JP2012121000A - Vapor recovery apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To intercept inflow of fuel oil to a condensation means even when overflow to a vent pipe is caused during unloading to an underground tank.SOLUTION: A vapor recovery apparatus, in which an air feeder 7 and a vapor condenser 9 are connected to the vent pipe 4, whose one end is connected to the underground tank 1, by a conduit through a branch part 4a, is provided with a liquid intercepting unit 5 that inhibits the inflow of the fuel oil in the middle of the conduit.

Description

  The present invention relates to an apparatus for recovering gaseous hydrocarbons contained in an atmospheric emission gas, and more particularly to a technique for preventing liquid suction.

  Fuel oil, such as gasoline, is highly volatile, and when unloading from a lorry to an underground tank buried in a gas station, hydrocarbon vapors that accumulate in the upper space of the underground tank are passed through the underground tank's vent pipe to the atmosphere. In addition to the waste of resources, there are problems of fire hazard due to ignition and environmental pollution.

In order to solve such a problem, there has been proposed a vapor recovery apparatus for liquefying and reusing vapor as described in Patent Document 1.
When unloading the vapor in the underground tank to the aggregating means with a compressor through the vent pipe during unloading, the underground tank is supplied with more fuel than specified, or the upper limit detection sensor of the underground tank has failed. In this case, there is a problem that fuel oil is fed to the condensing means and is damaged.

JP 2006-198604 A

  The present invention has been made in view of such problems, and the object of the present invention is to prevent the fuel oil from flowing into the condensing means even if overflow to the vent pipe occurs during unloading to the underground tank. It is to provide a vapor recovery device that can be shut off.

  In order to solve such a problem, the present invention provides a vapor recovery apparatus in which an air supply means and a vapor condensing means are connected to a ventilation pipe having one end connected to an underground tank via a branch line via a branch line. A liquid blocking means for blocking the inflow of fuel oil was provided in the middle of the path.

  Although the vapor from the underground tank is introduced into the vapor condensing means, when the liquid flows into the vent pipe, the liquid can be prevented from flowing into the vapor condensing means and the condensing means can be prevented from malfunctioning.

It is a figure which shows an example of the gas station to which this invention is applied. It is one Example of this invention comprised as a strainer. It is a flowchart explaining oil supply operation | movement. It is one Example of this invention comprised as a strainer. It is a figure which shows an example of the gas station to which this invention is applied. FIGS. 1A and 1B are a cross-sectional view and an assembled perspective view showing an embodiment of a shut-off device, respectively.

FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of the present invention. An underground tank 1 can be refueled by a lorry 3 through a refueling pipe 2, and an upper space 1 a communicates with the atmosphere by a vent pipe 4. ing.
A collection line 5 is connected to the vent pipe 4 via a branch pipe 4 a, to which a strainer 6, a compressor 7, a solenoid valve 8, and a condenser 9 are connected, and a liquid discharge port 9 a of the condenser 9 is connected to the recovery line 5. A recovered gasoline return line 10 is connected and communicated with the fuel supply pipe 2 via a return valve 11.

A concentrating device 12 is connected to the air outlet 9 b of the condenser 9, the condensed component outlet 12 a is connected to the upstream side of the electromagnetic valve 8, and the air outlet 12 b is connected to the vent pipe 4 by the air discharge line 13. Is connected to the branch pipe 4b on the downstream side of the branch pipe 4a.
Reference numeral 14 in the figure denotes a return hose connecting the branch pipe 4c of the vent pipe 4 and the lorry 3, and → denotes the flow of fluid.

FIG. 2 shows an embodiment of a strainer 6 connected to the upstream side of the compressor (pump) 7. The strainer mesh 22 has an inlet 20 at one end and an outlet 21 at the other end. And a float 24 and a float position detecting means 25 for detecting the movement of the float 23. At the bottom of the case 24, a liquid storage part 24a is provided for floating the float 23 when the liquid enters.
In the figure, reference numeral 27 denotes a magnet arranged on the inflow side of the strainer mesh 22, and → denotes the flow of vapor.

The operation of this embodiment will be described based on the flowchart of FIG.
In order to unload from the lorry 3 to the underground tank 1, the discharge port of the lorry 3 and the lubrication port 2 of the underground tank 1 are connected by a fuel hose 15, and when unloading is started, the vapor of the underground tank 1 flows into the vent pipe 4, The pressure rises and the pressure sensor 16 is turned on (step i).

  As a result, the control device 17 opens both the electromagnetic valve 8 and the return valve 11 to operate the compressor 7 (step B). In this state, only the vapor in the underground tank 1 is flowing in, so the pressure sensor 16 is still on (Step E), the float 23 is located under its own weight, and the float position detecting means 25 is off. (Step E).

  When the unloading is completed within the specified time (step C) in this way, no liquid flows from the lorry 3 into the underground tank 1, so that the pressure in the vent pipe 4 decreases and the signal from the pressure sensor 16 is turned off. (Step E). The control means 17 judges that the unloading has been completed, operates the alarm 18 to notify the completion of unloading (step F), closes the solenoid valve 8 and stops the compressor 7 (step D).

  On the other hand, when the pressure sensor 16 is turned on (step e), that is, when refueling to the underground tank 1 proceeds beyond the specified capacity due to some inconvenience during unloading, the fuel oil (liquid) flows into the vent pipe 4 and flows into the strainer 6. The fuel oil is accumulated in the recess 24a of the case 24, the float 23 starts to rise, and the signal of the float position detecting means 25 is turned on (step).

