Service station leak detection and recovery system
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A fueling environment, comprising:
- a plurality of fuel dispensers;
a double walled piping system adapted to connect fluidly said plurality of fuel dispensers in a daisy chained arrangement such that fuel is delivered to each of the fuel dispensers from an underground storage tank by an inner conduit and leaks within the double walled piping system are returned to the underground storage tank by an outer conduit; and
at least one leak monitor associated with at least one of said plurality of fuel dispensers, said at least one leak monitor positioned in said outer conduit;
said leaks within the double walled piping system are returned to the underground storage tank with vacuum assistance, wherein at least one of the plurality of fuel dispensers comprises;
fuel handling components;
a housing delimiting;
a fuel inlet aperture receiving an incoming portion of the double walled piping system; and
a fuel outlet aperture adapted to allow an outgoing portion of the double walled piping system so that fuel is passed to a downstream fuel dispenser within the plurality of fuel dispensers; and
a manifold, wherein said double walled piping system includes a t-intersection positioned within said manifold such that fuel is distributed to said fuel handling components, wherein said outer conduit is positioned at least partially within said manifold and extends from said fuel inlet aperture to said fuel outlet aperture without being terminated inside the manifold or at the fuel inlet aperture or at the fuel outlet aperture and substantially prevents fluid passage from said outer conduit to said manifold.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A fueling environment that distributes fuel from a fuel supply to fuel dispensers in a daisy chain arrangement with a double walled piping system. Fuel leaks that occur within the double walled piping system are returned to the underground storage tank by the outer wall of the double walled piping. This preserves the fuel for later use and helps reduce the risk of environmental contamination. Leak detectors may also be positioned in fuel dispensers detect leaks and provide alarms for the operator and help pinpoint leak detection that has occurred in the piping system proximate to a particular fuel dispenser or in between two consecutive fuel dispensers.
81 Citations
39 Claims
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1. A fueling environment, comprising:
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a plurality of fuel dispensers;
a double walled piping system adapted to connect fluidly said plurality of fuel dispensers in a daisy chained arrangement such that fuel is delivered to each of the fuel dispensers from an underground storage tank by an inner conduit and leaks within the double walled piping system are returned to the underground storage tank by an outer conduit; and
at least one leak monitor associated with at least one of said plurality of fuel dispensers, said at least one leak monitor positioned in said outer conduit;
said leaks within the double walled piping system are returned to the underground storage tank with vacuum assistance, wherein at least one of the plurality of fuel dispensers comprises;
fuel handling components;
a housing delimiting;
a fuel inlet aperture receiving an incoming portion of the double walled piping system; and
a fuel outlet aperture adapted to allow an outgoing portion of the double walled piping system so that fuel is passed to a downstream fuel dispenser within the plurality of fuel dispensers; and
a manifold, wherein said double walled piping system includes a t-intersection positioned within said manifold such that fuel is distributed to said fuel handling components, wherein said outer conduit is positioned at least partially within said manifold and extends from said fuel inlet aperture to said fuel outlet aperture without being terminated inside the manifold or at the fuel inlet aperture or at the fuel outlet aperture and substantially prevents fluid passage from said outer conduit to said manifold. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A fueling environment comprising:
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an underground storage tank adapted to store fuel for the fueling environment;
a plurality of fuel dispensers;
a piping network of double walled pipe comprising an inner conduit and an outer conduit, said piping network fluidly connecting said plurality of fuel dispensers, wherein fuel is delivered to said plurality of fuel dispensers via said inner conduit and leaks in said inner conduit are captured by said outer conduit and are returned to said underground storage tank; and
a plurality of leak detectors, each of said leak detectors associated with a different one of said plurality of fuel dispensers and positioned in said outer conduit;
said piping network connects said plurality of fuel dispensers in a daisy chain arrangement; and
wherein a vacuum in said underground storage tank creates a vacuum in said outer conduit so as to cause said leaks to return to the underground storage tank, wherein at least one of the plurality of fuel dispensers comprises;
fuel handling components;
a housing delimiting;
a fuel inlet aperture receiving an incoming portion of the piping network; and
a fuel outlet aperture adapted to allow an outgoing portion of the piping network so that fuel is passed to a downstream fuel dispenser within the plurality of fuel dispensers; and
a manifold, wherein said piping network includes a t-intersection positioned within said manifold such that fuel is distributed to said fuel handling components, wherein the outer conduit is positioned at least partially within said manifold and extends from said fuel inlet aperture to said fuel outlet aperture without being terminated inside the manifold or at the fuel inlet aperture or at the fuel outlet aperture and substantially prevents fluid passage from said outer conduit to said manifold. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A fueling environment, comprising:
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a plurality of fuel dispensers; and
