FR2579583A3 - Installation of the filling-station type and method for distributing liquid hydrocarbons and invoicing the corresponding sums which are adapted to computer management - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to an installation and a method for distributing and invoicing liquid hydrocarbons, which are adapted to computer management. On the surface at the distribution site, the distribution stations P comprise dispensing-nozzle taps R and an individual display device VI for the information which is strictly necessary, without a measurer 5 or a degasser 6. According to the invention, the installation comprises a pumping apparatus which is common to several stations and which has a variable flow rate as a function of the number of open taps, the information which is not strictly necessary to the user is displayed on a general display device VG comprising fewer locations corresponding to display stations than there are distribution stations P, and the display locations are allocated to the stations as these become free. The measuring units 5, 6 are buried and preferably serve several stations which cannot be used simultaneously.

Description

"Installation of the service station type and process for the distribution of liquid hydrocarbons and the invoicing of the corresponding sums, adapted to a management by computer".

 The present invention relates to an installation of the service station type for the distribution of liquid hydrocarbons and the invoicing of the corresponding sums to users, in which only distribution heads carrying a tap are arranged on the distribution site. end; it also relates to a process for distributing liquid hydrocarbons and invoicing the corresponding sums; this installation and this method are suitable for computer management.

 In most liquid hydrocarbon distribution installations currently in service on the public highway, the distribution stations are monolithic and installed on the surface. They include an electric motor, a pump, a degasser, a measurer, an end valve and indicators of the volume delivered and the price calculated from a unit price (generally per liter) fixed in a time slot. Such an installation requires a bulky surface assembly and redundant equipment with a low utilization rate, and the pricing has no effect on the utilization rate of the installation according to the time slots of the day.

 Attempts have already been made in the past to move away the monolithic part, namely the pumping apparatus (electric motor and pump) and the metering group (degasser and measurer), both associated with an end valve and a determined product, end valve and volume-price indicator. Attempts have also already been made to deliver an octane fuel between that of regular gasoline and that of premium fuel - by mixing in variable proportions these two products from two monolithic pumping and metering assemblies, associated each to one of the two products brought into the end valve by two respective hoses. Also known are the embodiments which make it possible to use the same volume-price indicator during the supply of premium fuel or of ordinary petrol, by switching, at the output of one or the other of the two pumping and metering groups grouped under the same cover, with two flexibies and two end valves, one for each product, at the place of distribution. There is sometimes a tap common to two products (ordinary or super petrol) for two monolithic sets placed under the same hood. The use of the same volume-price display board for several distribution stations is also known. Sometimes one of the indications of the volume delivered or the price is reported in different places.

 However, these known installations still require as many electric motors, pumps, degassers, gauges, hoses, as monolithic hydraulic assemblies, even if we have sometimes tried to leave only the end valve and the volume indicator local. price.

Thus in the case of a large station which would include, for example, sixteen distribution points, one would find sixteen electric motors, sixteen pumps, sixteen degassers, sixteen measurers and most often sixteen volume-price indicators. This results in a high installation cost, for a low occupancy rate of the material.
In summary, these distribLxtirn installations still have a monolithic surface finish for superficial equipment, even if the performance of the service, which was previously due to the activity of employees dispersed around the distributors, has recently been left to care of the user himself in a self-service configuration in which an attendant at 1 station remotely provides manual monitoring (by the operation of microswitches) of several distributors and proceeds to collect the sums to be collected in return for fuel delivery.

The object of the invention is to remedy these drawbacks and to this end relates to an installation for distributing liquid hydrocarbons to users and for billing the corresponding sums, of the service station type, comprising a tank, a central unit for management, a control device adapted to be actuated by an operator, a device for displaying information for the operator such as basic information such as the quantities of hydrocarbons delivered and the amounts invoiced, a general device for displaying the basic information and additional information for users, at least one hydraulic oil distribution network, and
surface on the very place of distribution, only the distribution heads carrying end valves intended to be operated by a user, installation characterized in that it comprises at least one pumping device with variable flow rate common to several distribution heads , connected by said hydraulic network which consists of pipes provided with ramifications in case these pipes serve several heads, to these distribution heads which oaExotrnt each at least one end tap and as many individual display devices of at least one hase information, at least one metering group consisting of a degasser and a metering device being inserted in each pipe between the ends of the latter situated respectively one side of the distribution heads and the other side of the pumping equipment .

Thanks to the characteristics stated, the pumping equipment can be transferred remotely from the dispensing heads and common to several heads; also, the measurement (with which degassing is associated) may or may not be common to several
heads and the measuring group can thus be remotely transferred or buried at the distribution site.

