Patent ID: 7470060

Claim:
A detection apparatus for measuring a fluid in a vessel having a top, a bottom, and at least one side, comprising: a. at least one support means disposed within the vessel extending from the top of the vessel downwardly toward the bottom; b. at least one pair of sensors supported by the at least one support means, wherein the at least one pair of sensors comprises: a first sensor for measuring pressure and a second sensor for measuring temperature, and wherein the at least one pair of sensors are connected to the at least one support means, wherein the at least one pair of sensors continuously measures for a member of the group consisting of: i. a pressure of a fluid; ii. a temperature of the fluid; iii. a multiple spot temperature of the fluid; iv. an atmospheric pressure; and vii. an atmospheric temperature; and combinations thereof, c. at least one processor for continuously and synchronously receiving, processing and storing data from the at least one pair of sensors using a clock or timed device, wherein the at least one processor: (i) continuously and synchronously polls measurement data from the at least one pair of sensors, (ii) continuously forms calculated values on mass of the fluid, volume of the fluid, multiple density strata of the fluid, density of the fluid, a level of the fluid, fluid flow rate, amounts of impurity in the fluid, an entrained water content in the fluid, a free water content in the fluid, or combinations thereof, and (iii) continuously compares the calculated values to at least one predetermined range of values for the fluid in the vessel to identify if the calculated values are within the at least one predetermined range of values, forming a compared value; and (iv) communicates the compared value to a data collector.