Onboard vapor recovery detection
First Claim
1. An apparatus for dispensing fuel and detecting a vehicle having a vapor recovery system comprising:
- a fuel dispenser configured to deliver fuel to a fuel tank of vehicle;
a vapor recovery system operatively associated with said fuel dispenser having a vapor path for removing fuel vapor expelled from the fuel tank of the vehicle during a fueling operation;
a hydrocarbon vapor sensor associated with said vapor path for sensing the fuel vapors in said vapor path and providing a vapor signal indicative of a presence of hydrocarbon vapor; and
a vapor recovery controller configured to;
a) receive the vapor signal;
b) determine whether or not the vehicle has a vapor recovery system based on hydrocarbon vapor concentration in said vapor path during fueling; and
c) shut off or adjust said vapor recovery system during the fueling operation upon determining that the vehicle has a vapor recovery system.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus for detecting a vehicle having a vapor recovery system having a fuel dispenser configured to deliver fuel to a fuel tank of a vehicle, a vapor recovery system operatively associated with the fuel dispenser having a vapor path for removing fuel vapor expelled from the fuel tank of the vehicle during a fueling operation, and a hydrocarbon vapor sensor associated with the vapor path for sensing the fuel vapors in the vapor path, wherein when the vapor sensor does not sense fuel vapor during the fueling operation, the fuel dispenser determines the vehicle contains an onboard vapor recovery system. Once a vehicle having an onboard vapor recovery system is detected, the vapor recovery system is either shut off or adjusted during the fueling operation to minimize fugitive emissions.
131 Citations
23 Claims
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1. An apparatus for dispensing fuel and detecting a vehicle having a vapor recovery system comprising:
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a fuel dispenser configured to deliver fuel to a fuel tank of vehicle; a vapor recovery system operatively associated with said fuel dispenser having a vapor path for removing fuel vapor expelled from the fuel tank of the vehicle during a fueling operation; a hydrocarbon vapor sensor associated with said vapor path for sensing the fuel vapors in said vapor path and providing a vapor signal indicative of a presence of hydrocarbon vapor; and a vapor recovery controller configured to; a) receive the vapor signal; b) determine whether or not the vehicle has a vapor recovery system based on hydrocarbon vapor concentration in said vapor path during fueling; and c) shut off or adjust said vapor recovery system during the fueling operation upon determining that the vehicle has a vapor recovery system. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A method for dispensing fuel and detecting a vehicle having a vapor recovery system comprising:
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delivering fuel to a fuel tank of a vehicle from a fuel dispenser having a vapor recovery system with a vapor recovery path operatively associated with the fuel dispenser for removing fuel vapor expelled from the fuel tank of the vehicle during a fueling operation; sensing a presence of hydrocarbon in the vapor recovery path; and determining whether the vehicle has an onboard vapor recovery system from the hydrocarbon level sensed in the sensing step. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. An apparatus for adding to a fuel dispenser for detecting a vehicle having a vapor recovery system wherein
the fuel dispenser is configured to deliver fuel to a fuel tank of a vehicle, said fuel dispenser including a vapor recovery system operatively associated with said fuel dispenser having a vapor path for removing fuel vapor expelled from the fuel tank of the vehicle during a fueling operation and a vapor recovery controller, said apparatus comprising: -
a hydrocarbon sensor module configured to operatively associate with said vapor path for sensing the fuel vapors in said vapor path, a signal path operatively associated with said module and the controller to provide a vapor signal indicative of a presence of hydrocarbons in said vapor path to the vapor recovery controller; and a software update for the controller to adapt the controller to determine whether or not the vehicle has a vapor recovery system and to shut off or adjust said vapor recovery system during the fueling operation upon the sensing of a vehicle having a vapor recovery system.
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Specification