According to a characteristic of the invention the device
the variable flow pumping system includes an electric motor
variable speed for example three-phase asynchronous and a pump driven by this motor. In this way, it is possible, by regulating the speed of the motor from the control device, by means of the central management unit, to ensure at each location in the network of pipes, the flow rate demanded by the end valves. and order solenoid valves for orienting the flow of liquid or for safety,
According to another characteristic of the invention, the general display device comprises groups of information display modules, each group viewing on its modules the information relating to a distribution head, the number of groups is less than that of the heads and the groups are not permanently assigned to a specific head, and the central management unit includes a selector for searching for groups of free modules. The groups of display modules are identical t the corresponding modules of each group are intended for viewing information of the same kind, for example the number of the end valve in service, the type of product distributed, its unit price, the volume debits and the price to pay. The number of module groups is determined by a statistical study of the installation occupancy rate and takes into account the number of valves that can be used simultaneously.

 According to an advantageous characteristic of the invention, the installation comprises at least one additional hydraulic module having an additive reservoir intended to be added to liquid hydrocarbons, an additive pumping device consisting of a pump driven by an electric motor, and at least one distribution network for this additive, which network is complex and consists of branched pipes to bring the additive to each distribution head. It is thus possible to transform the basic hydrocarbons into a different product, for example in terms of quality, on order for this purpose from the central management unit, which determines the proportion of additive to be delivered, for example proportional to the quantity of the basic hydrocarbons, and calculates the corrected price of the product distributed according to the volume of additive delivered.

 The invention also relates to a method of distributing liquid hydrocarbons to users and invoicing the corresponding sums, according to which dispensing taps are opened by the users in order to obtain the desired quantity of hydrocarbons, characterized in that the flow rate of a pumping device is adjusted in order to ensure a hydraulic network for the distribution of hydrocarbons the flow rate required by the number of taps open, at the opening of a tap at least the sum invoiced to the corresponding user is calculated as a function of the volume of hydrocarbons delivered and of the unit price of said hydrocarbons and at least one of the basic information items constituted by this invoiced sum and the volume delivered is displayed on an individual display device associated with said tap, and this information basic as well as additional information are displayed on a general display device comprising groups identical modules for displaying information that can each be associated with any tap, but in fewer numbers than said taps, when a group of modules is available, so that the distribution of hydrocarbons and control of this distribution are possible for users handling the available taps even if, due to the large number of users, no group of display modules is available and if a previous user of a tap associated with a mime measurer has not yet set its invoice, provided that the previous user of the same tap has paid his own bill.

 Advantageously, the invention relates more precisely to a process for the separate distribution of hydrocarbons of characteristics such as the octane number and the different freezing temperature by means of the same distribution stations, characterized in that, to avoid storing in large quantities and separately of numerous hydrocarbons having different characteristics, at least one additive is optionally added to the liquid hydrocarbons constituting the basic product, and for this said additive is stored in the installation, and optionally this additive is put into circulation at constant pressure from its storage location to an injection metering pump, then this additive is transmitted in the form of hydraulic pulses to the distribution station and is mixed there with the basic product in quantities proportional to the quantities thereof, and also depending on the desired additive rate in said base product by acting on the flow rate of the injection pump pa r example via its rotation speed.

Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will also emerge from the description which follows, relating to a preferred form and embodiment of the invention described by way of nonlimiting examples and illustrated in the drawings below. joints in which
FIG. 1 is a general schematic representation of an installation according to the invention,
FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic representation of part of the hydraulic (network) and electrical circuitry of the installation of FIG. 1,
FIG. 3 is a schematic representation of part of the hydraulic circuitry (network) of the installation of FIG. 1, and more precisely of an additive distribution network,
FIG. 4 schematically shows an injector-dosing injection pump assembly intended to complete the additive network of FIG. 3,
The installation shown in the drawings and more generally in FIGS. 1 and 2 is a service station comprising one or more hydraulic modules such as that which will be described and adapted to be managed by a computer. , and more precisely a minicomputer or even a microcomputer, possibly with simultaneous storage in mass memory for example on disk, with a view to a later use for the management of the station.

 This service station is intended for distributing from at least one tank, liquid hydrocarbons, in particular fuels for automobile engines, to users, and invoicing the corresponding sums, under the control of an operator. actuating for this purpose a limited number of members belonging to a control device 201 of the central management unit 30 of said computer as a function of information appearing on a display device 202.

