System and method for detecting pressure variations in fuel dispensers to more accurately measure fuel delivered

• US 7,954,386 B2
• Filed: 03/22/2010
• Issued: 06/07/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/20/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gilbarco Incorporated (Vontier Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Gilbarco Incorporated (Vontier Corp.)
• Inventors: Nanaji, Seifollah S., Robertson, Philip A.
• Primary Examiner(s): THOMPSON, JEWEL VERGIE
• Application Number:
  US12/728,468
• Publication Number:
  US 20100172767A1
• Time in Patent Office: 442 Days
• Field of Search: 738/61, 738/617.9, 738/617.5, 137/12
• US Class Current: 73/861
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 7/16 Arrangements of liquid meters
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 13/025 wherein the volume is determined during delivery
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/8326 Fluid pressure responsive indicator, recorder or alarm

Abstract

A system and method for compensating a calculated or flow rate of fuel dispensed to a vehicle via a fuel flow path in response to a determination of a non-steady state condition based on data corresponding to a signal transmitted by a pressure sensor operatively coupled to the fuel flow path and configured to sense pressure therein, where the pressure sensor is adapted to transmit a signal representative of the sensed pressure.

Claims

1. A fuel dispenser for dispensing fuel from at least one storage tank to a vehicle, the dispenser comprising:

a control system;

a fuel flow path configured to receive fuel from the at least one fuel storage tank for dispensing to the vehicle;

a meter operatively coupled inline to the fuel flow path and through which fuel passes, wherein the meter is operatively connected to the control system and adapted to transmit a meter signal to the control system in relation to the amount of fuel passing through the meter; and

a first pressure sensor operatively coupled to the fuel flow path and configured to sense pressure in the fuel flow path, wherein the first pressure sensor is operatively connected to the control system and adapted to transmit a first signal representative of the pressure sensed by the first pressure sensor, wherein

the control system is adapted to;

calculate a volume or flow rate of the fuel delivered to the vehicle based on the meter signal;

determine if a non-steady state condition exists in the fuel flow path during fueling based at least in part on data corresponding to the first signal; and

compensate the calculated volume or flow rate of the fuel in response to the determination of the non-steady state condition.

2. The fuel dispenser of claim 1, wherein the control system is further adapted to compensate the calculated volume or flow rate of the fuel in response to determination of the non-steady state condition by disregarding the meter signal for a predetermined period of time.

3. The fuel dispenser of claim 2, wherein the control system is further adapted to resume calculating a volume or flow rate of the fuel delivered to the vehicle based on the meter signal after expiration of the predetermined period of time.

4. The fuel dispenser of claim 1, wherein the control system is further adapted to compensate the calculated volume or flow rate of the fuel in response to determination of the non-steady state condition by applying a mathematical factor to the calculated volume or flow rate of the fuel.

5. The fuel dispenser of claim 1, wherein the determination of the non-steady state condition is based on a detection of a pressure spike in the fuel flow path.

6. The fuel dispenser of claim 1, wherein the determination of the non-steady state condition is due to a nozzle snap.

7. The fuel dispenser of claim 6, wherein the nozzle snap is a local nozzle snap.

8. The fuel dispenser of claim 6, wherein the nozzle snap is a remote nozzle snap.

9. The fuel dispenser of claim 1, wherein the first pressure sensor is positioned to sense the pressure in the fuel flow path downstream from the meter.

10. The fuel dispenser of claim 1, wherein the pressure sensor is positioned to sense the pressure in the fuel flow path upstream from the meter.

11. The fuel dispenser of claim 9 further comprising a second pressure sensor operatively coupled to the fuel flow path and configured to sense pressure in the fuel flow path upstream from the meter, wherein the second pressure sensor is operatively connected to the control system and adapted to transmit a second signal representative of the pressure sensed by the second pressure sensor, wherein the control system is further adapted to determine if a non-steady state condition exists in the fuel flow path based at least in part on data corresponding to the second signal.

12. The fuel dispenser of claim 11, wherein the second pressure sensor is operatively coupled to a fuel supply line.

13. The fuel dispenser of claim 11, wherein the second pressure sensor is operatively coupled to an inlet manifold.

14. The fuel dispenser of claim 11 further comprising a third pressure sensor operatively coupled to the fuel flow path and configured to sense pressure in the fuel flow path upstream from the meter, wherein the third pressure sensor is operatively connected to the control system and adapted to transmit a third signal representative of the pressure sensed by the third pressure sensor, wherein the control system is further adapted to determine if a non-steady state condition exists in the fuel flow path based at least in part on data corresponding to the third signal.

