Fueling system vapor recovery and containment performance monitor and method of operation thereof
First Claim
1. A system for monitoring vapor containment in a liquid fuel dispensing facility having a fuel storage system that provides fuel for dispensing by at least one fuel dispensing unit comprising:
- a pressure sensor operatively connected to the fuel storage system to measure the pressure in the fuel storage system;
a vapor processor;
a monitor operatively connected to said pressure sensor wherein said monitor receives a pressure level of the fuel storage system and activates said vapor processor to draw a negative pressure in the fuel storage system when said pressure level is not adequately negative; and
said monitor monitors said pressure level in the fuel storage system to determine if the fuel storage system contains a leak after said vapor processor draws said adequate negative pressure in the fuel storage system.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus for monitoring and determining fuel vapor recovery performance is disclosed. The dispensing of liquid fuel into a tank by a conventional gas pump nozzle naturally displaces a mixture of air and fuel ullage vapor in the tank. These displaced vapors may be recovered at the dispensing point nozzle by a vapor recovery system. A properly functioning vapor recovery system recovers approximately one unit volume of vapor for every unit volume of dispensed liquid fuel. The ratio of recovered vapor to dispensed fuel is termed the A/L ratio, which should ideally be approximately equal to one (1). The A/L ratio, and thus the proper functioning of the vapor recovery system, may be determined by measuring liquid fuel flow and return vapor flow (using a vapor flow sensor) on a nozzle-by-nozzle basis. The disclosed methods and apparatus provide for the determination of A/L ratios for individual nozzles using a reduced number of vapor flow sensors. The disclosed methods and apparatus also provide for the determination of fuel dispensing system vapor containment integrity, and the differentiation of true vapor recovery failures as opposed to false failures resulting from the refueling of vehicles provided with onboard vapor recovery systems.
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Citations
29 Claims
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1. A system for monitoring vapor containment in a liquid fuel dispensing facility having a fuel storage system that provides fuel for dispensing by at least one fuel dispensing unit comprising:
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a pressure sensor operatively connected to the fuel storage system to measure the pressure in the fuel storage system;
a vapor processor;
a monitor operatively connected to said pressure sensor wherein said monitor receives a pressure level of the fuel storage system and activates said vapor processor to draw a negative pressure in the fuel storage system when said pressure level is not adequately negative; and
said monitor monitors said pressure level in the fuel storage system to determine if the fuel storage system contains a leak after said vapor processor draws said adequate negative pressure in the fuel storage system. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method of monitoring vapor containment in a liquid fuel dispensing facility having a fuel storage system that provides fuel for dispensing by at least one fuel dispensing unit, comprising the steps of:
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measuring the pressure level in the fuel storage system;
monitoring said pressure level;
activating a vapor processor to draw a negative pressure in the fuel storage system when said pressure level is not adequately negative; and
monitoring said pressure level in the fuel storage system to determine if the fuel storage system contains a leak after said step of drawing a negative pressure in the fuel storage system until said pressure level is adequately negative. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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Specification