Service station for serving requirements of multiple vehicle technologies

• US 20070144605A1
• Filed: 12/12/2005
• Published: 06/28/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ExxonMobil Research & Engineering Company (Exxon Mobil Corporation)
• Original Assignee: ExxonMobil Research & Engineering Company (Exxon Mobil Corporation)
• Inventors: Weissman, Walter, Schleyer, Charles, Horowitz, Alan
• Granted Patent: US 7,523,770 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 141/83
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/30 Constructional details of charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 2007/0444 Sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 2007/0446 measuring physical properties of the fluid to be dispensed
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 2007/747 involving means responsive to the octane level, e.g. octane sensor, knock engine
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/40 Business processes related to the transportation industry shipping G06Q10/083
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/12 Electric charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 Plug-in electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/16 Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles

Abstract

A service station is provided with a plurality of vehicle servicing islands including liquid fuel blending pumps for dispensing and blending fuel components from underground tanks for refueling standard gasoline engine driven vehicles, standard diesel engine vehicles, vehicles with engines requiring dual fuels, vehicles with HCCI engines requiring low octane gasoline blended with standard diesel fuel, and fuel cell powered vehicles having onboard reformers. Other service islands include pumps for dispensing compressed hydrogen to fuel cell powered vehicles that do not include onboard reformers. In addition, service islands are provided for recharging the batteries of pure electric powered vehicles.

Claims

1. A motorized vehicle service station comprising:

means for dispensing a plurality of different fuels to vehicles, said fuels including multiple grades of gasoline, multiple grades of diesel, and blends thereof;

means for detecting each vehicle'"'"'s fuel requirements; and

means for restricting fuel delivery to a given vehicle based upon its detected fuel requirements.

2. A motorized vehicle service station comprising:

means for dispensing a plurality of different fuels to vehicles, said fuels including multiple grades of gasoline, multiple grades of diesel, blends thereof, and hydrogen;

means for detecting each vehicle'"'"'s fuel requirements; and

means for restricting fuel delivery to a given vehicle based upon its detected fuel requirements.

3. A motorized vehicle service station comprising:

a plurality of service islands each being configured to service particular types of motorized vehicles, including;

at least one first island including at least a first liquid fuel blending pump, for refueling gasoline, diesel, and hydrogen powered vehicles, whereby said hydrogen powered vehicles include an onboard reformer for converting gasoline to hydrogen;

at least one second island including a hydrogen dispensing system for refueling hydrogen powered vehicles that do not include an onboard reformer;

at least one third island including an electric battery recharging system for recharging the batteries of pure electric driven vehicles; and

a plurality of underground storage tanks for containing liquid fuel components, said tanks being individually connected to said at least a first liquid fuel blending pump or pumps.

4. The service station of claim 3, further including:

an additive tank for containing an additive component required in liquid fuels for powering certain vehicles, said additive tank being connected to said at least a first liquid fuel blending pump.

5. The service station of claim 3, further including:

a sulfur sensor for sensing the sulfur content of a fuel component as it is being transferred from a tank truck to one of said plurality of underground storage tanks, said sulfur sensor including means for terminating the fuel component transfer if the sulfur content thereof exceeds a predetermined level.

6. The service station of claim 4, further including:

at least a first wireless communicator including means for receiving from an onboard wireless communicator of a vehicle positioned at one of said first through third islands, information regarding said vehicle including fuel type required, the driving condition thereof, the maintenance record thereof, and inspection information;

said first wireless communication further including means for transmitting information to said vehicle communicator, including suggested oil change scheduling.

7. The service station of claim 6, further including:

a convenience store (C-Store) for providing vehicle occupants with an opportunity to purchase food, drinks, and various other items;

said first wireless communicator being programmed for transmitting offerings of said C-Store to said vehicle communicator, for the information of occupants of said vehicle, for receiving orders from said occupants, for transferring the orders to the C-Store, for providing the fuel type required by the vehicle to a control system for said first liquid fuel blending pump to either set-up the latter for dispensing the required fuel type, or terminate its operation if the latter cannot deliver the required fuel.

8. The service station of claim 3, wherein said first liquid fuel blending pump includes a sulfur trap for removing sulfur from selected fuel types to be dispensed.

9. The service station of claim 7, further including:

an inventory control system for automatically reordering liquid fuel components, and/or additives, and/or hydrogen, and/or C-Store items, whenever the respective inventory available thereof reduces to a predetermined level.

10. The service station of claim 4, further including:

a plurality of wireless communicators each being dedicated to an individual one of said plurality of service islands, respectively, for receiving from an onboard wireless communicator of a vehicle positioned at an associated island information regarding said vehicle including fuel type required, its driving condition, its maintenance record, and its inspection information;

said plurality of wireless communicators being responsive to the fuel type or battery recharging required by a given vehicle for activating an associated service island if capable of providing the required service, or preventing activation of the associated service island if it cannot provide the required service.

11. The service station of claim 10, further including each one of said plurality of wireless communicators associated with a first island being programmed to provide the fuel type of a vehicle at the associated island to a controller of the associated first liquid fuel blending pump for programming the blender to blend the fuel components and any necessary additive as required by the type for the associated vehicle.

12. The service station of claim 10, further including at least one of said wireless communicators including means for communicating with a vehicle as it enters the service station, for directing the vehicle to one of said plurality of service islands capable of servicing the vehicle.

