Underground storage tank metering system in a service station environment

• US 20040177885A1
• Filed: 03/14/2003
• Published: 09/16/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gilbarco Incorporated (Vontier Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Gilbarco Incorporated (Vontier Corp.)
• Inventors: Shepard, Robert S., Hutchinson, Ray J., Dickson, Timothy E., Kaehler, David L.
• Granted Patent: US 6,935,356 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 137/565.01
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 3/2892 for underground fuel dispensing systems G01M3/30 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/0318 Processes
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/85978 With pump
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/86027 Electric
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/86035 Combined with fluid receiver

Abstract

A meter coupled in close proximity to an underground storage tank fuel pipe that delivers fuel from the underground storage tank to fuel dispensers in a service station environment. The meter measures the total amount of fuel drawn from the underground storage tank. The meter may be placed in a submersible turbine pump or in the main conduit that carries fuel to the fuel dispensers. The meter measurement is compared to the meter measurements in the individual fuel dispensers that receive the fuel drawn from the underground storage tank to determine if a discrepancy exists. A discrepancy may be indicative of meter tampering, meter calibration issues, and/or a leak in the fuel pipeline between the underground storage tank and the fuel dispensers. A leak detection test may be automatically performed if such discrepancy exists and/or an alarm condition generated and communicated.

Claims

1. An apparatus for metering fuel drawn out of an underground storage tank and delivered to a fuel dispenser in a service station environment, comprising:

a submersible turbine pump fluidly coupled to fuel in the underground storage tank wherein said submersible turbine pump draws the fuel out of the underground storage tank;

a main fuel piping coupled to said submersible turbine pump to carry the fuel drawn by said submersible turbine pump to the fuel dispenser; and

a meter coupled inline to said main fuel piping that measures the amount of fuel drawn by said submersible turbine pump from the underground storage tank and delivered to the fuel dispenser.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said meter is a turbine meter.

3. A system for detecting a discrepancy between the amount of fuel drawn from an underground storage tank to a plurality of fuel dispensers and the amount of fuel measured by the plurality of fuel dispensers, comprising:

a controller;

a submersible turbine pump fluidly coupled to fuel in the underground storage tank wherein said submersible turbine pump draws the fuel out of the underground storage tank;

a main fuel piping coupled to said submersible turbine pump to carry the fuel drawn by said submersible turbine pump to the fuel dispenser;

a meter coupled inline to said main fuel piping that measures the amount of fuel drawn by said submersible turbine pump from the underground storage tank and delivered to the fuel dispenser, wherein said meter electronically communicates the amount of fuel drawn by said submersible turbine pump to said controller; and

a plurality of fuel dispensers that each receives the fuel from a branch fuel piping coupled to said main fuel piping, wherein each of said plurality of fuel dispensers contains a fuel dispenser meter to measure the amount of the fuel received from said branch fuel piping and wherein said fuel dispenser meter electronically communicates the amount of fuel received from said branch conduit to said controller.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein said meter is a turbine meter.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein said controller is included in a device comprised from the group consisting of a site controller and a tank monitor.

6. The system of claim 3, wherein said controller is adapted to compare said amount of fuel received from said branch conduits and said amount of fuel drawn by said submersible turbine pump and to determine any discrepancy between the amount of fuel received from said branch conduits and the amount of fuel drawn by said submersible turbine pump.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein said controller generates an alarm if said amount of fuel received from said branch conduits is different than said amount of fuel drawn by said submersible turbine pump.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein said alarm is comprised from the group consisting of a fraud alarm, a leak alarm, and a calibration alarm.

9. The system of claim 6, wherein said controller initiates a leak detection test if said amount of fuel received from said branch conduits is different than said amount of fuel drawn by said submersible turbine pump.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein said leak detection test is comprised from the group consisting of a leak detection test for said main fuel piping and a leak detection test for said branch fuel piping.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein said leak detection test is comprised from the group consisting of a gross leak detection test, a precision leak detection test at 0.2 gallons per hour, and a precision leak detection test at 0.1 gallons per hour.

12. The system of claim 6, wherein said controller communicates any said discrepancy to a remote location.

13. The system of claim 3, wherein said controller generates an alarm when the amount of fuel drawn by said submersible turbine pump exceeds a threshold level.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein said alarm is communicated to a remote location.

15. The system of claim 3, wherein said controller determines which of said fuel dispenser meters in said plurality of fuel dispenser meters is in discrepancy with said meter.

16. A method of installing a meter to measure the amount of fuel drawn from an underground storage tank and delivered to a fuel dispenser in a service station environment, comprising the steps of:

fluidly coupling a submersible turbine pump to fuel in the underground storage tank;

coupling a main fuel piping to said submersible turbine pump wherein said submersible turbine pump draws fuel from the underground storage tank and delivers the fuel to said main fuel piping; and

placing a meter inline to said main fuel piping that measures the amount of fuel drawn by said submersible turbine pump from the underground storage tank.

