Recovery of flammable vapors

• US 3,926,230 A
• Filed: 06/12/1974
• Issued: 12/16/1975
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/1974
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Edward L. Brown, Eric L. Pridonoff, Marvin L. Stary
• Original Assignee: Edward L. Brown, Eric L. Pridonoff, Marvin L. Stary
• Inventors: Stary, Marvin L., Brown, Edward L., Pridonoff, Eric L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bell, Jr., Houston S.
• Application Number:
  US05/478,519
• Time in Patent Office: 552 Days
• Field of Search: 141/41-45,52,59,287,290,98 55/387,88,62,74,316,182,385NS 220/85VR,85US,86R 62/50-54 123/133,136
• US Class Current: 141/45
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 7/0476 Vapour recovery systems

Abstract

A system for preventing escape of vapors into the atmosphere when filling gasoline or the like into a tank, and including means for collecting vapors from the vicinity of the filling nozzle, or nozzles, adsorbing the vapors onto an adsorbent substance such as activated charcoal, and then utilizing the vapors in admixture with air as the sole fuel for driving a combustion engine. The engine may be started intermittently, preferably in response to each actuation of the dispensing nozzle.

Claims

1. Apparatus comprising:

a liquid dispensing system including tank means for holding a flammable liquid, hose means for dispensing said liquid, and discharge nozzle means on said hose means;

means for collecting flammable vapors of said liquid from said dispensing system and including collection line means for withdrawing vapors from the vicinity of said nozzle means during a dispensing operation;

adsorption chamber means through which said collected vapors and intermixed air are passed and containing a substance adapted to adsorb said vapors;

an engine;

means for feeding said collected vapors to the intake of said engine as its only fuel in a quantity sufficient to drive said engine solely by the combustion of said vapors, said vapor feeding means acting to progressively desorb vapors from said substance for delivery to the engine; and

means for delivering air to the intake of said engine with said collected vapors in a controlled total air-vapor ratio which is combustible in the engine to drive it solely by burning of said vapors.

2. Apparatus as recited in claim 1, including an air compressor driven by said engine.

3. Apparatus as recited in claim 1, in which said vapor feeding means include a line through which said vapors are delivered to said engine, and a pressure regulator in said line.

4. Apparatus as recited in claim 1, in which said vapor feeding means include a first line for delivering vapors from said chamber means to the engine, said air delivering means including a second line for delivering air to said engine, there being valve means for controllably varying the proportions of vapor and air delivered through said first and second lines to produce said combustible air-vapor mixture.

5. Apparatus as recited in claim 1, including a starter for turning over said engine, and means for energizing said starter intermittently.

6. Apparatus as recited in claim 1, including a pressure opening valve adapted to pass an increased amount of air to said engine in response to a predetermined increase in pressure of said vapors.

7. Apparatus as recited in claim 1, in which said vapor feeding means include a first line for delivering vapors from said chamber means to the engine, and a pressure regulator in said line;

said air delivering means including a second line for delivering air to said engine, adjustable metering valve means in said second line, a third line bypassing said metering valve means, and a pressure opening valve in said third line adapted to open and pass an increased amount of air to said engine in response to an increase in the pressure of said vapors upstream of said pressure regulator of the vapor feeding means.

8. Apparatus as recited in claim 7, including a check valve in said second line upstream of said thIrd line and metering valve means, and additional metering valve means in said third line.

9. Apparatus as recited in claim 1, in which said vapor collecting means include vacuum pump means for drawing vapors through said collection line means and delivering said vapors to said adsorption chamber means.

10. Apparatus as recited in claim 1, in which said vapor collecting means include vacuum pump means for drawing vapors through said collection line means and delivering said vapors to said adsorption chamber means, there being a return line for delivering vapors from said pump means back to said tank means.

11. Apparatus as recited in claim 1, in which said vapor collecting means include vacuum pump means for drawing vapors through said collection line means and delivering said vapors to said adsorption chamber means, there being a return line for delivering vapors from said pump means back to said tank means, and a valve connected into said return line adapted to permit flow of vapor but prevent flow of liquid therethrough in a direction away from said tank means.