The information displayed on the display device 202 intended for the operator is also basic information for the command and control of the installation such as the volume debited by each distribution station P (only one of which is shown in full). in FIG. 1, only the support posts of the others being shown there) and the corresponding amount to be billed, as additional information such as the unit price of the hydrocarbons distributed by each of the P stations, etc .; the operator's desk may also include indicator lights for the control of the end taps R
Outside the operator's cabin, where the computer or at least the central management unit 30 with which it interacts is also housed, the control device for example with keyboard 201, and the display device (s) by example with a cathode screen 202 or / and a printer 204 for the simultaneous establishment of an operating list, the installation according to the invention also comprises, on the surface, the distribution stations P in the form of distribution heads mainly provided at least one end valve R with pistol grip intended to be operated by the user to introduce the hydrocarbons into the tanks of his vehicle or of an appropriate container, of an associated switch 15 provided with a support 151 pistol and an individual display device VI intended to display for this user of the substation, the volume of hydrocarbons distributed or / and the corresponding invoiced sum, as the increase of these; only these distribution heads are necessarily on the surface at the same distribution location; the installation also includes on the surface a general display device VG of the basic information which has been mentioned above and of additional information which may be useful to the user, but this general display device VG can be like the operator's cabin, at a certain distance from the distribution site, provided that it is large enough and well placed so that the information it visualizes is legible for users when they fill their tank or container.

 The installation also includes, but buried at a distance from the distribution stations, a variable-rate pumping apparatus 1.2, common to several distribution heads P, for sucking the hydrocarbons from the tank, a hydraulic distribution network D where these hydrocarbons are put into circulation by the pumping equipment and connecting this equipment to the distribution heads, and one or more metering groups each consisting of a degasser 5 and a measurer 6, inserted in the network between the ends of it and possibly near these ends.

As a single network is made up of several pipes 21,23, each supplying at least one distribution head, it is said to be "complex" (it can for example be made up of two pipes), and each of these pipes 21,23 is branched, if e: supplies several stations or groups of distribution stations, for example two stations each comprising an end valve
The metering group 5, 6 can be provided either buried in the vicinity of the distribution head P, or of two distribution heads P if, as in the example described, a metering group is provided associated with two distribution heads, is transferred to the distance from the side of the pumping equipment 1,2, in the vicinity of the other end of the branched pipe.

 The pumping equipment 1,2 is constituted by a three-phase asynchronous electric motor 1, the output shaft of which is coupled to a positive displacement pump 2 to drive it at variable speed.

 In the case shown in the figures, the distribution network D consists of two branched pipes 21, 23 each intended to supply four distribution heads, that is to say a total of eight P heads of which only four can be used simultaneously, due to the fact as the heads being associated in pairs with the same metering group, the heads associated with the same group cannot distribute hydrocarbons simultaneously.

In this case, the pumping equipment can be actuated for example at three different speeds, by a three-phase asynchronous motor with three stators energized by means of contactors inserted in the electrical supply circuit. Indeed, the formula giving the engine speed is
60f
N = (1 - g)
p with N in rpm = speed of rotation
f = frequency of the supply voltage
g = slip
p = number of pairs of stator blades
If we take f = 50 Hz, g - 0.02 (at speed), and p successively 1.2 and 4, we obtain, thanks to the control device, the following pump actuation speeds 750 rpm, 1500 rpm, and 3000 rpm,
The motor rotor is then preferably in a squirrel cage with deep notches in which aluminum is poured; a double cage effect is thus obtained which limits the strong current at the start of this type of motor. We could also have obtained a speed variation by playing on the slip g, by using a three-phase asynchronous motor with conventional stator and wound rotor with common point. extended so as to insert resistors which would have been short-circuited into the windings by means of contactors; the slippages of 0.76, 0.52, 0.275, 0.03 would have provided respective speeds of 725 rpm, 1450 rpm, 2175 rpm, 2900 rpm, but the engine cost would have been more high, and with the strong slippages, the most commonly practiced, the electric outputs would have been less good than with the chosen solution, while with this the efficiency is excellent at all revs. Motor 1 weft the pump volumetric 2 whose flow rate at 750 rpm will be 3 m3 / h. As the formula giving the flow rate of a positive displacement pump is Q = wzn ~ Wn m3 / s with
th 60 60 w = characteristic volume driven back periodically by an element
delivery z = number of elements n = number of revolutions / min
Qth is proportional to the number of revolutions per minute of the engine, and we therefore obtain, for,
750 rpm: 3 m3 / h
1500 rpm: 6 m3 / h
3000 rpm: 12 m3 / h pumped back into the network as and when requested from distribution stations. The correct speed control for the engine is done automatically thanks to the cooperating central management unit 30 for this purpose with the circuitry of the distribution heads according to a simple algorithm, The installation can be made up, in modular form, of several similar sets each comprising a pampering device, distribution stations, a general display device etc., and its own hydraulic distributior module
the pump is connected to the storage tank (s) by pipes shown diagrammatically, in which are inserted explosion-proof explosion-actuating actuating valves 3 controlled remotely.

