BLENDING APPARATUS AND METHOD

• US 20160332861A1
• Filed: 05/15/2015
• Published: 11/17/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/15/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gilbarco Incorporated (Vontier Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Gilbarco Incorporated (Vontier Corp.)
• Inventors: Johnson, Gordon W., Oldham, Christopher A., Liebal, Michael C.
• Granted Patent: US 9,802,810 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 2007/747 involving means responsive to the octane level, e.g. octane sensor, knock engine
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 7/04 for transferring fuels, lubricants or mixed fuels and lubricants
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 7/423 specially adapted for blending several fluids mixing devices B67D7/74
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 7/743 electrically or electro-mechanically operated
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 7/744 involving digital counting
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 7/78 Arrangements of storage tanks, reservoirs or pipe-lines

Abstract

A method of delivering a selected fuel product having a selected octane level to an operator from a fuel dispenser including a blend manifold, a fuel nozzle, and a fuel hose extending therebetween, including the steps of determining a first volume of a first fuel that is retained in the fuel hose upon completion of a first fueling event, determining a first octane level of the first volume of the first fuel, determining a second volume of a second fuel having a second octane level, and delivering the first fuel volume and the second fuel volume to the operator during a second fueling event, wherein a total volume of fuel equaling the first volume of the first fuel and the second volume of the second fuel has a total octane level that falls within a predetermined limit of the selected octane level of the selected fuel product.

Claims

1. A method of delivering a selected fuel product having a selected octane level to an operator from a fuel dispenser including a blend manifold, a fuel nozzle, and a fuel hose extending therebetween, comprising the steps of:

determining a first volume of a first fuel that is retained in the fuel hose upon completion of a first fueling event;

determining a first octane level of the first volume of the first fuel;

determining a second volume of a second fuel having a second octane level; and

delivering the first fuel volume and the second fuel volume to the operator during a second fueling event,

wherein a total volume equaling the first volume of the first fuel and the second volume of the second fuel has a total octane level that falls within a predetermined limit of the selected octane level of the selected fuel product.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

delivering a third volume of the selected fuel product having a third octane level to the operator during the second fueling event,

wherein the third octane level falls within the predetermined limit of the selected octane level of the selected fuel product.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the second volume of the second fuel is equal to or greater than the first volume of the first fuel.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the second volume of the second fuel is less than the first volume of the first fuel.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first volume of the first fuel is equal to a volume of a portion of the fuel hose that is disposed between the blend manifold and the fuel nozzle of the fuel dispenser.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the octane level of the second volume of the second fuel is greater than the octane level of the first volume of the first fuel.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the octane level of the second volume of the second fuel is less than the octane level of the first volume of the first fuel.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying the second volume of the second fuel to the operator during the second fueling event.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the total octane level of the total volume is substantially equal to the selected octane level of the selected fuel product.

10. A fuel dispensing installation, comprising:

a first fuel tank containing a first fuel having a first parameter at a first level;

second fuel tank containing a second fuel having the first parameter at a second level;

a plurality of conduits connecting the first and second tanks to a fuel dispenser, said fuel dispenser having a blending system for blending the first and second fuels to form at least a first fuel blend having a third level of the first parameter; and

a first and a second sensor operatively connected to the fuel dispenser so as to be in fluid communication with the first and second fuels, respectively, so as to sense the first level and the second level of the first parameter of the first and second fuels, respectively, and to output signals representative of the first level and the second level of the first parameter of the first and second fuels to the blending system,

wherein the blending system receives the sensor output signals and generates output control signals to maintain the first parameter level of the first fuel blend within a predetermined range of the third level of the first parameter.

11. The fuel dispensing installation of claim 10, further comprising a third sensor for detecting the third level of the first parameter of the first fuel blend.

12. The fuel dispensing installation of claim 10, further comprising a display for displaying the third level of the first parameter of the first fuel blend to an operator.

13. The fuel dispensing installation of claim 10, wherein the first parameter is one of a cetane content, an ethanol content and a biodiesel content.

14. The fuel dispensing installation of claim 10, further comprising:

a first and a second valve in fluid communication with the first fuel and the second fuel, respectively, for independently controlling the flow rates of the first and second fuels; and

a dispenser controller for receiving outputs from the first and second sensors and generating output control signals to first and second valves so as to maintain the first parameter of the first fuel blend at the third level.

15. A method of delivering a selected fuel product having a selected level of a first parameter to an operator from a fuel dispenser including a blend manifold, a fuel nozzle, and a fuel hose extending therebetween, comprising the steps of:

determining a first volume of a first fuel that is retained in the fuel hose upon completion of a first fueling event;

determining a first level of the first parameter of the first volume of the first fuel;

determining a second volume of a second fuel having a second level of the first parameter; and

delivering the first fuel volume and the second fuel volume to the operator during a second fueling event,

wherein a total volume equaling the first volume of the first fuel and the second volume of the second fuel has a total level of the first parameter that falls within a predetermined limit of the selected level of the first parameter of the selected fuel product.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

delivering a third volume of the selected fuel product having a third level of the first parameter to the operator during the second fueling event,

wherein the third level of the first parameter falls within the predetermined limit of the selected level of the first parameter of selected fuel product.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the second volume of the second fuel is equal to or greater than the first volume of the first fuel.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the first volume of the first fuel is equal to a volume of a portion of the fuel hose that is disposed between the blend manifold and the fuel nozzle of the fuel dispenser.

19. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

displaying the second volume of the second fuel to the operator during the second fueling event.

20. The fuel dispensing installation of claim 15, wherein the first parameter is one of a cetane content, an ethanol content and a biodiesel content.