Development of ETU “LETI” Student Will Help Prevent Accidents at Gas Stations

There are about 70 thousand gas stations in Russia alone that use fuel dispensers. Due to the increasing requirements for safety and efficiency, it is necessary to continuously monitor equipment and control various parameters: voltage, current, phase, and transients. Ivan Spitsyn, a 4th-year student of the Faculty of Computer Science and Technology of ETU “LETI,” aims to help avoid accidents and losses at gas stations.

His project for the development of algorithms for processing data on the condition of fuel dispensers won the UMNIK competition within the Digital Economy of the Russian Federation program of the Foundation for Innovation Support. The young researcher will implement the project using this grant under the guidance of Vyacheslav Gulvansky, an engineer of the Department of Automation and Control Processes.

“The project will provide for developing an innovative, efficient, and low-cost solution for engine condition monitoring. Due to the possible embargo as part of economic sanctions, all hardware components will be Russian-made. The software will include algorithms to identify existing defects and reduce hardware costs.”

Ivan Spitsyn, a 4th-year student of the Faculty of Computer Science and Technology of ETU “LETI”
The device will consist of an explosion-proof casing, controller, and microelectronics. It will provide an operator with the necessary information about the condition of the inspected equipment and help to predict possible system failures.

According to Ivan, this development will reduce losses by 75%. If an unexpected engine failure occurs at one of the pumps, the gas station will lose 25% of its daily earnings. It may take about five days to restore it, which will lead to the loss of daily income. The device developed by the young scientist can predict the failure of an engine and reduce the time of the pump repair to one day.

“There are several companies in Russia that develop equipment similar in functionality to our final product. Most of them are very expensive, more suitable for large companies. The main qualities we will strive for in our development are efficiency and low cost.”

Vyacheslav Gulvansky, an engineer of the Department of Automation and Control Processes
The first stage of the project will involve developing a mathematical model of an induction motor and fuel-dispensing load on it, algorithms for equipment condition analysis, modeling engine analysis algorithms, and selecting hardware. The second stage will include assembling a prototype, developing software, designing software for the operator’s station, and testing the system’s operability.