Single meter octane blending apparatus
First Claim
1. A fluid dispensing apparatus comprising:
- first and second fluid sources containing first and second fluids of different octane levels;
first and second valves in fluid communication with the first and second fluid sources respectively, to control an amount of the first and second fluids passing through the first and second valves, respectively;
a junction at which the first and second fluids are joined, to form a mixed fluid;
a meter providing an indication of an amount of the mixed fluid passing through the meter;
a fluid dispensing outlet receiving the mixed fluid passed through the meter; and
at least two octane sensors, each adapted to measure an octane level of the mixed fluid;
the at least two octane sensors connected to a control device that controls the first and second valves to affect a proportion of the first and second fluids that are mixed together to produce the mixed fluid to achieve a desired octane level in the mixed fluid, and wherein said control device bases said control of the first and second valves on measured octane determined by averaging a first octane measurement from a first one of the at least two octane sensors with a second octane measurement from a second one of the at least two octane sensors.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention relates to a fuel dispensing apparatus and method for blending at least one blended fuel using a single meter both the blended fuel and the blend components. The invention includes an apparatus for dispensing a blended fuel that includes first and second valves in fluid communication with a low octane blend component and a high octane blend component respectively. A meter is in fluid communication with the first and second valves for generating a signal indicative of the volume of the blended fuel dispensed from the apparatus. The invention further includes a real time octane sensor in fluid communication with the blended fuel for generating an output signal indicative of the octane level of the blended fuel. A blend controller receives the octane sensor output signal and generates output control signals to the first and second control valves to maintain the blended product octane level at a predetermined level or within a predetermined range.
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Citations
30 Claims
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1. A fluid dispensing apparatus comprising:
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first and second fluid sources containing first and second fluids of different octane levels; first and second valves in fluid communication with the first and second fluid sources respectively, to control an amount of the first and second fluids passing through the first and second valves, respectively; a junction at which the first and second fluids are joined, to form a mixed fluid; a meter providing an indication of an amount of the mixed fluid passing through the meter; a fluid dispensing outlet receiving the mixed fluid passed through the meter; and at least two octane sensors, each adapted to measure an octane level of the mixed fluid; the at least two octane sensors connected to a control device that controls the first and second valves to affect a proportion of the first and second fluids that are mixed together to produce the mixed fluid to achieve a desired octane level in the mixed fluid, and wherein said control device bases said control of the first and second valves on measured octane determined by averaging a first octane measurement from a first one of the at least two octane sensors with a second octane measurement from a second one of the at least two octane sensors. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A fuel-dispensing apparatus comprising:
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first and second fuel sources; first and second valves responsive to a control signal, the first and second valves controlling a flow of the first and second fuel sources respectively to determine an amount of the first and second fuel sources mixed together to form a mixed fuel; a meter for metering the mixed fuel; at least one octane sensor in fluid communication with the mixed fuel, the at least one octane sensor providing an octane reading related to an octane of the mixed fuel; a fuel discharge nozzle in fluid communication with the meter adapted to dispense the mixed fuel; and a control device generating the control signal based on the octane reading, the control signal generated such that the first and second valves control the flow of the first and second fuel sources to ensure that the octane of the mixed fluid is within a defined range of a desired octane, the control device additionally determining if the at least one octane sensor is operating properly. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. A blended-fuel dispensing apparatus comprising:
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first and second valves in fluid communication with a low octane blend component and a high octane blend component, the first and second control valves controlling an amount of the low and high octane components, respectively, that are mixed to form a blended fuel; a meter in fluid communication with first and second valves that generates a signal indicative of the volume of the blended fuel dispensed from the apparatus; a real time octane sensor in fluid communication with the blended fuel that generates an output signal indicative of an octane level of the blended fuel; a blend controller that receives the octane sensor output signal and generates output control signals to the first and second control valves to maintain the blended fuel octane level within a predetermined range, based on the blend controller determining an average value for the blended fuel octane level from a plurality of octane level measurements stored by the blend controller in an associated memory device, wherein the plurality of octane level measurements are based on the real time octane sensor output signal; and a fuel discharge nozzle in fluid communication with the blended fuel, the fuel discharge nozzle being adapted to dispense the blended fuel. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30)
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Specification