Fueling system vapor recovery and containment leak detection system and method
First Claim
1. A leak detection system for a fuel dispensing vapor recovery system that recovers vapors during refueling of a vehicle and returns the vapors to a storage tank, comprising:
- at least one fuel dispensing point that delivers fuel from the storage tank to the vehicle and returns recovered vapors expelled from the vehicle into a vapor return passage that is coupled to a vapor return pipe and wherein said vapor return pipe is coupled to the storage tank;
an air-flow sensor operatively connected to said vapor return passage to measure the amount of vapor flow being returned to said vapor return passage and said vapor return pipe from said at least one fuel dispensing point; and
a control system that is electronically coupled to said air-flow sensor to receive information about vapor flow detected by said air-flow sensor wherein said control system detects a leak condition in said at least one fuel dispensing point if said at least one dispensing point is idle and said air-flow sensor registers vapor flow.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus for monitoring a fuel vapor recovery system to determine if a leak condition exists in either the vapor return passage in a fuel dispenser or a common vapor return pipe. An air-flow sensor (AFS) may be located in the common vapor return pipe for all of the dispensing points at a service station, or in each fuel dispenser and coupled to the dispensing points of the fuel dispenser. The AFS registers vapor flow recovered by a dispensing point(s) that is returned back to the storage tank. If the AFS measures vapor flow when such dispensing point(s) coupled to such AFS is not actively recovering vapor, this is indicative of a leak in such dispensing point(s). The leak condition is reported by a tank monitor or other reporting system so that appropriate measures can be taken.
101 Citations
32 Claims
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1. A leak detection system for a fuel dispensing vapor recovery system that recovers vapors during refueling of a vehicle and returns the vapors to a storage tank, comprising:
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at least one fuel dispensing point that delivers fuel from the storage tank to the vehicle and returns recovered vapors expelled from the vehicle into a vapor return passage that is coupled to a vapor return pipe and wherein said vapor return pipe is coupled to the storage tank;
an air-flow sensor operatively connected to said vapor return passage to measure the amount of vapor flow being returned to said vapor return passage and said vapor return pipe from said at least one fuel dispensing point; and
a control system that is electronically coupled to said air-flow sensor to receive information about vapor flow detected by said air-flow sensor wherein said control system detects a leak condition in said at least one fuel dispensing point if said at least one dispensing point is idle and said air-flow sensor registers vapor flow. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method of detecting a leak in a fuel dispensing vapor recovery system that recovers vapors during refueling of a vehicle and returns the vapors to a storage tank, comprising the steps of:
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delivering fuel from the storage tank to the vehicle through at least one fuel dispensing point;
returning vapors received by said at least one fuel dispensing point that are expelled from the vehicle into a vapor return passage;
returning said recovered vapors from said vapor return passage into a vapor return pipe coupled to the storage tank;
measuring the amount of vapor flow being returned back to the storage tank from said at least one fuel dispensing point; and
determining if vapor flow is detected in said vapor return passage when said at least one dispensing point is idle. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A leak detection system for a fuel dispensing vapor recovery system that recovers vapors during refueling of a vehicle and returns the vapors to a storage tank, comprising:
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a plurality of dispensing points that deliver fuel from the storage tank to the vehicle and capture recovered vapors into a vapor return passage dedicated to each of said plurality of dispensing points, wherein said vapor return passages are coupled to a common vapor return pipe that is coupled to the storage tank;
an air-flow sensor operatively connected to said vapor return pipe to measure the amount of vapor flow being returned back to the storage tank from said plurality of dispensing points; and
a control system that is electronically coupled to said air-flow sensor to receive information about vapor flow detected by said air-flow sensor, wherein said control system detects a leak condition in either said vapor return passage or said vapor return pipe if all of said plurality of dispensing points are idle and said air-flow sensor registers vapor flow. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A method of detecting a leak in a fuel dispensing vapor recovery system that recovers vapors during refueling of a vehicle and returns the vapors to a storage tank, comprising the steps of:
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delivering fuel from the storage tank to a plurality of dispensing points;
recovering vapor expelled from the vehicle at said plurality of dispensing points and returning said vapor into a vapor return passage dedicated to each of said plurality of dispensing points;
returning vapors recovered in said vapor return passages to a common vapor return pipe that is coupled to the storage tank;
measuring the amount of vapor flow being returned back to the storage tank from said vapor return pipe; and
determining if vapor flow is detected in said vapor return pipe when all of said plurality of dispensing points are idle. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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Specification