US20120241041A1 - Fueling system - Google Patents
Fueling system Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- US20120241041A1 US20120241041A1 US13/423,222 US201213423222A US2012241041A1 US 20120241041 A1 US20120241041 A1 US 20120241041A1 US 201213423222 A US201213423222 A US 201213423222A US 2012241041 A1 US2012241041 A1 US 2012241041A1
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- United States
- Prior art keywords
- fuel
- tank
- fuel tank
- air
- pressurized gas
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- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
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- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B67—OPENING, CLOSING OR CLEANING BOTTLES, JARS OR SIMILAR CONTAINERS; LIQUID HANDLING
- B67D—DISPENSING, DELIVERING OR TRANSFERRING LIQUIDS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- B67D7/00—Apparatus or devices for transferring liquids from bulk storage containers or reservoirs into vehicles or into portable containers, e.g. for retail sale purposes
- B67D7/06—Details or accessories
- B67D7/72—Devices for applying air or other gas pressure for forcing liquid to delivery point
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- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B67—OPENING, CLOSING OR CLEANING BOTTLES, JARS OR SIMILAR CONTAINERS; LIQUID HANDLING
- B67D—DISPENSING, DELIVERING OR TRANSFERRING LIQUIDS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- B67D7/00—Apparatus or devices for transferring liquids from bulk storage containers or reservoirs into vehicles or into portable containers, e.g. for retail sale purposes
- B67D7/06—Details or accessories
- B67D7/32—Arrangements of safety or warning devices; Means for preventing unauthorised delivery of liquid
- B67D7/3245—Arrangements of safety or warning devices; Means for preventing unauthorised delivery of liquid relating to the transfer method
- B67D7/3254—Arrangements of safety or warning devices; Means for preventing unauthorised delivery of liquid relating to the transfer method using a pressurised liquid acting directly or indirectly on the bulk of the liquid to be transferred
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- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B67—OPENING, CLOSING OR CLEANING BOTTLES, JARS OR SIMILAR CONTAINERS; LIQUID HANDLING
- B67D—DISPENSING, DELIVERING OR TRANSFERRING LIQUIDS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- B67D7/00—Apparatus or devices for transferring liquids from bulk storage containers or reservoirs into vehicles or into portable containers, e.g. for retail sale purposes
- B67D7/06—Details or accessories
- B67D7/32—Arrangements of safety or warning devices; Means for preventing unauthorised delivery of liquid
- B67D7/3245—Arrangements of safety or warning devices; Means for preventing unauthorised delivery of liquid relating to the transfer method
- B67D7/3263—Arrangements of safety or warning devices; Means for preventing unauthorised delivery of liquid relating to the transfer method using a pressurised gas acting directly or indirectly on the bulk of the liquid to be transferred
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- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B67—OPENING, CLOSING OR CLEANING BOTTLES, JARS OR SIMILAR CONTAINERS; LIQUID HANDLING
- B67D—DISPENSING, DELIVERING OR TRANSFERRING LIQUIDS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- B67D7/00—Apparatus or devices for transferring liquids from bulk storage containers or reservoirs into vehicles or into portable containers, e.g. for retail sale purposes
- B67D7/06—Details or accessories
- B67D7/32—Arrangements of safety or warning devices; Means for preventing unauthorised delivery of liquid
- B67D7/3227—Arrangements of safety or warning devices; Means for preventing unauthorised delivery of liquid relating to venting of a container during loading or unloading
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- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B67—OPENING, CLOSING OR CLEANING BOTTLES, JARS OR SIMILAR CONTAINERS; LIQUID HANDLING
- B67D—DISPENSING, DELIVERING OR TRANSFERRING LIQUIDS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- B67D7/00—Apparatus or devices for transferring liquids from bulk storage containers or reservoirs into vehicles or into portable containers, e.g. for retail sale purposes
- B67D7/06—Details or accessories
- B67D7/36—Arrangements of flow- or pressure-control valves
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- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B67—OPENING, CLOSING OR CLEANING BOTTLES, JARS OR SIMILAR CONTAINERS; LIQUID HANDLING
- B67D—DISPENSING, DELIVERING OR TRANSFERRING LIQUIDS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- B67D7/00—Apparatus or devices for transferring liquids from bulk storage containers or reservoirs into vehicles or into portable containers, e.g. for retail sale purposes
- B67D7/06—Details or accessories
- B67D7/76—Arrangements of devices for purifying liquids to be transferred, e.g. of filters, of air or water separators
Abstract
An apparatus for providing fuel comprises a fuel handling portion and an air handling portion. The fuel handling portion comprises a fuel tank adapted to store fuel as well as a fuel nozzle in fluid communication with the fuel tank and adapted to dispense fuel from the fuel tank. The air handling portion comprises an air tank adapted to be filled with pressurized gas from a pressurized gas source. After the pressurized gas source is removed, the air handling portion is operative to apply the pressurized gas from the air tank to the fuel in the fuel tank so as to provide a motive force for dispensing fuel through the fuel nozzle.