 In FIGS. 1 and 2, the hydraulic circuits corresponding to eight distribution stations are sketched out, but the hydraulic and electric circuits are only reported in detail, as will be readily seen, for only two heads, and even sometimes one, associated to the same metering group.

 As we have seen, the metering groups consist of a degasser 5 and a measurer 6, which must be very close to each other in order to avoid pressure drops on the route which separating them causes the separation of the air dissolved in the conveyed fluid. These groups are buried in the ground between the two distribution heads associated with them. If the metering unit is placed at a distance, the distribution must be carried out with a full hose, the volume of the pipe going from the measurer to the distribution head is added to that of the distribution hose and account must be taken of its swelling under the distribution pressure of three bars, as for the hose, so that the total swelling remains within the tolerances allowed.

Each head comprises, in addition to the main organs which have already been mentioned, an availability indicator 13 (FIG. 2) in the form of an illuminable number indicating the availability of the head and a predetermination keyboard 14 (FIG. 2) a volume or a price to pay, integrated into a dial C (figure 1), a product type selector S if the choice is possible between several products, and a switch
M condemnation of use by the user himself intended to possibly impose the delivery of fuel exclusively by a qualified pump attendant in manual control operation for example.

 The general display device VG includes identical groups of information display modules, each of which can be associated with any of the distribution heads, intended to display, for each distribution head (but not simultaneously, the number of groups being less than the number of heads), the number of the head taken into account, the type and the unit price of the product delivered, the volume delivered, the price to pay, and possibly any other indication useful to the user, Groups are not therefore not permanently assigned to a determined head, and the central management unit 30 includes a selector intended for searching for groups of free modules for viewing each time a new distribution head is put into service, and appropriate means for controlling the display of all the useful information. The modules of the different groups intended for viewing information of the same kind are preferably identical. The number of groups of modules is determined taking into account the number of distribution taps by a statistical study of the occupancy rate of these. The elements constituting the display modules can for example be liquid crystal elements with 7 segments, assembled so as to form a large display panel.

In order to increase the flexibility of use of the installation when it is intended for the distribution of several fuels of different characteristics, stations for dispensing one fuel are commonly available while those for another fuel are overloaded when the stations are specialized, it is expected that the distribution stations of the installation according to the invention are capable of delivering several fuels on the user's selection. In order to avoid the storage of several different fuels and not to have to provide as many identical sets of installation elements as there are different fuels, these games therefore never work together at the maximum speed for which they are designed, so in order to limit the cost of installation, it is expected that the fuels are all obtained from a base fuel and an optional additive
Thus, the basic product for common motor fuels can be ordinary gasoline, and the additive a product increasing the octane number to obtain a super fuel; similarly, the basic product can be an ordinary fuel oil and the additive an appropriate antifreeze to obtain a winter fuel oil.

To this end, the installation according to the invention comprises one or more additive module (s), in particular hydraulic additive (s), on the whole similar to the hydrocarbon module of base, and also managed by the central management unit 30 so that the optional additive is delivered at the same time as the basic hydrocarbons, by the same tap, and in quantity proportional to the flow rate therefore to the volume of these. The central management unit takes into account the volume of additive dispensed, and therefore takes into account the total volume of product dispensed, and the corrected unit price, to give indications of the volume dispensed and the amount invoiced. output of a small electric motor 19 (FIG. 3) supplied by the electrical network on command of the contactor S is therefore coupled to a pump 49 with relatively small flow rate connected on the suction side to an additive tank 50 and on the discharge side to a hydraulic network in which it puts the additive in circulation at a constant pressure of two bars under the control of an accumulator 51; a pressure regulation assembly 52, in a bypass, allows the return of the additive to the reservoir 50 in the absence of flow when the pressure of two bars is reached. The additive distribution network from this apparatus pumping, like the main network, is complex and made up of branched pipes, to bring the additive to each distribution head
P and more precisely to an injector 53 (FIG. 4) mounted in the base of the tap R downstream of the usual valves, using the measuring groups; in order to ensure the correct transmission of the additive from the metering unit to the distribution head, there is associated with each group an injection metering pump 10 (FIGS. 2, 3 and 4) with piston controlled by a cam 101 of suitable profile driven by an output axis provided on the measurer by means of an electromagnetic clutch 9 (FIG. 2) ensuring with a bevel gear 7 the kinematic connection between the cam 101 and the output axis, with a ratio of the number of revolutions depending on the amount of additive to be added in proportion to the base hydrocarbons.

