Real time blending apparatus and method

• US 6,065,638 A
• Filed: 05/29/1998
• Issued: 05/23/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 05/29/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Gilbarco Incorporated (Vontier Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Gilbarco Incorporated (Vontier Corp.)
• Inventors: Nanaji, Seifollah S., Terranova, Steven N.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kashnikow, Andres
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Dinh Q.
• Application Number:
  US09/087,287
• Time in Patent Office: 725 Days
• Field of Search: 222/52, 222/63, 222/71, 222/144.5, 222/1, 222/39, 222/23, 222/145.7, 73/61.43, 73/53.01, 364/500, 364/509
• US Class Current: 222/1
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 2007/747 involving means responsive to the octane level, e.g. octane sensor, knock engine
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 7/744 involving digital counting
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 11/132 by controlling the flow of the individual components G05D11/133 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 11/139 by measuring a value related to the quantity of the individual components and sensing at least one property of the mixture

Abstract

The present invention relates to an apparatus for dispensing a blended fuel including first and second real time octane sensors in fluid communication with sources of low and high octane blend components. The sensors generate an output signal indicative of the octane level of each component. The apparatus also includes first and second flow control valves in fluid communication with the first and second octane sensors respectively for independently controlling the flow rates of the low level and high level blend components. The invention further includes first and second meters in fluid communication with first and second flow control valves respectively for generating a signal indicative of the flow rates of the first and second blend components. The meters discharge to a blend manifold for mixing the blending components. A controller is provided for receiving outputs from the first and second octane sensors, first and second meters, the blended product octane sensor and generating output control signals to first and second flow control valves so as to maintain the blended fuel octane level at a predetermined level or within a predetermined range. In an alternative embodiment, only a blended product octane sensor is provided downstream of the point at which the blend components are mixed.

Claims

1. A fuel dispensing installation comprising

a) first and second fuel tanks containing first and second fuels of differing octane levels,

b) conduits from said 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 one mixture having an intermediate octane, and

c) first and second real time octane sensors mounted in the fuel dispenser so as to be in fluid communication with the first and second fuels respectively to sense the octane levels of said first and second fuels and to output signals representative of the octane levels of said first and second fuels to said blending system,

wherein the blending system receives the octane sensor output signals and generates output signals to maintain the octane level of the at least one mixture at a predetermined level or within a predetermined range.

2. The fuel dispensing installation of claim 1 further comprising a third octane sensor for detecting the octane level of the intermediate octane mixture.

3. The fuel dispensing installation of claim 1 further comprising an octane level display for displaying the actual octane level of the mixture having an intermediate octane level.

4. An apparatus for dispensing a blended fuel comprising:

a) a first real time octane sensor in fluid communication with a source of a low octane blend component for generating an output signal indicative of the octane level of the low octane blend component;

b) a second real time octane sensor in fluid communication with a source of a high octane blend component for generating an output signal indicative of the octane level of the high octane blend component;

c) first and second valves in fluid communication with the first and second octane sensors respectively for independently controlling the flow rates of the low level and high level blend components;

d) first and second meters in fluid communication with first and second valves respectively for generating a signal indicative of the flow rates of the first and second blend components;

e) a blend manifold in fluid communication with first and second meters for blending the low octane blend component and the high octane blend component to create a blended fuel; and

f) a dispenser controller for receiving outputs from the first and second octane sensors, and the first and second meters, and generating output control signals to first and second valves so as to maintain the blended product octane level at a predetermined level or within a predetermined range.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 further comprising a site controller in electronic communication with the dispenser controller.

6. The fuel dispensing installation of claim 4 further comprising an octane level display for displaying the actual octane level of the mixture having an intermediate octane level.

7. An apparatus for dispensing a blended fuel comprising:

a) first and second valves in fluid communication with a low octane blend component and a high octane blend component respectively for independently controlling the flow rates of the low level and high level blend components provided to the apparatus;

b) first and second meters in fluid communication with first and second valves respectively for generating a signal indicative of the flow rates of the first and second blend components;

c) a blend manifold in fluid communication with the first and second meters for blending the low octane blend component and the high octane blend component to form a blended fuel;

d) a blended fuel real time octane sensor in fluid communication with the blend manifold for generating an output signal indicative of the octane level of the blended fuel; and

e) a dispenser controller for receiving outputs from the first and second meters and the blended product octane sensor and generating output control signals to first and second valves so as to maintain the blended product octane level at a predetermined level.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 further comprising a site controller in electronic communication with the dispenser controller.

9. The fuel dispensing installation of claim 7 further comprising an octane level display for displaying the actual octane level of the mixture having an intermediate octane level.

10. A method for monitoring the blending of a low octane fuel source and a high octane fuel source to create a desired fuel including at least one desired blended fuel grade and at least one non-blended fuel grade comprising:

a) determining on a real time basis the octane level of the low octane fuel source;

b) determining on a real time basis the octane level of the high octane fuel source;

c) comparing the octane levels determined in steps a) and b) to predetermined minimum octane levels for each fuel source;

d) determining which of the desired blended and non-blended fuel grades may be created using the results of comparison of step c); and

e) permitting the dispensing of each blended fuel grade that the results of comparison of step c) indicate may be created.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising ceasing fuel dispensing if the comparison of step c) indicates that the desired fuel grade cannot be created.

12. The method of claim 10 further comprising generating an alarm if the comparison of step c) indicates that the desired fuel grade cannot be created.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the alarm is an audible alarm.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein the alarm is a visible alarm.

15. The method of claim 12 wherein the alarm is an offsite alarm.

16. The method of claim 13 further comprising displaying the actual octane level of the blended fuel grade.