordable solution for high volume oil and lube businesses with several tanks at their location. They will get a steady flow of information and will know exactly how much inventory they have on hand at all times,” said Roger Wiersma, BJE Product Engineer.

CTS is accurate on level measurements within one centimeter, plus or minus 10 percent. In addition, the programmable CTS will sound an alarm if liquid levels reach or exceed a point that requires action. Contact BJE at 1-800-325-7200 for more information.

Advanced Alert System: Peace of Mind

Businesses and their employees have more productive things to do than visually inspecting oil and fluid drums to guess when they should be changed. At the same time, running out of key fluids results in lost business and costly downtime. And if drums are used to capture hazardous liquid waste, an overflow creates a safety hazard that results in possible regulatory fines and an expensive clean up.

BJE’s Drum Alert solves those problems with an easy to install warning system for steel and plastic 55 gallon drums.

http://www.husky.com/bje/tank-monitors-gauges/55-drum-alert/

“Gone are the days of being constantly vigilant about where you stand on inventory. Drum Alert will notify you about the status of the drum so you can make the proper arrangements,” said Roger Wiersma, BJE Product Engineer.

Drum Alert: Many Features for Efficient Operations

This stand-alone monitor sends both audible and visual alerts indicating when 55 gallon drums require attention.  BJE engineers designed Drum Alert with a float sensor made of UL listed Buna N that is compatible with a variety of fluids with specific gravity greater than 85 including oil, antifreeze, and diesel fluid. The sensor activates a 103 decibel alarm siren when fluid reaches critical levels. The industry-first audible system complements an LED light that simultaneously signals a visual alert. Drum Alert can be set up to detect either low or high levels depending on how the drum is used. 

“The cost of a Drum Alert is likely less than the cost of shipping a rush order of fluid if a customer runs out. It is also probably less than the cost of cleaning up a hazardous material spill that would have to be reported to regulatory authorities,” said Paul Nilsen, BJE Design Engineer.

A waterproof ABS plastic housing protects Drum Alert’s circuitry and 9-volt battery, which will last up to two years. A low-battery indicator “chirp” and yellow LED light indicate when the battery needs to be replaced.  Drum Alert gives customers the information they need when they need it and is available at prices below that of competing brands with fewer features.

                       

For more information, contact BJE, a division of Husky Corporation: A Breed Apart.

Knowing How Much is Inside Nellie Bly’s Invention: The 55 Gallon Drum

It was a famous female journalist-turned-inventor who gets credit for creating something so widely used in many industries today. Nellie Bly, along with employee Henry Wehrhahn received patents in the early 1900’s that led to the modern 55-gallon steel drum. The American Oil and Gas Historical Society recounts how the invention solved a problem that plagued oil transportation in the early days; leaking wooden barrels. http://aoghs.org/transportation/nellie-bly-oil-drum/

But one problem, or at least challenge, has followed the 55 gallon drum since its invention. You can’t see how much fluid is in there. FNTM 55 Gallon Drum Gauge takes the guesswork out of it as the first drum gauge that tracks liquid level intervals in 55 gallon steel drums. FNTM measures oil, transmission fluid, anti-freeze and other liquids at intervals ranging from 95 percent of capacity down to five percent.

FNTM: Removing the Guesswork

The battery operated FNTM is in sleep mode until activated by someone touching either side of the device console. Capacitor technology then determines and displays the current liquid level inside the drum for 20 seconds. A siren activates when the fluid level falls below five percent of capacity. Three LEDs and an additional light at the top of the console illuminate, as constant indicators that action is required. The FNTM operates using standard AA batteries.

 http://www.husky.com/bje/tank-monitors-gauges/fntm-drum-gauge/

“The FNTM makes it possible to anticipate when 55 gallon drums will get low on fluid. The interval measurements prompt operators to take action to make sure they have inventory on hand to serve their customers,” said Roger Wiersma, BJE Product Engineer.

The FNTM is recommended for automotive repair facilities and other customers dispensing non-caustic liquids from 55 gallon steel drums that require more information than high or low level alarms provide.

Take Control of the Situation

Did you know that reprocessing used motor oil into fuel for heating and cooling is the most common method for recycling used oil in the United States? That’s what the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency reports in its guide “Developing a Used Oil Recycling Program” which can be found at this link: http://water.epa.gov/polwaste/npdes/swbmp/Developing-a-Used-Oil-Recycling-Program.cfm 

Used motor oil can be burned in specially designed furnaces for heat or in power plants to generate electricity. Automotive shops and others have been doing this for years. It saves money and helps the environment at the same.

If you are thinking about joining the trend, or if you are looking for a way to take better control of your existing waste oil furnace, BJE has a solution. The Kaltey Commander Tank Controller brings together technologies to eliminate manually monitoring and refilling tanks that supply fuel so waste oil furnaces, waste oil boilers, and used oil recycling centers operate smoothly.

http://www.husky.com/bje/tank-monitors-gauges/kaltey-commander-tank-controller/

Kaltey: First Completely Automated System 

BJE engineers designed a float switch mechanism that alerts a control device when the day tank level is low. The control device activates a BJE 007 High or Low Tank Monitor that automatically starts a diaphragm pump to add waste oil to the day tank, then stops the pump at the proper fill level. Kaltey also has a second valve control system to protect against accidental overflows.

“This tank controller adds to the many benefits of reprocessing waste oil to generate heat. You no longer need to consciously keep track of the waste oil furnace and can be confident it will not run out of fuel,” said Husky Product Engineer Roger Wiersma.

Kaltey Commander can be used for other self-regulating fluid transfer applications involving oil, waste oil, diesel fuel, antifreeze, water and other fluids with a low flash point. The design features visual and audible alarms to warn of potential problems and includes the ability to test the system for proper continuous operation.  

Going with the Flow

One of the more interesting trends around the world is rainwater harvesting. Even though roughly three-quarters of the planet is made of water, it’s not all suitable for use. So the constant shortage of water for various residential and industrial needs has reinvigorated interest in the centuries-old practice of collecting and storing rainwater. The trend is evident in places like India, Australia, China, and even the United States.

These systems not only reduce water bills, they are generally easy to maintain. Provided, that is, there is a convenient way to measure how much rainwater has been collected. BJE’s Black Knight is just the answer and now has universal appeal with the introduction of the Metric Black Knight.

 Metric Black Knight

“Customers have been asking for a metric gauge to monitor tanks that capture and retain rainwater for future use. Metric Black Knight is the perfect solution for measuring rainwater collected in outdoor storage tanks,” said Paul Nilsen, BJE Product Design Engineer.

http://www.husky.com/bje/gauges/metric-black-knight/

BJE engineers designed Metric Black Knight with a large three-digit numerical display where the numbers decrease in centimeters as tank fluid levels go down. Metric Black Knight features a UV resistant durable housing that protects its direct-drive mechanical design from water and dust.  Metric Black Knight™ weighs just 1.1 kilograms (2.5 pounds) complete with 2” BSPT threads, and a Nickel-plated brass chain that connects to a Polypropylene float for use with fluids that have flash points similar to that of oil, diesel fuel or antifreeze.  The gauge fits tanks up to 365 centimeters deep.

“Metric Black Knight is a value-priced mechanical tank gauge to reliably measure liquid levels without manually measuring the tank’s contents and without paying exorbitant prices for other metric level gauges,” Nilsen said.

The product is one of many liquid level monitoring systems available from BJE, a division of Husky Corporation. Learn more at www.husky.com