Fueling system vapor recovery and containment leak detection system and method
First Claim
1. A leak detection system for a fuel dispensing vapor recovery system that recovers vapors during refueling of a vehicle and returns the vapors to a storage tank, comprising:
- at least one fuel dispensing point that delivers fuel from the storage tank to the vehicle and returns recovered vapors expelled from the vehicle into a vapor return passage that is coupled to a vapor return pipe arid wherein said vapor return pipe is coupled to the storage tank;
an air-flow sensor operatively connected to said vapor return passage to measure the amount of vapor or air flow being returned to said vapor return passage and said vapor return pipe from said at least one fuel dispensing point; and
a control system that is electronically coupled to said air-flow sensor to receive information about vapor or air flow detected by said air-flow sensors, wherein said control system without actively recovering vapor or air;
determines if said at least one fuel dispensing point is idle, and if said at least one fuel dispensing point is idle;
determines if said air-flow sensor registers vapor air-flow; and
detects a leak condition in said at least one fuel dispensing point if said air-flow sensor registers vapor or air flow.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus for monitoring a fuel vapor recovery system to determine if a leak condition exists in either the vapor return passage in a fuel dispenser or a common vapor return pipe. An air-flow sensor (AFS) may be located in the common vapor return pipe for all of the dispensing points at a service station, or in each fuel dispenser and coupled to the dispensing points of the fuel dispenser. The AFS registers vapor flow recovered by a dispensing point(s) that is returned back to the storage tank. If the AFS measures vapor flow when such dispensing point(s) coupled to such AFS is not actively recovering vapor, this is indicative of a leak in such dispensing point(s). The leak condition is reported by a tank monitor or other reporting system so that appropriate measures can be taken.
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Citations
32 Claims
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1. A leak detection system for a fuel dispensing vapor recovery system that recovers vapors during refueling of a vehicle and returns the vapors to a storage tank, comprising:
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at least one fuel dispensing point that delivers fuel from the storage tank to the vehicle and returns recovered vapors expelled from the vehicle into a vapor return passage that is coupled to a vapor return pipe arid wherein said vapor return pipe is coupled to the storage tank;
an air-flow sensor operatively connected to said vapor return passage to measure the amount of vapor or air flow being returned to said vapor return passage and said vapor return pipe from said at least one fuel dispensing point; and
a control system that is electronically coupled to said air-flow sensor to receive information about vapor or air flow detected by said air-flow sensors, wherein said control system without actively recovering vapor or air;
determines if said at least one fuel dispensing point is idle, and if said at least one fuel dispensing point is idle;
determines if said air-flow sensor registers vapor air-flow; and
detects a leak condition in said at least one fuel dispensing point if said air-flow sensor registers vapor or air flow. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method of detecting a leak in a fuel dispensing vapor recovery system that recovers vapors during refueling of a vehicle and returns the vapors to a storage tank, comprising the steps of:
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delivering fuel from the storage tank to the vehicle through at least one fuel dispensing point;
returning vapors received by said at least one fuel dispensing point that are expelled from the vehicle into a vapor return passage;
returning said recovered vapors from said vapor return passage into a vapor return pipe coupled to the storage tank;
measuring the amount of vapor or air flow being returned back to the storage tank from said at least one fuel dispensing point using an air-flow sensor; and
without actively recovering vapor or air;
determining if said at least one fuel dispensing point is idle, and if said at least one fuel dispensing point is idle;
determining if said air-flow sensor registers vapor or air flow; and
detecting a leak condition in said at least one fuel dispensing point if said air-flow sensor registers vapor or air flow. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A leak detection system for a fuel dispensing vapor recovery system that recovers vapors during refueling of a vehicle and returns the vapors to a storage tank, comprising:
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a plurality of fuel dispensing points that deliver fuel from the storage tank to the vehicle and capture recovered vapors into a vapor return passage dedicated to each of said plurality of fuel dispensing points, wherein said vapor return passages are coupled to a common vapor return pipe that is coupled to the storage tank;
an air-flow sensor operatively connected to said vapor return pipe to measure the amount of vapor or air flow being returned back to the storage tank from said plurality of fuel dispensing points; and
a control system that is electronically coupled to said air-flow sensor to receive information about vapor or air flow detected by said air-flow sensor, wherein said control system without actively recovering vapor or air;
determines if all of said plurality of fuel dispensing points are idle, and if all of said plurality of fuel dispensing points are idle;
determines if said air-flow sensor registers vapor or air flow; and
detects a leak condition in either said vapor return passage or said vapor return pipe if said air-flow sensor registers vapor or air flow. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A method of detecting a leak in a fuel dispensing vapor recovery system that recovers vapors during refueling of a vehicle and returns the vapors to a storage tanks, comprising the steps of:
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delivering fuel from the storage tank to a plurality of fuel dispensing points;
recovering vapor expelled from the vehicle at said plurality of fuel dispensing points and returning said vapor into a vapor return passage dedicated to each of said plurality of fuel dispensing points;
returning vapors recovered in said vapor return passages to a common vapor return pipe that is coupled to the storage tank;
measuring the amount of vapor or air flow being returned back to the storage tank from said vapor return pipe using an air-flow sensor; and
without actively recovering air vapor or air;
determining if all of said plurality of fuel dispensing points are idle, and if all of said plurality of fuel dispensing points are idle;
determining if said air-flow sensor registers vapor or air flow; and
detecting a leak condition in said plurality of fuel dispensing points if said air-flow sensor registers vapor or air flow. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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Specification