 FIG. 4 shows the pump-injector link. The injector 53 has a spring 56 calibrated so that the force which applies the stud of a counterweight 55 to its seat to close the orifice of the injector is slightly greater than the action resulting from the pressure of 2 bars exerted on the active surface of this counterweight 55. Also, under the action of the cam, the piston rises, the pressure increases in the hose and under the counterweight 55, which also rises by compressing the spring 56; a certain quantity of additive is then injected at a pressure close to 2 bars. Care must be taken that the swelling of the hose 57 represents only a tiny part of the dose to be injected with each pulse. To inject for example 0.20 cm / 1 with a 0.5 dm cyclic volume meter, two injections of 48 mm3 of additive will be made per revolution. The 2 ton udder section of the pump will be 9.6 mm and its stroke 5mm.

In practice, as can be seen in FIG. 2, each branching of the network of basic product comprises, in series upstream of the degasser a flow limiter 4 preventing the degasser from being subjected to a flow greater than its admissible flow , and a unidirectional fire stop solenoid valve 31 avoiding putting the pressure gauge under pressure when it is not to be used
Downstream of the measurer 6, between the latter and each distribution head, there is a non-return valve 44 and a multi-way solenoid valve 11 for directing the fuel to one or the other of the two distribution heads associated with the metering group, by means of two conduits 26,27.

 De ifre the additive circuit comprises, at the output of the injection clutch 10, a multi-geometry electromagnet 12 supplying one or the other of two conduits 28, 29.

The electronic assembly comprises a cam, as we have seen, a central management unit 30 provided with a microprocessor 20 and interfaces for connection to the various devices, constituting peripherals in a way; it is in particular an output interface 32 connected to an AND gate 46 for controlling the solenoid valve 31, an input interface 33 connected to the contacts of a relay 59 connected to the output of an exclusive W gate 58 intended for the routing of hydrocarbons to one or the other head associated with the same metering group, of an input interface 34 connected to circuits of the switches 15 associated with the taps d end, an output interface 35 connected to contactors 41 for supplying the stator of the asynchronous motor 1 to control the correct speed thereof as a function of the number of open taps, an output interface 36 connected to the general display device VG, of an output interface 37 connected to the conventional peripherals that are the keyboard 201, the screen 202, and the printer 204, of an input interface 38 of buffer memory connected to a pulse generator 8 used for the cottage of the quantity of hydrocarbons delivered through the interine pulse shaping stage 45 which can for example be a rocker, an input interface 39 connected to the selector switch S of the fuel type (side without additive), an input-output interface 40 also connected to the same switch (but side with additive), an input-output interface 47 with the individual display device VI and the price payable predeterminator 14, an output interface 48 connected to the availability wheels 13, an interface d input 60 connected to the multi-way solenoid valves 11,12 for switching, an input interface 61 connected to the switches 15 associated with the end valves, and an input interface 62 connected to the selector switch
Fuel type. side without additive.

The AND gate 46 therefore has, as we have seen, an input connected to the output interface 32, its other input is connected to the selector switch S of the fuel type, and its output is connected not only to the coil of the solenoid valve 31, but also to the control coil of the relay 59 associated with the door 58, the two inputs of which are connected respectively to a circuit of the two switches 15 associated with the ex-end valves,
One of the circuits of the fuel type selector switch S is connected to the input of an AND gate 17, the other input of which is connected to the output of a DC voltage generator 18, the input of which is attacked by the shaping stage 45 placed at the output of the pulse generator 8 for counting the quantity of hydrocarbons; the output of the AND gate 17 is connected to the electromagnetic clutch 9 to control it as a function of the signals applied to its input.

The operation of the installation is as follows
Suppose that a user actuates the selector switch S to obtain the basic product, for example ordinary petrol, by unhooking the tap R in FIG. 1 associated with the switch 15 in FIG. 2; the indicators 3 associated with the same metering group, which were on to authorize the service go out, being supplied in series and the top element of the switch 15 being open. The other head associated with the same measuring group is no longer authorized to deliver a product. Another element of the switch 15 operating in OR circuit with the corresponding element of the switch of the other head is connected to the input interface 34 of the microprocessor 20 which, via the output interface 35, controls the closing of one of the contactors 41 supplying the stator of the electric motor 1 which starts and takes the speed of 750 rpm, a only tap R being assumed to be off hook. The liquid is then discharged, and can be delivered at the flow rate and at the pressure corresponding to the request, to the end valve; no flow can take place until the selector switch S has not been pressed, In the event that the requested flow is less than the maximum flow of pump 2, three cubic meters per hour, the excess will flow by bypassing the pump 2.The simultaneous presence of the signal from the third element of the contactor 15 through the door 58 and the relay 59 on the input interfaces 33 and 61, simultaneously allows, via the output interface 32, the control of the unidirectional solenoid valve 31 and the bonding of the relay 59, and, by the output interface 60, the control of the solenoid valves 11 and 12 for the orientation of the flow of liquid in the right direction.