15. The fuel dispenser of claim 14 wherein the second pressure sensor is operatively coupled to an inlet manifold, and the third pressure sensor is operatively coupled to a fuel supply line.

16. The fuel dispenser of claim 11, wherein the control system is further adapted to determine if a non-steady state condition exists in the fuel flow path based on the first and second signals.

17. The fuel dispenser of claim 14, wherein the control system is further adapted to determine if a non-steady state condition exists in the fuel flow path based on data corresponding to at least one of the first, second, and third signals.

18. A fuel dispenser for dispensing fuel from at least one storage tank to a vehicle, the dispenser comprising:

a control system;

a fuel flow path configured to receive fuel from the at least one fuel storage tank for dispensing to the vehicle;

a meter operatively coupled inline to the fuel flow path and through which fuel passes, wherein the meter is operatively connected to the control system and adapted to transmit a meter signal to the control system in relation to the amount of fuel passing through the meter;

a first pressure sensor operatively coupled to the fuel flow path and configured to sense pressure in the fuel flow path upstream from the meter, wherein the first pressure sensor is operatively connected to the control system and adapted to transmit a first signal representative of the pressure sensed by the first pressure sensor; and

a second pressure sensor operatively coupled to the fuel flow path and configured to sense pressure in the fuel flow path downstream from the meter, wherein the second pressure sensor is operatively connected to the control system and adapted to transmit a second signal representative of the pressure sensed by the first pressure sensor, wherein

the control system is adapted to;

calculate a volume or flow rate of the fuel delivered to the vehicle based on the meter signal;

determine if a non-steady state condition exists in the fuel flow path during fueling based on data corresponding to at least one of the first and second signals; and

compensate the calculated volume or flow rate of the fuel in response to the determination of the non-steady state condition.

19. The fuel dispenser of claim 18, wherein the control system is further adapted to determine a direction of fuel flow in the fuel flow path based on a comparison of the first and second signals and to compensate the calculated volume or flow rate of the fuel in response to the comparison of the first and second signals.

20. The fuel dispenser of claim 19, wherein the control system is further adapted to compensate the calculated volume or flow rate of the fuel for a first period of time when the pressure sensed by the second pressure sensor is not less than the pressure sensed by the first pressure sensor.

21. The fuel dispenser of claim 20, wherein the control system is further adapted to compensate the calculated volume or flow rate of the fuel by disregarding the meter signal for the first period of time.

22. The fuel dispenser of claim 21, wherein the control system is further adapted to compensate the calculated volume or flow rate of the fuel by disregarding the meter signal for a second period of time, wherein the second period of time is comparable to the first period of time.

23. A method for dispensing fuel received from at least one fuel storage tank to a vehicle, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving from a meter a meter signal in relation to the amount of fuel passing through the meter;

calculating a volume or flow rate of the fuel dispensed to the vehicle based on the meter signal;

detecting a non-steady state condition in a fuel flow path from the at least one storage tank to the vehicle during fueling based on data corresponding to a first signal transmitted by a first pressure sensor operatively coupled to the fuel flow path; and

compensating the calculated volume or flow rate of the fuel in response to detection of the non-steady state condition.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the first pressure sensor senses pressure downstream from the meter and the step of detecting a non-steady state condition further comprises detecting the non-steady state condition in the fuel flow path based on data corresponding to a second signal transmitted by a second pressure sensor that senses pressure upstream from the meter.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the step of detecting the non-steady state condition comprises detecting a reverse flow of fuel in the fuel flow path.

26. The method of claim 24, wherein the step of detecting the non-steady state condition comprises detecting a local nozzle snap.

27. The method of claim 24, wherein the step of detecting the non-steady state condition comprises detecting a remote nozzle snap.

28. The method of claim 24, wherein the second pressure sensor senses pressure in the fuel flow path downstream of a flow control valve.

29. The method of claim 24, wherein the second pressure sensor senses pressure in the fuel flow path upstream of a flow control valve.

30. The method of claim 28, wherein the step of detecting the non-steady state condition comprises detecting the non-steady state condition in the fuel flow path based on data corresponding to a third signal transmitted by a third pressure sensor that senses pressure in the fuel flow path upstream from the flow control valve.

31. The method of claim 29, wherein the step of detecting the non-steady state condition comprises detecting the non-steady state condition in the fuel flow path based on data corresponding to a third signal transmitted by a third pressure sensor that senses pressure in the fuel flow path downstream from the flow control valve and upstream from the meter.