12. Apparatus as recited in claim 1, in which said vapor collecting means include vacuum pump means for drawing vapors through said collection line means and delivering said vapors to said adsorption chamber means, there being a pressure regulator valve between said pump means and said adsorption chamber means.

13. Apparatus comprising:

a liquid dispensing system including tank means for holding a flammable liquid, hose means for dispensing said liquid, and discharge nozzle means on said hose means;

means for collecting flammable vapors of said liquid from said dispensing system and including collection line means for withdrawing vapors from the vicinity of said nozzle means during a dispensing operation;

adsorption chamber means through which said collected vapors and intermixed air are passed and containing a substance adapted to adsorb said vapors;

an engine;

means for feeding said collected vapors from said chamber means to the intake of said engine to burn therein;

a vapor flow line through which vapor may flow between said tank means and said adsorption chamber means; and

a valve connected into said vapor flow line and adapted to permit flow of vapor but prevent flow of liquid therethrough toward said chamber means.

14. Apparatus comprising:

a liquid dispensing system including tank means for holding a flammable liquid, hose means for dispensing said liquid, and discharge nozzle means on said hose means;

means for collecting flammable vapors of said liquid from said dispensing system and including collection line means for withdrawing vapors from the vicinity of said nozzle means during a dispensing operation, and vacuum pump means for drawing vapors through said collection line means;

adsorption chamber means to which said vapors are discharged by said vacuum pump means and containing a substance adapted to adsorb said vapors;

a pressure opening valve between said pump means and said adsorption chamber means adapted to be opened by the pressure of said pump means but to close under a reduced pressure when the pump means are not operating;

an engine;

means for feeding vapors from said chamber means to the engine to burn therein; and

means for delivering air to the intake of said engine.

15. Apparatus as recited in claim 14, including a pressure regulator valve between said pump means and said pressure opening valve acting when said pump means are in operation to maintain a regulated pressure at the inlet side of said pressure opening valve high enough to open the latter.

16. Apparatus as recited in claim 14, including a pressure regulator valve between said pump means and said pressure opening valve acting when said pump means are in operation to maintain a regulated pressure at the inlet side of said pressure opening valve high enough to open the latter, a vapor line extending from a point between said pump means anD said regulator valve back to said tank means, and a float valve in said vapor line preventing liquid flow therethrough in a direction away from said tank means.

17. Apparatus as recited in claim 14, including a pressure regulator valve between said pump means and said pressure opening valve acting when said pump means are in operation to maintain a regulated pressure at the inlet side of said pressure opening valve high enough to open the latter, a vapor line extending from a point between said pump means and said regulator valve back to said tank means, a float valve in said vapor line preventing liquid flow therethrough in a direction away from said tank means, a vent to atmosphere communicating with said tank means, and a pressure relief valve on said vent.

18. Apparatus as recited in claim 17, in which said vapor feeding means include a first line for delivering vapors from said chamber means to the engine, and a pressure regulator in said line;

said air delivering means including a second line for delivering air to said engine, adjustable metering valve means in said second line, a third line by-passing said metering valve means, and a pressure opening valve in said third line adapted to open and pass an increased amount of air to said engine in response to an increase in the pressure of said vapors upstream of said pressure regulator of the vapor feeding means.

19. Apparatus comprising:

dispensing means for delivering a flammable liquid into a tank, and including a dispensing conduit and a discharge nozzle;

manually actuated means for controlling the operation of said dispensing means;

means for withdrawing flammable vapors from the vicinity of said nozzle;

chamber means containing an adsorbent substance through which said vapors are passed in a relation causing adsorption of said vapors onto said substance;

an engine receiving vapors from said substance and within which said vapors are burned;

a starter for starting said engine; and

means for energizing said starter in response to operation of said manually actuated means.

20. Apparatus as recited in claim 19, in which said dispensing means includes a liquid pump for forcing said flammable liquid through said nozzle and into said tank, said manually actuated means serving when actuated to commence operation of said liquid pump.