The simultaneous presence of the signal coming from the interface 32 and that coming from the switch S in the AND gate 46 allows the control of the relay 59 and of the solenoid valve 31. When the relay 59 comes to bonding, it insulates the door 58 so that if, inadvertently the second end valve associated with the metering group was off during operation of the first valve, nothing would happen, and the relay 59 would maintain on the interface 33 a busy signal. The input interface 61 recognizes the signal it receives (for example, even and odd numbers respectively for the two heads associated with the same measuring group) to command the opening of the solenoid valves 11 and 12 in the right direction (left for one of the taps and right for the other).

 The basic product can therefore be discharged into line 23, the flow limiter 4, the solenoid valve 31, the degasser 5, the measurer 6 which measures the volume supplied in the non-return valve 44, the solenoid valve 11 and consequence in the conduit 26 supplying the dispensing head. The measurer 6, whose cyclic volume will be for example 0.5 dm3 per revolution, drives, via the bevel gear 7, a pulse generator 8, optoelectronic, photoelectric or proximity detector for example, which produces here 50 pulses per revolution, one per centiliter, shaped by a stage such as a flip-flop 45 and transmitted to the interface 38 of buffer memory of the computer, for the totalization of the volumes and the calculation of the price to pay. A sweep selector incorporated in the management unit 30 sequentially empties this buffer memory. By admitting a maximum flow rate of isl / s (in fact the maximum flow rates in service stations are 0.8 1 / s) and that the selector empties the memory every 5 ms, which corresponds to a maximum flow of 0.5 cl (neglecting the access time to the memory of the order of the they), we have a minimum regulatory delivery of 5 liters , and an error Ede the displayed value such as - 1% o <6 <o. At this speed, we will only see in real time the change in the figures marking the deciliters. Through the output interface 36 of the management unit 30, the volume delivered is displayed in real time on the VG display panel and at attention of the installation operator. The calculation of the price to be paid is carried out in real time by the management unit, considering for example a maximum price of ten francs per liter, the operation being carried out every 5 ms; the change of visualization will be carried out in steps of 5 centimes, so that only the change of the decimes will be perceived visually. The basic product having been chosen, one of the contacts of the interrupter S was used to authorize the control of the solenoid valves and consequently the flow at the end valve; the other contact, via the input interface 39t, orders the selection of the price per liter for the basic product used in the calculation of the price to be paid; it also controls, by the selector of the interface 36, the search for a free module on the display panel VG and will immediately display the number of the head, the product chosen (here the basic product) the unit price, then when delivery has started, in real time, the volume delivered and the price payable, As there are fewer display modules than heads that can distribute simultaneously (their number resulting from a statistical study of the occupancy rate) at the time when a delivery begins, no module of the VG display panel is free; in this case, the output interface 47 outputs the price to be paid in real time on the distribution head P, clipped under the conditions already indicated, so that the consumer can follow the progress thereof; if a display module becomes free during or at the end of the delivery, the total of the volume already delivered and the price to be paid will appear immediately. Two unit prices per liter can optionally be stored for each product, for the calculation of the price to pay, for example the highest at peak hours to better distribute the service over the opening hours of the service station. ; it is then an internal clock of the management unit which validates the unit price in terms of the hour, for example, the same price in the bands 7h00 - 8h00, 12h00 - 13h00, 17h00 - 18h00 and the same price outside these hours. The delivery being completed, as a result of the end valve being hung up, there is no longer any simultaneous presence of the signal coming from the associated switch 15 on the interfaces 61 and 33 (that of the interface 6 has disappeared), l signal from the output interface 32 to the AND gate 46 disappears, the relay 59 is de-energized, the solenoid valve 31 closes and the interface 60 also closes the solenoid valves 11 and 12. The interface 48 then sends the signal from short-circuit through the resistor associated with the indicator light î3 on the head which was in service, which goes out, and the indicator light on the other head lights up to authorize a distribution. At the time of payment, by the keyboard 201 and the interface 37, the operator calls the address of the head which was in service and reads on the screen 202 the volume and the price to be paid, then erases the display memories of the panel, those of the price to pay from the distribution head, and activates the printer 204 to add the delivery to the list and frees the short circuit of the head that was on duty.