a double walled piping system adapted to connect fluidly said plurality of fuel dispensers in a daisy chained arrangement such that fuel is delivered to each of the fuel dispensers from an underground storage tank by an inner conduit and leaks within the double walled piping system are returned to the underground storage tank by an outer conduit;
said leaks within the double walled piping system are returned to the underground storage tank with vacuum assistance, wherein at least one of the plurality of fuel dispensers comprises;
fuel handling components;
a housing delimiting;
a fuel inlet aperture receiving an incoming portion of the double walled piping system; and
a fuel outlet aperture adapted to allow an outgoing portion of the double walled piping system so that fuel is passed to a downstream fuel dispenser within the plurality of fuel dispensers; and
a manifold, wherein said double walled piping system includes a t-intersection positioned within said manifold such that fuel is distributed to said fuel handling components, wherein the outer conduit is positioned at least partially within said manifold and extends from said fuel inlet aperture to said fuel outlet aperture without being terminated inside the manifold or at the fuel inlet aperture or at the fuel outlet aperture and substantially prevents fluid passage from said outer conduit to said manifold. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17)
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18. A fueling environment comprising:
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an underground storage tank adapted to store fuel for the fueling environment;
a plurality of fuel dispensers;
a piping network of double walled pipe comprising an inner conduit and an outer conduit, said piping network fluidly connecting said plurality of fuel dispensers, wherein fuel is delivered to said plurality of fuel dispensers via said inner conduit and leaks in said inner conduit are captured by said outer conduit and are returned to said underground storage tank; and
said piping network of double-walled pipe connects said plurality of fuel dispensers in a daisy chain arrangement; and
wherein a vacuum in said underground storage tank creates a vacuum in said outer conduit so as to cause said leaks to return to the underground storage tank, wherein at least one of the plurality of fuel dispensers comprises;
fuel handing components;
a housing delimiting a fuel inlet aperture receiving an incoming portion of the piping network; and
a fuel outlet aperture adapted to allow an outgoing portion of the piping network so that the fuel is passed to a downstream fuel dispenser within the plurality of fuel dispensers; and
a manifold, wherein said piping network includes a t-intersection positioned within said manifold such that fuel is distributed to said fuel handling components, wherein the outer conduit is positioned at least partially within said manifold and extends from said fuel inlet aperture to said fuel outlet aperture without being terminated inside the manifold or at the fuel inlet aperture or at the fuel outlet aperture and substantially prevents fluid passage from said outer conduit to said manifold. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
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21. A fueling environment comprising:
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a plurality of fuel dispensers; and
a double walled piping system adapted to connect fluidly said plurality of fuel dispensers such that fuel is delivered to each of the fuel dispensers from an underground storage tank by an inner conduit and leaks within the double walled piping system are returned to the underground storage tank by an outer conduit;
said leaks within the double walled piping system returned to the underground storage tank, wherein at least one of the plurality of fuel dispensers comprises;
fuel handling components;
a housing delimiting;
a fuel inlet aperture receiving an incoming portion of the double walled piping system; and
a fuel outlet aperture adapted to allow an outgoing portion of the double walled piping system so that fuel is passed to a downstream fuel dispenser within the plurality of fuel dispensers; and
a manifold, wherein said double walled piping system includes a t-intersection positioned within said manifold such that fuel is distributed to said fuel handling components, wherein the outer conduit is positioned at least partially within said manifold and extends from said fuel inlet aperture to said fuel outlet aperture without being terminated inside the manifold or at the fuel inlet aperture or at the fuel outlet aperture and substantially prevents fluid passage from said outer conduit to said manifold. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. A fueling environment comprising:
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an underground storage tank adapted to store fuel for the fueling environment;
a plurality of fuel dispensers;
a piping network of double walled pipe comprising an inner conduit and an outer conduit, said piping network fluidly connecting said plurality of fuel dispensers, wherein fuel is delivered to said plurality of fuel dispensers via said inner conduit and leaks in said inner conduit are captured by said outer conduit and are returned to said underground storage tank; and
wherein at least one of the plurality of fuel dispensers comprises;
fuel handling components;
housing delimiting;
a fuel inlet aperture receiving an incoming portion of the piping network; and
a fuel outlet aperture adapted to allow an outgoing portion of the piping network so that fuel is passed to a downstream fuel dispenser within the plurality of fuel dispensers; and
a manifold, wherein said piping network includes a t-intersection positioned within said manifold such that fuel is distributed to said fuel handling components, wherein the outer conduit is positioned at least partially within said manifold and extends from said fuel inlet aperture to said fuel outlet aperture without being terminated inside the manifold or at the fuel inlet aperture or at the fuel outlet aperture and substantially prevents fluid passage from said outer conduit to said manifold. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39)
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Specification