Versatile systems for continuous in-line blending of butane and petroleum

• US 10,246,656 B2
• Filed: 02/10/2017
• Issued: 04/02/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 02/09/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sunoco Partners Marketing & Terminals L.P. (Energy Transfer Operating, L.P.)
• Original Assignee: Sunoco Partners Marketing & Terminals L.P. (Energy Transfer Operating, L.P.)
• Inventors: Mattingly, Larry D., Vanderbur, Steven M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Maust, Timothy L
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kelly, Timothy P.
• Application Number:
  US15/430,274
• Publication Number:
  US 20170166825A1
• Time in Patent Office: 781 Days
• Field of Search: 141 9, 141104, 141105, 141 83, 137486, 13762541
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 2400/02 Gasoline
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 2400/28 Propane and butane
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 1/06 for spark ignition
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 1/16 Hydrocarbons
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 1/1608 Well defined compounds, e.g. hexane, benzene
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 10/00 Use of additives to fuels or fires for particular purposes additives for liquid carbonaceous fuels characterised by their chemical nature C10L1/10; using binders for briquetting solid fuels C10L5/10; using additives to improve the combustion of solid fuels C10L9/10
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 2200/0423 Gasoline
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 2270/023 for gasoline engines
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 2290/141 of additive or catalyst
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 2290/24 Mixing, stirring of fuel components
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 2290/58 Control or regulation of the fuel preparation of upgrading process
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 2290/60 Measuring or analysing fractions, components or impurities or process conditions during preparation or upgrading of a fuel
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/406 characterised by monitoring or safety G05B19/19 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/4166 Controlling feed or in-feed G05B19/4163 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/37371 Flow
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/41303 Flow rate valve controls speed
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 11/131 by measuring the values related to the quantity of the individual components G05D11/139 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 11/132 by controlling the flow of the individual components G05D11/133 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 11/133 with discontinuous action
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 11/139 by measuring a value related to the quantity of the individual components and sensing at least one property of the mixture
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/7759 : Responsive to change in rate of fluid flow
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/86823 : Rotary valve

Abstract

A system and method are provided for in-line processes of blending butane into gasoline streams, and for blending butane into a gasoline stream at any point along a petroleum pipeline. The invention additionally provides a method for measuring the vapor pressure and vapor to liquid ratio of the gasoline, both upstream and downstream of the blending operation, as well as the sulfur content of the butane entering the blending operation. The blending operation can be controlled to ensure that the blended gasoline meets EPA requirements for vapor pressure and sulfur content of gasoline. The invention further provides a method for accessing and monitoring the operation off-site.

Claims

1. A system for blending a volatility modifying agent with a petroleum stream having a petroleum flow rate, comprising:

a petroleum stream downstream of a refinery;

an injection device injecting the volatility modifying agent into the petroleum stream at a volatility modifying agent flow rate;

a volatility measurement device in communication with the petroleum stream, the volatility measurement device configured to output data representative of a volatility measurement; and

a processor in connection with the injection device and the volatility measurement device, the processor configured to;

receive the volatility measurement;

receive a target volatility value;

determine an adjustment to the volatility modifying agent flow rate based on the volatility measurement and the target volatility value; and

output a signal representative of the adjustment to the injection device,

wherein the injection device is electronically configured to access or receive the signal representative of the adjustment and to adjust the volatility modifying agent flow rate.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the target volatility value is based on at least one of seasonable and regional data.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of petroleum streams each associated with a different type of petroleum, at least one petroleum stream being selectable for blending with the volatility modifying agent.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the volatility measurement is a vapor pressure measurement.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the volatility measurement is a vapor to liquid ratio measurement.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the injection device includes a valve that controls the volatility modifying agent flow rate into the petroleum stream.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the adjustment includes a blend ratio, and the processor calculates the blend ratio based on the volatility measurement and the target volatility value.

17. The system of claim 1, wherein the petroleum is refined gasoline and the volatility modifying agent is butane.

8. A system for blending a volatility modifying agent with a petroleum stream having a petroleum flow rate, comprising:

a petroleum stream downstream of a refinery;

an injection device injecting the volatility modifying agent into the petroleum stream at a volatility modifying agent flow rate;

a volatility measurement device in communication with the petroleum stream, the volatility measurement device configured to output data representative of a volatility measurement; and

a processor in connection with the injection device and the volatility measurement device, the processor configured to;

receive the volatility measurement;

receive a target volatility value; and

determine an adjustment to the volatility modifying agent flow rate based on the volatility measurement and the target volatility value; and

output a signal representative of the adjustment to the injection device,

wherein the volatility measurement device is in communication with the petroleum stream at a location downstream of the injection device, and

wherein the injection device is electronically configured to access or receive the signal representative of the adjustment and to adjust the volatility modifying agent flow rate.

18. The system of claim 8, wherein the petroleum is refined gasoline and the volatility modifying agent is butane.

9. A method for blending a volatility modifying agent with a petroleum stream having a petroleum flow rate, comprising:

providing a petroleum stream downstream of a refinery;

injecting, by an injection device, the volatility modifying agent into the petroleum stream at a volatility modifying agent flow rate;

receiving, by a processor, data representative of a volatility measurement of the petroleum stream;

receiving, by the processor, a target volatility value;

determining, by the processor, an adjustment to the volatility modifying agent flow rate based on the volatility measurement and the target volatility value; and

outputting, by the processor, a signal representative of the adjustment to the injection device; and

the injection device adjusting the volatility modifying agent flow rate according to the signal representative of the adjustment.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the target volatility value is based on at least one of seasonable and regional data.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising selecting the petroleum stream from a plurality of petroleum streams, wherein each of the plurality of petroleum streams is associated with a different type of petroleum.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the volatility measurement is a vapor pressure measurement.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the volatility measurement is a vapor to liquid ratio measurement.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein the injection device includes a valve that controls the volatility modifying agent flow rate into the petroleum stream.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the adjustment includes a blend ratio, and the processor calculates the blend ratio based on the volatility measurement and the target volatility value.

19. The method of claim 9, wherein the petroleum is refined gasoline and the volatility modifying agent is butane.

16. A method for blending a volatility modifying agent with a petroleum stream having a petroleum flow rate, comprising:

providing a petroleum stream downstream of a refinery;

injecting, by an injection device, the volatility modifying agent into the petroleum stream at a volatility modifying agent flow rate;

receiving, by a processor, data representative of a volatility measurement of the petroleum stream;

receiving, by the processor, a target volatility value;

determining, by the processor, an adjustment to the volatility modifying agent flow rate based on the volatility measurement and the target volatility value; and

outputting, by the processor, a signal representative of the adjustment to the injection device,

wherein the volatility measurement is taken at a location downstream of the injection device, and

the injection device adjusting the volatility modifying agent flow rate according to the signal representative of the adjustment.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the petroleum is refined gasoline and the volatility modifying agent is butane.