Description
- The present invention relates to apparatus and methods for obtaining, transporting, storing, and dispensing fuel. The present invention further relates to apparatus and methods for processing fuel.
- Operators of motorized equipment such as auto enthusiasts, pilots, boaters, landscapers, and the like often find themselves requiring gasoline without having a convenient source of suitable fuel. To make matters worse, in many cases, a ready source of electrical power is also not available. During these situations, the only realistic fueling solution is frequently the ubiquitous five-gallon gas can. The user fills several of these gas cans at a remote gas station and then transports them to where they will be needed. The user then lifts the heavy gas cans above the vehicle's fuel tank and uses a spout or funnel to direct the fuel into the vehicle by gravity feed. In the case of large vehicles and high-wing airplanes, the user may even need to climb a stepstool or ladder with the cans in order to access the vehicle's fuel tank.
- To make matters worse, in addition to being inconvenient and physically demanding, the use of gas cans in this manner is often dangerous from the perspective of explosion and fire, and also frequently results in fuel spillages that can damage a vehicle's paint. A user may even lose their grip on the gas can while fueling and allow the gas can to inadvertently drop onto the vehicle and cause damage. Finally, fueling with gas cans is slow because of a gas can's narrow opening and its dependence on gravity feed. Taking an inordinate amount of time to fuel a vehicle is especially inconvenient when the weather is cold or wet and the refueling is performed while the operator is exposed to the elements.
- A further source of issues for the equipment operators mentioned above is the inclusion of alcohol in many fuels. Almost all regularly available automobile gasoline now contains 10% ethanol as a result of federal legislation. Nevertheless, ethanol can destroy critical fuel system and engine components if these components were not specifically designed for resistance to alcohol. Ethanol also has a tendency to phase separate from gasoline when exposed to water, creating a corrosive layer of water and ethanol at the bottom of a fuel tank. For these reasons, alcohol-containing fuels are not approved for many motorized vehicles. A large percentage of the piston-engine aircraft fleet, for example, is certified to run on automobile fuel so long as it is free of alcohol. Despite this, however, a pilot typically must use very expensive and highly polluting leaded aviation fuel instead of automobile fuel because the automobile fuel contains ethanol.
- For the foregoing reasons, there is a need for improved fueling system designs that allow fuel to be obtained, transported, stored, and dispensed in a safe, efficient, and convenient manner. For those vehicles that cannot tolerate alcohol in the fuel, there is further a need for these new fueling systems to be capable of removing any ethanol from the fuel before the fuel is dispensed into the vehicle.
- Embodiments of the present invention address the above-identified needs by providing fueling systems that allow fuel to be obtained, transported, stored, and dispensed in a safe, efficient, and convenient manner. Embodiments of the invention further provide fueling systems capable of removing any ethanol from the fuel before the fuel is dispensed into a vehicle.
- In accordance with an aspect of the invention, an apparatus for providing fuel comprises a fuel handling portion and an air handling portion. The fuel handling portion comprises a fuel tank adapted to store fuel as well as a fuel nozzle in fluid communication with the fuel tank and adapted to dispense fuel from the fuel tank. The air handling portion comprises an air tank adapted to be filled with pressurized gas from a pressurized gas source. After the pressurized gas source is removed, the air handling portion is operative to apply the pressurized gas from the air tank to the fuel in the fuel tank so as to provide a motive force for dispensing fuel through the fuel nozzle.
- In accordance with another aspect of the invention, a method of providing fuel comprises filling a fuel tank with fuel, the fuel tank in fluid communication with a fuel nozzle. Subsequently an air tank is pressurized with a gas from a pressurized gas source. With the pressurized gas source removed, fuel is dispensed from the fuel tank through the fuel nozzle while allowing pressurized gas from the air tank to provide a motive force for dispensing the fuel.