If instead of the basic product alone, the request had also concerned the additive, the selector rocker switch
S would have been actuated in the corresponding position and its four contacts would have been established; everything would then have happened as previously for the basic product alone, but in addition an element of the switch S, by the input-output interface 40 would have caused the starting of the electric motor 19 (FIG. 3) of drive of the pump 49 which sucks the additive into the tank 50 and delivers it at a constant pressure of 2 bars, under the control of the pressure accumulator 51, throughout the hydraulic supply network of the injection pumps, in particular towards the injection pump 10 (FIG. 2 and FIG. 3) of each measurement group; when the basic product flows in the distribution circuit, the mobile equipment of the measurer is in rotation, it drives the pulse generator 8 (figure 2), which delivers pulses which are shaped in the stage 45 and transformed into direct voltage in the generator 18, which direct voltage applied to the circuit
AND 17 at the same time as the DC voltage coming from the switch S, sticks the electromagnetic clutch 9 and thus allows the mechanical angular gear 7, when there is flow of the basic product, to drive the cam 101 (Figure 4) of the injection pump 10; the pump 10 then delivers by the solenoid valve 12, which has been previously controlled in the right direction, in the injector 53, a dose of additive thus injected into the nozzle 54 of the end valve downstream of the system of valves usually existing in such taps,
One of the contacts of the selector switch, via the input interface 62, controls the selection of the price per liter for the product with additive used in the calculation of the price to be paid, and controls by the interface selector 36, the search for a free module on the general display panel VG, on which will be displayed as previously for the basic product, the number of the head1 the type of product, the unit price, then when the delivery has started, in real-time, the volume delivered and the price to be paid. The calculation of the price to be paid is carried out on the volume actually delivered, that is to say that the management unit, before carrying out the product of the volume by the unit price, carry out an additional operation which consists in multiplying the volume indicated by the pulse generator 8 in the corresponding memory by 1.002 for example if the additive is two per thousand of the basic product. The sequence of operations is similar to what has already been described,
The dispensing head carrying a small keyboard 14 for the predetermination and display by the user of the price to be paid, a memory is loaded into the management unit in value complementary to the displayed price; when the price displayed on the distribution head reaches the displayed value, the output interface 32 controls the closing of the solenoid valves 11 and 31, the pressure drops to zero in the hydraulic distribution circuit, and the internal valves of the tap end stop dispensing,
In summary, the flow rate of the pumping device for the basic product is adjusted as a function of the number of distribution taps R opened by the users, after the opening of each tap, the sum invoiced to the corresponding user is calculated in as a function of the unit price of the product and of the volume delivered, and the volume delivered or / and the invoiced sum are displayed on an individual display device VI associated with the tap and carried by the distribution station P. This information as well as the additional information which may to be useful to the user are displayed on a general display device VG comprising identical groups of information display modules, each intended for the display of information relating to any tap, which groups are less in number than the number of taps capable of '' be in service simultaneously, when a group of modules is available, the existence of a group available being detected by a marker provided in the central management unit 30. Thus, the distribution of hydrocarbons is possible for users handling the taps R available even if, owing to the large number of users, no group of display modules n 'is available and if a previous user of a tap associated with the same measurer 6 has not yet paid his bill, provided that the previous user of the same tap has paid his own bill.

In this case, the display on the individual device VI is immediate, and the display on the general device VG is caused as soon as the availability of a group is detected, a priority being preferably assigned to the tap without display having already delivered the largest volume.

 If, in order to be able to deliver products of different characteristics without having to store large quantities of all these products, an additive is optionally added, and circulated at constant pressure from its storage location 50 to an injection metering pump, this additive is transmitted in the form of hydraulic impurities to the distribution station P and is mixed there with the basic product in quantities proportional to the quantities thereof and also depending on the rate of additive desired in the basic product by acting on the flow rate of the injection pump 10 for example by means of its speed of rotation.

 To invoice the sums corresponding to the hydrocarbons distributed, the volume of basic product is measured, and if an additive is simultaneously delivered, this volume is multiplied by a factor greater than 1 by a value corresponding to the proportion of additive added, and the result is multiplied by a unit price allocated to the product distributed, this unit price can be modified according to the time and / or day of distribution.

 To measure the volume of hydrocarbons distributed, electrical flow pulses are created by means of a pulse generator 8 controlled by the measurer 6, these pulses are totalized in the buffer memory, and the memory is emptied sequentially of the pulses totaled for deduct the information on volume delivered and amount to be billed.