13. The service station of claim 6, further including said first wireless communicator including means for communicating with a vehicle as it enters the service station, for directing the vehicle to one of said plurality of service islands capable of servicing the vehicle.

14. The service station of claim 4, wherein said plurality of underground storage tanks include:

a first tank containing fuel of 50 to 90 RON with up to 40 ppm S;

a second tank containing fuel of greater than 100 RON with zero S content;

a third tank containing diesel fuel of greater than 40 CN; and

said first through third tanks each being individually connected to said at least a first liquid fuel blending pump, for providing different blended fuels including 87 RON regular grade gasoline with additive, 92 RON super grade gasoline with additive, greater than 100 RON gasoline with 50 to 90 RON i gasoline for a dual fuel, greater than 100 RON gasoline with ultra low sulfur for fuel cell driven vehicles having an onboard reformer, greater than 40 CN diesel for standard compression ignition engines, and 50 to 90 RON gasoline with greater than 40 CN diesel without additive for HCCI engines.

15. The service station of claim 4, wherein said plurality of underground storage tanks include:

a first tank containing diesel fuel of 20 to 40 CN;

a second tank containing low sulfur content diesel fuel of 40 to 55 CN with less than 10 ppm S; and

a third tank containing gasoline of 87 RON with zero sulfur content;

said first through third tanks each being individually connected to said at least a first liquid fuel blending pump, for providing different blended fuels including 87 RON unleaded gasoline with additive, 87 RON gasoline with no sulfur content for fuel cell driven vehicles having onboard reformers, 20 to 40 CN diesel fuel for standard compression ignition engines, and low octane 87 RON gasoline blended with 40 to 55 CN diesel without additive for HCCI engines.

16. The service station of claim 4, wherein said plurality of underground storage tanks include:

a first tank containing diesel fuel of less than 30 CN;

a second tank containing diesel fuel of greater than 50 CN with less than 10 ppm S;

a third tank containing gasoline of greater than 100 RON with zero sulfur content;

a fourth tank containing gasoline having an RON ranging from 50 to 90, with 40 ppm S; and

said first through fourth tanks each being individually connected to said at least a first liquid fuel lending pump, for providing different blended fuels including regular gasoline of 87 RON with additive, super gasoline of 92 RON with additive, a dual fuel of greater than 100 RON gasoline blended with less than 50 to 90 RON gasoline, greater than 100 RON with zero content sulfur for fuel cells, 30 CN diesel fuel for standard compression ignition engines, and for HCCI engines a blend of low octane 50 to 90 RON gasoline with 50 CN low sulfur diesel and no additive.

17. The service station of claim 3, wherein said at least a first liquid fuel blending pump includes a sulfur trap for trapping sulfur from fuel being dispensed.

18. The service station of claim 4, wherein said plurality of underground storage tanks include:

a first tank containing fuel of 50 to 90 RON with up to 40 ppm S;

a second tank containing fuel of greater than 100 RON with zero S content;

a third tank containing diesel fuel of greater than 40 CN;

said first through third tanks each being individually connected to said at least a first liquid fuel blending pump, for providing different blended fuels including 87 RON regular grade gasoline with additive, 92 RON super grade gasoline with additive, greater than 100 RON gasoline with 50 to 90 RON gasoline for a dual fuel, greater than 100 RON gasoline with ultra low sulfur for fuel cell driven vehicles having an onboard reformer, greater than 40 CN diesel for standard compression ignition engines, and 50 to 90 RON gasoline with greater than 40 CN diesel without additive for HCCI engines;

a fourth tank containing diesel fuel of 20 to 40 CN;

a fifth tank containing low sulfur content diesel fuel of 40 to 55 CN with less than 10 ppm S; and

a sixth tank containing gasoline of 87 RON with zero sulfur content;

said fourth through sixth tanks each being individually connected to another first liquid fuel blending pump, for providing different blended fuels including 87 RON unleaded gasoline with additive, 87 RON gasoline with no sulfur content for fuel cell driven vehicles having onboard reformers, 20 to 40

CN diesel fuel for standard compression ignition engines, and low octane 87 RON gasoline blended with 40 to 55 CN diesel without additive for HCCI engines;

a seventh tank containing diesel fuel of less than 30 CN;

an eighth tank containing diesel fuel of greater than 50 CN with less than 10 ppm S;

a ninth tank containing gasoline of greater than 100 RON with zero sulfur content;

a tenth tank containing gasoline having an RON ranging from 50 to 90, with 40 ppm S; and

said seventh through tenth tanks each being individually connected to yet another first liquid fuel lending pump, for providing different blended fuels including regular gasoline of 87 RON with additive, super gasoline of 92 RON with additive, a dual fuel of greater than 100 RON gasoline blended with less than 80 RON gasoline, greater than 100 RON with zero content sulfur for fuel cells, 30 CN diesel fuel for standard compression ignition engines, and for HCCI engines a blend of low octane 50 to 90 RON gasoline with 50 CN low sulfur diesel and no additive.

19. The service station of claim 3, wherein said at least a first liquid fuel blending pump includes:

an octane sensor system for terminating operation of said pump if the octane level of fuel being dispensed is below that required for a vehicle being refueled.

20. The service station of claim 3, wherein said at least a first liquid fuel blending pump includes:

a sulfur sensor for terminating operation of said pump if the sulfur level of fuel being dispensed exceeds a predetermined maximum level for the fuel type required by the vehicle being refueled.