- These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with regard to the following description and accompanying drawings where:
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FIG. 1 shows a schematic of at least a portion of a fueling system in accordance with a first illustrative embodiment of the invention; -
FIG. 2 shows a flow diagram of an illustrative method for utilizing theFIG. 1 fueling system to dispense fuel; -
FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of a working prototype of theFIG. 1 fueling system implemented in a cart; -
FIG. 4 shows a schematic of at least a portion of a fueling system in accordance with a second illustrative embodiment of the invention; -
FIG. 5 shows a flow diagram of a method for utilizing theFIG. 4 fueling system to remove alcohol and dispense fuel; -
FIGS. 6A and 6B show flow diagrams of an automated separation process in theFIG. 4 fueling system; -
FIG. 7 shows an electrical schematic of an illustrative detector in theFIG. 4 fueling system; -
FIG. 8 shows a flow diagram of alternative steps for use in theFIGS. 6A and 6B process; and -
FIG. 9 shows a perspective view of a working prototype of theFIG. 4 fueling system implemented in a cart. - The present invention will be described with reference to illustrative embodiments. For this reason, numerous modifications can be made to these embodiments and the results will still come within the scope of the invention. No limitations with respect to the specific embodiments described herein are intended or should be inferred.
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FIG. 1 shows a schematic of at least a portion of afueling system 100 in accordance with a first illustrative embodiment of the invention. Thefueling system 100 can be roughly broken into two portions. Anair handling portion 105 allows the storage and transport of compressed air, and also provides a means for afuel tank 110 to be pressurized with air. Afuel handling portion 115 allows the storage and transport of fuel, and also provides a means for the fuel to be dispensed. - Broken down even further, the
air handling portion 105 comprises anair path 120 between anair tank 125 and thefuel tank 110. Along a section of theair path 120 immediately after theair tank 125, one finds an airtank pressure gauge 130, an air tanksafety relief valve 135, an airtank fill valve 140, anair tank valve 145, and apressure regulator 150. Immediately after thepressure regulator 150, one finds a fueltank relief valve 155, anair filter 160, anair shutoff valve 165, a fuel tanksafety relief valve 170, and a fueltank pressure gauge 175. In thefuel handling portion 115 of thefueling system 100, one finds thefuel tank 110 with afuel cap 112, as well as afuel path 180 that connects the bottom of thefuel tank 110 to afuel shutoff valve 185, afuel filter 190, and finally, afuel nozzle 195. Thefuel path 180 from thefuel filter 190 to thefuel nozzle 195 comprises afuel hose 182. - For safety purposes, the
fueling system 100 further comprises an electrical grounding system that allows all the components of thefueling system 100 to be electrically tied to the vehicle being fueled. This equalizes the electrical potential between thefueling system 100 and the vehicle, thereby reducing the chance of a spark forming during fueling. Abonding strap 198 is attached to thefuel tank 110 and is available to tie thefueling system 100 to the vehicle being fueled. The electrically conductive conduits and fixtures forming thefueling system 100, in addition to a grounding wire integral to thefuel hose 182, assure that all the parts of thefueling system 100 achieve the same electrical potential as thebonding strap 198. - When the
air handling portion 105, thefuel handling portion 115, and the grounding system are combined, one achieves afueling system 100 that allows fuel to be obtained, transported, stored, and dispensed in a safe, efficient, and convenient manner. Pressurization provided by theair handling portion 105 allows thefuel tank 110 to be pressurized with air. Fuel flow from thefuel tank 110, in turn, is driven by this air pressure (i.e., air pressure creates the motive force for the fuel flow) and does not depend solely on gravity. Ultimately, a user of thefueling system 100 receives a fueling experience similar to that of a conventional gas pump, but without the need for an immediate source of electrical power. -