 Of course, the invention is not limited to the form and to the embodiment described and represented above, and it is possible to provide other forms and other embodiments without departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims (8)

RESELL XCAT T; ON $ l) Installation of distribution of liquid hydrocarbons to users and invoicing of the corresponding sums, of the service station type, comprising a tank of hydrocarbons, a central management unit (30), a device for control (201) adapted to be actuated by an operator, a display device (202) of information for the operator such as basic information such as the quantities of hydrocarbons delivered and the amounts invoiced, a general display device (VG) basic information and additional information for users, at least one hydraulic distribution network (D) for hydrocarbons, and on the surface at the distribution site, only distribution heads (P) carrying taps (R) end intended to be operated by a user, installation characterized in that it comprises at least one pumping apparatus (1, 2) with variable flow rate common to several heads of d distribution (P), connected by said hydraulic network (D) which consists of pipes (21, 23) provided with ramifications, if these pipes serve several heads, to these distribution heads (P) which each comprise at least one tap d end (R) and as many individual display devices (VI) of at least one of the basic informatons, at least one measuring group consisting of a degasser (5) and a measurer (6) being inserted in each pipe between the ends of the latter situated respectively one on the distribution head side and the other on the pumping equipment side. 2) Installation according to claim 1, characterized in that, with each network (D), is associated with at least one group consisting of a degasser (5) and a measurer (6), inserted in a pipe and dess- serving at least two distribution heads (P) usable simultaneously. 3e3 installation according to claim 1, characterized in that, to each network tD) are associated groups consisting of a degasser (5) and a measurer (6) each serving at least one distribution head (P), and in that, when the groups (5, 6) each serve several distribution heads (P), only one of the heads served by the same group is usable at a time.  40) Installation according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the variable flow pumping apparatus comprises an electric motor (1) with variable speed, for example three-phase asynchronous and a pump (2) driven by this motor. .  50) Installation according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the general display device (VG) comprises groups of information display modules, each group viewing on its modules the information relating to a 'head of distribution (P), in that the number of groups is less than that of heads (P) and the groups are not permanently assigned to a determined head, and in that the central management unit (30) comprises a selector to search for groups of free modules.  60) Installation according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that it comprises at least one additional hydraulic module having an additive reservoir (5Q) intended to be added to liquid hydrocarbons, a pumping apparatus for additive consisting of a pump (49) driven by an electric motor (19), and at least one distribution network for this additive, which network is complex and consisting of branched pipes, for supplying the additive to each distribution head ( P),  70) Installation according to claim 6, characterized in that the dispensing heads (P) to which the additive is brought comprise an injector (53) mounted in the nozzle of the tap (R) downstream of valves, to the metering group ( 5,6) corresponding is associated with an injection pump (10) with piston controlled by a cam (101) driven by an output axis provided on the measurer by means of an electromagnetic clutch (9) ensuring the kinematic connection between said cam and said output axis.  80) Method of distributing liquid hydrocarbons to users and invoicing the corresponding sums according to which distribution taps (R) are opened by users in order to obtain the desired quantity of hydrocarbons, characterized in that the flow of a pumping device (1,2) is adjusted in order to ensure a hydraulic distribution network (D) of hydrocarbons the flow required by the number of taps open, at the opening of a tap at least the sum invoiced to the corresponding user is calculated according to the volume of hydrocarbons delivered and the unit price of said hydrocarbons and at least one of the basic information constituted by this invoiced sum and the volume delivered is displayed on an individual display device ( VI) associated with said tap (R), and this basic information as well as additional information is displayed on a general display device (VG) comprising id groups entics of modules for viewing information that can each be associated with any tap but in fewer than those taps, when a group of modules is available, so that the distribution of hydrocarbons and control of this distribution are possible for users handling the taps available even if due to the large number of users, no group of display modules is available and If a previous user of a tap associated with the same meter (6) has not still paid his bill, provided that the previous user of the same tap has paid his own bill.  90) Process for the separate distribution of hydrocarbons of different characteristics such as octane number and freezing temperature, by means of the same distribution stations (P), characterized in that, to avoid storing in large quantities and separately of numerous hydrocarbons having different characteristics, at least one additive is optionally added to liquid hydrocarbons constituting a basic product, and for this said additive is stored, and optionally is put into circulation at constant pressure from its place of storage (50) to an injection metering pump (10), then this additive is transmitted in the form of hydraulic pulses to the distribution station (P) and is mixed there with the basic product in quantities proportional to the quantities of the latter this; and also depending on the level of additive desired in said basic product by acting on the flow rate of the injection pump (10) for example by means of its speed of rotation.  100) Method according to claim 9, characterized in that, to invoice the sums corresponding to the hydrocarbons distributed, the volume of basic product is measured, then this volume is multiplied by a factor greater than 1 by a value corresponding to the proportion d additive added, and the result is multiplied by a unit price assigned to the product distributed and modifiable according to the time of distribution, for example from the date and time of distribution.  110) Method according to any one of claims 8 to 10, characterized in that, to measure the volume of hydrocarbons distributed, electrical flow pulses are created by means of a pulse generator (8) which is controlled by the measurer (6), the pulses created are summed up in a buffer memory, and the memory is emptied sequentially of the pulses summed up in order to deduce the information from the volume book of sum to be billed.