An onboard apparatus, system, and method for automatically loading into or unloading from a bulk transport or other container and evaluating characteristics of a liquid during the loading or unloading, that dynamically monitors and evaluates characteristics of the flow, particularly density, which are used to determine other characteristics and values of the load, namely, presence of contaminants such as water, solids, out of specification conditions, etc. to enable accurately measuring volume, mass, and/or quality of the load, and optionally to automatically responsively perform certain operations, for example, to signal an operator, cease loading, segregate and/or return all or portions of the load, if contaminated or out of specification, and which facilitates control remotely, as well as for qualifying for government certification for custody transfer.

A densimeter is provided including a tank defining a storage volume; a liquid partially filling the storage volume; a scale suitable to measure the mass of the tank; a level indicator partially immersed in the liquid and suitable to detect a change in height of the liquid; a control unit suitable to determine the density of a sample in the liquid based on a change in mass of the tank measured by the scale and a change in height of the liquid measured by the level indicator.

A densimeter is provided including a tank defining a storage volume; a liquid partially filling the storage volume; a scale suitable to measure the mass of the tank; a level indicator partially immersed in the liquid and suitable to detect a change in height of the liquid; a control unit suitable to determine the density of a sample in the liquid based on a change in mass of the tank measured by the scale and a change in height of the liquid measured by the level indicator.

Disposition of a wrong liquid for analysis or a liquid for analysis connected to a wrong pipe is detected as abnormal use. A liquid-for-analysis monitor includes: a weighing scale that weighs a container that contains a liquid as a liquid for analysis that needs to be used in analysis; a density storing part that stores a density of the liquid for analysis; and a liquid-for-analysis determining part configured to obtain a variation M between a weight of the container weighed by the weighing scale before a decreasing operation that decreases the liquid for analysis and a weight of the container weighed by the weighing scale after the decreasing operation, and determine whether the liquid for analysis has been normally used in the decreasing operation or not, based on the obtained variation M, a volume V of the decrease in the liquid in the container in the decreasing operation, and the density of the liquid for analysis stored in the density storing part.

Disposition of a wrong liquid for analysis or a liquid for analysis connected to a wrong pipe is detected as abnormal use. A liquid-for-analysis monitor includes: a weighing scale that weighs a container that contains a liquid as a liquid for analysis that needs to be used in analysis; a density storing part that stores a density of the liquid for analysis; and a liquid-for-analysis determining part configured to obtain a variation M between a weight of the container weighed by the weighing scale before a decreasing operation that decreases the liquid for analysis and a weight of the container weighed by the weighing scale after the decreasing operation, and determine whether the liquid for analysis has been normally used in the decreasing operation or not, based on the obtained variation M, a volume V of the decrease in the liquid in the container in the decreasing operation, and the density of the liquid for analysis stored in the density storing part.

A debonding detecting method detects debonding of an adhering portion at which an adhering object adheres to an adherend. An optical fiber sensor is provided on the adherend adjacent to the adhering object. A longitudinal direction of the optical fiber sensor is along a direction in which the adhering object extends. Reference strain data of a strain measured by the optical fiber sensor is prepared in advance when a load is applied to the adherend in a reference state in which debonding of the adhering portion does not occur. The debonding detecting method includes: applying a load to the adherend; measuring a strain of the adherend by the optical fiber sensor; and the determining presence or absence of debonding based on comparison result obtained by comparing measured strain data measured in the measuring and the reference strain data.

Contemplated is a sensor system for use with a measuring device. The measuring device being of the type adapted to measure the volume of a desired solid component in a sample volume of a solid-liquid slurry obtained from either a carbon-in-pulp or carbon-in-leach process. The solid-liquid slurry comprises granular carbon particles, ore pulp, and water. The carbon-in-pulp or carbon-in-leach process includes at least one retention tank. The measurement device including: a receptacle for receiving the sample volume of the slurry; a screen provided in the receptacle for separating out the desired solid component from a remainder of the slurry. The solid component is retained in the receptacle to form a bed therein and the remainder is exhausted from the receptacle. The sensor system measures in either the retained solid component, or the exhausted remainder, or both one of: pH; dissolved oxygen; pulp density or carbon content.

Embodiments of a quantifying force management system generally include a force applicator, a force indicator, and a force application assembly that includes a housing having an internal bore, a housing cap, and a force translator. In various embodiments, a portion of the force applicator extends through a housing cap opening wherein a force applicator bottom surface contacts a force translator top surface within the housing bore and whereby upon application of longitudinal force via the force applicator the force translator is compressed, and wherein the force indicator indicates the quantity of force being applied. In one aspect, embodiments of the quantifying force management system are incorporated in a piston assembly for use with a pressurized fluid density balance. A method of using the quantifying force management system, as a component of the piston assembly, in measuring the density of a liquid sample utilizing a fluid density balance is also provided.

Embodiments of a quantifying force management system generally include a force applicator, a force indicator, and a force application assembly that includes a housing having an internal bore, a housing cap, and a force translator. In various embodiments, a portion of the force applicator extends through a housing cap opening wherein a force applicator bottom surface contacts a force translator top surface within the housing bore and whereby upon application of longitudinal force via the force applicator the force translator is compressed, and wherein the force indicator indicates the quantity of force being applied. In one aspect, embodiments of the quantifying force management system are incorporated in a piston assembly for use with a pressurized fluid density balance. A method of using the quantifying force management system, as a component of the piston assembly, in measuring the density of a liquid sample utilizing a fluid density balance is also provided.

The present application provides a method and system for the characterization of properties of liquids, particularly petroleum and petroleum liquids. The method and system can be used to take measurements of the liquid directly in a storage container, without exposing the contents of the container to the external environment.