FIG. 2 shows a flow diagram of anillustrative method 200 for utilizing thefueling system 100 to dispense fuel. The first set of steps allows thefuel tank 110 to be pressurized with air from theair tank 125. Instep 205, thefuel tank 110 is vented of any excess pressure by closing theair tank valve 145, and then opening theair shutoff valve 165 and the fueltank relief valve 155. Once this venting is accomplished, the user then shuts theair shutoff valve 165 and the fueltank relief valve 155 and moves ontostep 210, wherein thefuel tank 110 is filled with fuel. Here, the user merely removes thefuel cap 112 of thefuel tank 110 and dispenses fuel into thefuel tank 110 from a convenient source of fuel (e.g., an automobile gas station). After thefuel cap 112 is replaced, theair tank 125 is then filled with compressed air instep 215. Filling theair tank 125 may be performed by coupling a source of compressed air (i.e., an air compressor) to the air tank fillvalve 140 and filling theair tank 125 while theair tank valve 145 remains closed. - The
fuel tank 110 is then ready to be pressurized. Instep 220, the fuelingsystem 100 is grounded to the vehicle being fueled. Instep 225, theair tank valve 145 and theair shutoff valve 165 are opened causing compressed air to travel from theair tank 125 through thepressure regulator 150 and theair filter 160 into thefuel tank 110. Thepressure regulator 150 reduces the air pressure from the fill pressure in the air tank 125 (e.g., 120 pounds per square inch (psi)) to something substantially lower than that (e.g., 10 psi). Theair filter 160, in turn, removes any contaminants from the compressed air before the contaminants have a chance to enter thefuel tank 110. Pressurized in this manner, thefuel tank 110 is ready to dispense fuel. Instep 230, the user opens thefuel shutoff valve 185 and positions thefuel nozzle 195 in a vehicle's fuel tank opening. Actuating thefuel nozzle 195 causes fuel to first travel through thefuel filter 190 and then into the vehicle. - Notably, during the
entire method 200 described above, any potentially dangerous over-pressure events are avoided by the air tanksafety relief valve 135 and the fuel tanksafety relief valve 170. The air tanksafety relief valve 135 may be configured to vent when the pressure in theair tank 125 exceeds, for example, 145 psi. The fuel tanksafety relief valve 170 may be configured to vent when thefuel tank 110 exceeds, as another example, 25 psi. - The fueling
system 100 may be physically implemented in several different forms.FIG. 3 , for example, shows a perspective view of a working prototype of thefueling system 100 implemented in acart 300 with tworear wheels 305, afront base 310, and twohandles 315. Aregion 320 of the working prototype comprised the airtank pressure gauge 130, the air tanksafety relief valve 135, and the air tank fillvalve 140; while anotherregion 325 comprised theair tank valve 145, thepressure regulator 150, the fueltank relief valve 155, theair filter 160, theair shutoff valve 165, the fuel tanksafety relief valve 170, and the fueltank pressure gauge 175. Aregion 330 near the bottom of thecart 300 comprised thefuel shutoff valve 185 and thefuel filter 190. This prototype and others displayed excellent reliability and robustness. Fuel flow rates were often greater than those provided by gas pumps at automobile gas stations. For example, flow rates greater than eight gallons per minute were achieved with a ⅜-inchdiameter fuel hose 182 even with a partially usedfuel filter 190. - Advantageously, the fueling
system 100 can be constructed using conventional, off-the-shelf components, reducing the need to manufacture custom parts. In one configuration, for example, theair tank 125 and thefuel tank 110 may comprise conventional air-tight metallic tanks. Both tanks are preferably rated to about five times the normal maximum operating pressure to provide a wide margin of safety. Theair tank valve 145, the fueltank relief valve 155, theair shutoff valve 165, and thefuel shutoff valve 185 may comprise conventional ball valves, while the air tank fillvalve 140 may comprise a conventional Schrader valve. The air tanksafety relief valve 135 and the fuel tanksafety relief valve 170 may comprise conventional adjustable pressure relief valves. The pressure gauges 130, 175, thepressure regulator 150, theair filter 160, thefuel filter 190, and thefuel nozzle 195 may just be conventional components readily sourced from a number of commercial vendors. Lastly, theair path 120 and thefuel path 180 that tie the various other components together may comprise conventional metallic fittings, metallic tubing, conventional rubber hoses, and a conventional groundedfuel hose 182. - As described earlier, the inclusion of ethanol in a lot of fuels provides a barrier to the use of that fuel in many vehicles.
