Gasoline dispensing and vapor recovery system and method
First Claim
1. A vapor recovery system for recovering vapors from a vehicle tank, the system comprising a storage tank, a vapor flow system connecting the vehicle tank to the storage tank for passing a mixture of air and gasoline vapors in the vehicle tank to the storage tank, a device for varying the flow of the mixture from the vehicle tank to the storage tank, a vent pipe extending from the storage tank for venting a mixture of air and gasoline vapors from the storage tank, a flowmeter for measuring the flow of the mixture from the vent pipe, and a control unit operatively connected to the flowmeter and to the flow-varying device for responding to the amount of the mixture flow from the vent pipe and for adjusting the flow-varying device, and therefore the flow of the mixture from the vehicle tank, accordingly.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A gasoline vapor recovery system and method in which a mixture of air and gasoline vapor is passed from a vehicle tank to a storage tank during the dispensing of gasoline from the storage tank to the vehicle tank. A portion of the mixture of air and gasoline vapor is vented from the storage tank, the flow and/or the vapor concentration of the vented mixture from the storage tank are determined, and the mixture flow from the vehicle tank is varied accordingly.
63 Citations
27 Claims
- 1. A vapor recovery system for recovering vapors from a vehicle tank, the system comprising a storage tank, a vapor flow system connecting the vehicle tank to the storage tank for passing a mixture of air and gasoline vapors in the vehicle tank to the storage tank, a device for varying the flow of the mixture from the vehicle tank to the storage tank, a vent pipe extending from the storage tank for venting a mixture of air and gasoline vapors from the storage tank, a flowmeter for measuring the flow of the mixture from the vent pipe, and a control unit operatively connected to the flowmeter and to the flow-varying device for responding to the amount of the mixture flow from the vent pipe and for adjusting the flow-varying device, and therefore the flow of the mixture from the vehicle tank, accordingly.
- 11. A vapor recovery method comprising the steps of passing a mixture of air and gasoline vapor from a vehicle tank to a storage tank, venting a portion of the mixture of air and gasoline vapor from the storage tank, measuring the flow of the vented mixture from the storage tank, responding to the amount of the mixture flow from the storage tank and varying the mixture flow from the vehicle tank accordingly, and detecting the amount of gasoline vapor in the mixture flow from the vehicle tank and varying the mixture flow from the vehicle tank accordingly.
- 16. A vapor recovery method comprising the steps of passing a mixture of air and gasoline vapor from a vehicle tank to a storage tank, venting a portion of the mixture of air and gasoline vapor from the storage tank, detecting the amount of vapor in the vented mixture from the storage tank, responding to the amount of vapor in the vented mixture and varying the mixture flow from the vehicle tank accordingly, and measuring the flow of the gasoline from the storage tank to the vehicle tank and varying the mixture flow from the vehicle tank accordingly.
- 22. A vapor recovery method comprising the steps of passing a mixture of air and gasoline vapor from a vehicle tank to a storage tank, venting a portion of the mixture of air and gasoline vapor from the storage tank, detecting the amount of vapor in the vented mixture from the storage tank, responding to the amount of vapor in the vented mixture and varying the mixture flow from the vehicle tank accordingly, and measuring the flow of the mixture from the vehicle tank to the storage tank, and varying the mixture flow from the vehicle tank accordingly.
Specification