Bar code gasoline blending

• US 6,422,465 B2
• Filed: 12/01/2000
• Issued: 07/23/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Marathon Petroleum Company LP (Marathon Petroleum Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Marathon Ashland Petroleum LLC (Marathon Petroleum Corporation)
• Inventors: Miller, Charles B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Michael G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lee, Diane I.
• Application Number:
  US09/728,287
• Publication Number:
  US 20010001131A1
• Time in Patent Office: 599 Days
• Field of Search: 235/381, 235/384, 235/435, 235/375, 235/376, 235/462.01, 141/94, 141/98, 141/231, 705/412, 705/413, 700/213, 700/239, 700/240, 700/241
• US Class Current: 235/384
• 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: G01N 33/2829 mixtures of fuels, e.g. determining the RON-number

Abstract

A process and apparatus for preparation of custom blended fuels is disclosed. A bar code on a fuel tank or vehicle, such as an automobile, is scanned by a bar code reader operatively associated with a fuel dispensing means to convey information about a fuel required or desired to a computer controlled customized blender associated with the fuel dispensing means. Multiple fuel components, such as gasoline and replenishable fuel components such as methanol and ethanol may be custom mixed at the point of purchase. Preferably an octane analyzer and other fuel property analyzers, such as RVP analyzers, are associated with individual component or blended gasoline streams.

Claims

1. An apparatus for blending and dispensing customized fuel to a vehicle in response to a bar Code on the vehicle comprising:

a. multiple fuel component storage means connective with individual conduit means,

b. a mixing means, for blending said fuel, fluidly connective with said storage means, and producing a blended or customized fuel,

c. at least one analyzing means operatively associated with at least one individual fuel component, said mixing means or said blended fuel,

d. a fuel dispensing means comprising a bar code reader fluidly connective with said mixing means

e. a bar code on said vehicle,

f. one or more computer means, receiving inputs from said bar code reader on said fuel dispensing means, for determining the fuel requirements of said vehicle based upon said bar code on said vehicle and for controlling the blending of fuel to produce said blended fuel required by, or specified for, said vehicle based upon said bar code on said vehicle, and

g. a display means displaying at least one of cost, volume or properties of said customized fuel delivered to said vehicle in response to said bar code on said vehicle.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said multiple fuel component storage means comprise storage means for at least one of the following gasoline blending components:

a regular gasoline component,

and alkylate component,

a high Reid vapor pressure (RVP) component, and

an alcohol component.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein a single computer system receives input from said bar code on said vehicle and from said analyzing means and controls said blending in response thereto.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein one fuel component is a replenishable fuel component.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said replenishable fuel component is methanol or ethanol.