17. An apparatus for metering fuel drawn out of an underground storage tank and delivered to a fuel dispenser in a service station environment, comprising:

a submersible turbine pump fluidly coupled to fuel in the underground storage tank wherein said submersible turbine pump draws the fuel out of the underground storage tank;

a main fuel piping coupled to said submersible turbine pump to carry the fuel drawn by said submersible turbine pump to the fuel dispenser; and

a meter placed in said submersible turbine pump that measures the amount of fuel drawn by said submersible turbine pump from the underground storage tank and delivered to the fuel dispenser.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein said meter is a turbine meter.

19. A system for detecting a discrepancy between the amount of fuel drawn from an underground storage tank to a plurality of fuel dispensers and the amount of fuel measured by the plurality of fuel dispensers, comprising:

a controller;

a submersible turbine pump fluidly coupled to fuel in the underground storage tank wherein said submersible turbine pump draws the fuel out of the underground storage tank;

a main fuel piping coupled to said submersible turbine pump to carry the fuel drawn by said submersible turbine pump to the fuel dispenser;

a meter placed in said submersible turbine pump that measures the amount of fuel drawn by said submersible turbine pump from the underground storage tank and delivered to the fuel dispenser; and

a plurality of fuel dispensers that each receives the fuel from a branch fuel piping coupled to said main fuel piping, wherein each of said plurality of fuel dispensers contains a fuel dispenser meter to measure the amount of the fuel received from said branch fuel piping and wherein said fuel dispenser meter electronically communicates the amount of fuel received from said branch fuel piping to said controller.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein said meter is a turbine meter.

21. The system of claim 19, wherein said meter is placed in a turbine housing of said submersible turbine pump.

22. The system of claim 19, wherein said meter is placed in a boom of said submersible turbine pump.

23. The system of claim 19, wherein said meter is placed in a riser pipe of said submersible turbine pump.

24. The system of claim 19, wherein said meter is placed in a submersible turbine pump housing of said submersible turbine pump.

25. The system of claim 19, wherein said controller is included in a device comprised from the group consisting of a site controller and a tank monitor.

26. The system of claim 19, wherein said controller is adapted to compare said amount of fuel received from said branch conduits and said amount of fuel drawn by said submersible turbine pump and to determine any discrepancy between said amount of fuel received from said branch conduits and said amount of fuel drawn by said submersible turbine pump.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein said controller generates an alarm if said amount of fuel received from said branch conduits is different than said amount of fuel drawn by said submersible turbine pump.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein said alarm is comprised from the group consisting of a fraud alarm, a leak alarm, and a calibration alarm.

29. The system of claim 26, wherein said controller initiates a leak detection test if said amount of fuel received from said branch conduits is different than said amount of fuel drawn by said submersible turbine pump.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein said leak detection test is comprised from the group consisting of a leak detection test for said main fuel piping and a leak detection test for said branch fuel piping.

31. The system of claim 29, wherein said leak detection test is comprised from the group consisting of a gross leak detection test, a precision leak detection test at 0.2 gallons per hour, and a precision leak detection test at 0.1 gallons per hour.

32. The system of claim 26, wherein said controller communicates any said discrepancy to a remote location.

33. A method of installing a meter to measure the amount of fuel drawn by a submersible turbine pump from an underground storage tank and delivered to a fuel dispenser in a service station environment, comprising the steps of:

fluidly coupling a submersible turbine pump to fuel in the underground storage tank;

coupling a main fuel piping to said submersible turbine pump wherein said submersible turbine pump draws fuel from the underground storage tank and delivers the fuel to said main fuel piping; and

placing a meter in said submersible turbine pump that measures the amount of fuel drawn by said submersible turbine pump from the underground storage tank.

34. A method of measuring the amount of fuel drawn from an underground storage tank that is delivered to a plurality of fuel dispensers in a service station environment, comprising the steps of:

drawing an amount of fuel from the underground storage tank; and

measuring the amount of fuel drawn from the underground storage tank before the fuel is delivered to the plurality of fuel dispensers.

35. The method of claim 34, further comprising the step of communicating said amount of fuel drawn from the underground storage tank to a controller.

36. The method of claim 34, further comprising the step of comparing the amount of fuel received by the plurality of fuel dispensers and the amount of fuel drawn from the underground storage tank and determining any discrepancy between the amount of fuel received from the plurality of fuel dispensers and the amount of fuel drawn from the underground storage tank.

37. The method of claim 36, further comprising the step of generating an alarm if said amount of fuel received from said branch conduits is different than said amount of fuel drawn from the underground storage tank.

38. The method of claim 36, further comprising the step of initiating a leak detection test if said amount of fuel received from said branch conduits is different than said amount of fuel drawn from the underground storage tank.

39. The method of claim 36, further comprising the step of communicating any said discrepancy to a remote location.

40. The method of claim 36, further comprising the stopping the draw of fuel from the underground storage tank if said amount of fuel received from said branch conduits is different than said amount of fuel drawn from the underground storage tank.

41. The method of claim 38, further comprising the stopping the draw of fuel from the underground storage tank if said leak detection test fails.