21. Apparatus as recited in claim 19, including delay means acting to terminate energization of said starter after it has been in operation for an interval of time.

22. Apparatus as recited in claim 19, in which said dispensing means include a liquid pump for forcing said flammable liquid through said nozzle and into said tank, said manually actuated means serving when actuated to commence operation of said liquid pump, there being time delay means acting to terminate energization of said starter after it has been in operation for an interval of time, said means for withdrawing vapors including a vapor suction line, a valve in said line, and a vacuum pump, there being means for opening said valve and energizing said vacuum pump in response to actuation of said manually actuated means.

23. Apparatus comprising:

dispensing means for delivering a flammable liquid into a tank, and including a dispensing conduit and a discharge nozzle;

manually actuated means for controlling the operation of said dispensing means;

means for withdrawing flammable vapors from the vicinity of said nozzle and including a vacuum pump;

chamber means containing an adsorbent substance through which said vapors are passed in a relation causing adsorption of said vapors onto said substance; and

means for activating said vacuum pump to withdraw vapors from the vicinity of said nozzle in response to actuation of said manually actuated means.

24. Apparatus as recited in claim 23, in which said dispensing means include a liquid pump for forcing said flammable liquid through said nozzle, said manually actuated means serving when actuated to commeNce operation of said liquid pump.

25. Apparatus comprising:

dispensing means for delivering a flammable liquid into a tank, and including a dispensing conduit and a discharge nozzle;

manually actuated means for controlling the operation of said dispensing means;

means for withdrawing flammable vapors from the vicinity of said nozzle and including a vapor suction line and a valve controlling flow therethrough;

chamber means containing an adsorbent substance through which said vapors are passed in a relation causing adsorption of said vapors onto said substance; and

means for opening said valve in response to actuation of said manually actuated means.

26. Apparatus as recited in claim 25, in which said dispensing means include a liquid pump for forcing said flammable liquid through said nozzle, said manually actuated means serving when actuated to commence operation of said liquid pump.

27. The method that comprises:

collecting flammable vapors from a flammable liquid dispensing system having a tank and at least one dispensing conduit with a discharge nozzle;

adsorbing at least some of said collected vapors onto an adsorbent material;

delivering said collected vapors and air to an engine in a ratio combustible in the engine; and

driving said engine solely by the combustion of said collected vapors.

28. The method as recited in claim 27, including turning said engine over and attempting to start it intermittently to burn up any accumulated vapors.

29. The method as recited in claim 27, including returning some of said collected vapors back to said tank.

30. The method that comprises:

operating a liquid dispensing system at different times to dispense a flammable liquid from a tank through a conduit and nozzle;

collecting flammable vapors from said system;

adsorbing at least some of said collected vapors onto an adsorbent material;

delivering said collected vapors and air to an engine to burn therein; and

turning said engine over and attempting to start it at said times when the dispensing system is operated.

31. Apparatus comprising:

dispensing means for delivering a flammable liquid into a tank, and including a dispensing conduit and a discharge nozzle;

means for withdrawing flammable vapors from the vicinity of said nozzle;

chamber means containing an adsorbent substance through which said vapors are passed in a relation causing adsorption of said vapors onto said substance;

an engine receiving vapors from said substance and within which said vapors are burned;

a starter for starting said engine; and

timer means for automatically energizing said starter at predetermined timed intervals to turn said engine over.

32. Apparatus comprising:

dispensing means for delivering a flammable liquid into a tank, and including a dispensing conduit and a discharge nozzle;

means for withdrawing flammable vapors from the vicinity of said nozzle;

chamber means containing an adsorbent substance through which said vapors are passed in a relation causing adsorption of said vapors onto said substance;

an engine receiving vapors from said substance and within which said vapors are burned;

a starter for starting said engine; and

means for energizing said starter at different times and including means for automatically terminating said energization of the starter after it has been in operation for an interval of time.

33. Apparatus as recited in claim 1, including an electrical generator driven by said engine.