The control means 17 notifies the abnormality by the alarm device 18 (step H). Then, the solenoid valve 8 is closed and the compressor 7 is stopped (step D).
Thereby, the inflow of the liquid to the condenser 9 can be prevented beforehand.

  When unloading is started (steps i and b) and a predetermined time has elapsed (step c), the control means 17 closes the electromagnetic valves 8 and 11 and stops the compressor 7 (step d).

  FIG. 4 shows another embodiment of the strainer. In this embodiment, a lower communication hole 24d is formed by a storage chamber 24b and a wall 24c of a strainer mesh 22 provided between the inlet 20 and the outlet 21. The liquid storage part 24e is formed so as to communicate with each other, and the float valve 28 is accommodated therein.

  The float valve 28 is configured to operate a float position detecting means (not shown) by the operating rod 28 as necessary.

  According to this embodiment, when the liquid flows into the storage chamber 24b of the strainer mesh 22 and is stored in the liquid storage part 24e, the float valve 28 is raised, and a signal is output from the float position detecting means (not shown). The means 17 can close the solenoid valves 8 and 11 and stop the compressor 7, and can also reliably prevent the liquid from flowing downstream by blocking the valve seat 21 a.

2 and 4, since the magnet 27 is accommodated upstream of the strainer mesh, dust due to rust on the pipe line is attracted by the magnet 27 so that the strainer mesh 22 is clogged as much as possible. Therefore, a small area can be used, and the strainer can be downsized.

FIG. 5 shows another embodiment of the present invention. The underground tank 1 can be refueled by a lorry 3 through a refueling pipe 2, and the upper space 1 a communicates with the atmosphere by a vent pipe 4. doing.
A collection line 5 is connected to the vent pipe 4 via a branch pipe 4a. A shut-off device 29, a compressor 7, a solenoid valve 8, and a condenser 9 which will be described later are connected to the ventilation pipe 4 and a liquid discharge port of the condenser 9 is connected thereto. A recovered gasoline return line 10 is connected to 9 a and communicates with the fuel supply pipe 2 via a return valve 11.

  A concentrating device 12 is connected to the air outlet 9 b of the condenser 9, the condensed component outlet 12 a is connected to the upstream side of the electromagnetic valve 8, and the air outlet 12 b is connected to the vent pipe 4 by the air discharge line 13. Is connected to the branch pipe 4b on the downstream side of the branch pipe 4a.

  FIG. 6 shows an embodiment of the above-described shut-off device 29. A float 31 having a valve body 32 is accommodated in a cylindrical case 30 having a pipe joint 30a at the upper end, and the opening 30b at the lower end also serves as a retainer. A pipe joint 33 is fixed by a ring body 34. The valve body 32 and the opening 30c sealed by the valve body 32 are formed in a truncated cone shape having a small diameter on the upper side when installed. In the figure, reference numeral 35 denotes a packing, and 36 denotes a pin for fixing the valve element 32 to the top of the float 31 with the packing 37 interposed.

  The float 31 is configured in a cup shape having an opening at the lower end, and a plurality of at least three protrusions 31b and 31c are formed on each of the upper and lower portions of the outer periphery. The gap is formed.

  In this embodiment, since only the vapor flows into the vent pipe 4 until the liquid level in the underground tank 1 exceeds the standard at the time of unloading, the float 31 is positioned below the cylindrical case 30 by its own weight, and the valve body 32 is opened 30c. It is separated from. As a result, the vapor flows into the condenser 9 and is liquefied and collected in the underground tank 1.

On the other hand, when the amount of replenishment to the underground tank 1 exceeds the standard, the liquid also flows into the vent pipe 4, so that the liquid also enters the blocking device 29 and the cylindrical case 30. Since the space 31 c is secured in the float 31, the float 31 rises by buoyancy as the liquid enters, and finally the valve body 32 is pressed against the opening 30 c and sealed.
Thereby, it can block | prevent reliably that fuel oil flows into the downstream condenser 9. FIG.
Further, since the communication with the vent pipe 4 is blocked, the pressure of the pressure sensor 16 is greatly reduced, and the control device 17 ′ turns off the compressor 7 and closes the valves 8 and 11.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Underground tank 2 Oil supply pipe 3 Lorry 4 Vent pipe 5 Recovery line 6 Strainer 7 Compressor 8 Solenoid valve 9 Condenser 12 Concentration device 20 Inlet 21 Outlet 22 Trainer mesh 23 Float 24 Case 24a Reservoir 25 Float position detection Means 27 Magnet 29 Shut-off device

Claims (4)

  In a vapor recovery apparatus in which an air supply means and a vapor condensing means are connected to a vent pipe connected at one end to an underground tank via a branch line, a liquid shut-off that prevents inflow of fuel oil in the middle of the pipe line Vapor collection device provided with means.   The vapor recovery apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the blocking means is a valve means that closes according to a pressure or a liquid level of the liquid that has entered the pipeline. The blocking means includes a case having a strainer accommodating portion having an inlet at one end and an outlet at the other end, and a float chamber communicating with the strainer accommodating portion,
The strainer mesh housed in the strainer housing portion, a magnet disposed upstream of the strainer mesh, and a float valve that is housed in the float chamber and closes the outlet when the liquid level rises above a specified level. The vapor recovery apparatus according to claim 1, comprising: The blocking means includes a case having a strainer accommodating portion having an inlet at one end and an outlet at the other end, and a float chamber communicating with the strainer accommodating portion,
The strainer mesh housed in the strainer housing section, a magnet disposed upstream of the strainer mesh, a float housed in the float chamber, a float position detecting means for detecting displacement of the float, and a float position The vapor recovery apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising means for stopping the air supply means by a signal from the detection means.

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