FIG. 4 shows a schematic of at least a portion of fuelingsystem 400 in accordance with a second illustrative embodiment of the invention that addresses that issue. The fuelingsystem 400 includes anair handling portion 105 identical to theair handling portion 105 in the fueling system 100 (and therefore marked with the identical reference numeral). The fuel handling portion 410, on the other hand, comprises a number of added elements that allow ethanol to be removed from the fuel using an automated separation process. The fuel handling portion 410 comprises afuel tank 415 with afuel cap 417, and abonding strap 418. Thefuel tank 415 has an output at its bottom that is split into two branches. On a first branch, the fuel flow is directed through a firstfuel shutoff valve 420 into afirst fuel filter 425 and ultimately to afuel nozzle 430 via afuel hose 432. On a second branch, the fuel is directed to a secondfuel shutoff valve 435, to asecond fuel filter 440, and to a motorizedsource selector valve 445. Thesource selector valve 445 is connected to awater source 450. After the motorizedsource selector valve 445, the fuel (or the water or ethanol-water, as the case may be) is directed to adetector 455, to apump 460, and finally to a motorizedwaste selector valve 465. Thewaste selector valve 465 determines whether the fluid in thefuel tank 415 is pumped to awaste container 470 or back to the top of thefuel tank 415. -
FIG. 5 goes on to show a flow diagram of amethod 500 for utilizing thefueling system 400 to remove alcohol from fuel and ultimately dispense the alcohol-free fuel into a vehicle. Instep 505, thefuel tank 415 is vented in a manner similar to step 205 in themethod 200. Next, instep 510, ethanol-containing fuel is added to thefuel tank 415 in a manner similar to step 210. In the next step, however, themethod 500 diverges from that described earlier. Instep 515, a quantity of water (e.g., about one gallon) is also added to thefuel tank 415. Moreover, instep 520, additional water is added to thewater source 450. Instep 525, the automatedseparation process 600 is initiated. - The automated
separation process 600 in thefueling system 400 is controlled by acontroller 475. Thecontroller 475 receives signals from thedetector 455 and controls the states of thesource selector valve 445, thepump 460, and thewaste selector valve 465. The automatedseparation process 600 leverages the fact that ethanol in fuel phase separates from that fuel when exposed to water, thereby forming an ethanol-water layer that is heavier than the remaining fuel and settles below that fuel. Causing the phase separation to occur and then removing the bottom layer of ethanol-water thereby becomes a means of removing the alcohol from the fuel. -
FIGS. 6A and 6B show flow diagrams of the illustrativeautomated separation process 600 in thefueling system 400. Instep 602, thecontroller 475 sets a variable FILLS to zero (i.e., FILLS=0). It then commands thesource selector valve 445 to route fuel from thesecond fuel filter 440 to the detector 455 (step 604), and also commands thewaste selector valve 465 to route fluids from thepump 460 back to the top of the fuel tank 415 (step 606). Subsequently, instep 608, thecontroller 475 commands thepump 460 to turn on and run for a time PUMPTIME1 (e.g., 10 minutes). This starts to circulate the fuel-ethanol-water from the bottom of thefuel tank 415 to its top, thereby thoroughly mixing the fuel-ethanol-water and starting the process of phase separation. After thepump 460 is stopped, thecontroller 475 in step 610 commands thewaste selector valve 465 to start sending fluid to thewaste container 470 instead of back to the top of thefuel tank 415. - In
steps controller 475 attempts to remove any ethanol-water that has collected at the bottom of thefuel tank 415. This involves the use of thedetector 455.FIG. 7 shows an exemplary electrical schematic of thedetector 455. In the present embodiment, thedetector 455 comprises two brass plugs 705 that are spaced apart and between which the fluids from thefuel tank 415 are allowed to flow. Ethanol-water creates a high conductivity between the brass plugs 705, while fuel creates a low conductivity. The conductivity is detected through the use of a DC voltage source, a pull-upresistor 710, and aseries resistor 715, as shown in the schematic. A high conductivity between the brass plugs 705 causes the voltage sent to thecontroller 475 to be low, and vice versa. - Again referring to
FIGS. 6A and 6B , instep 612, thepump 460 is turned back on, sending the fluid from the bottom of thefuel tank 415 to thewaste container 470. Instep 614, thecontroller 475 receives the conductivity, CNDCT, from thedetector 455 and determines whether CNDCT is higher than a predetermined conductivity threshold, CTHRESH. If CNDCT>CTHRESH, meaning that thedetector 455 is seeing ethanol-water, thepump 460 is allowed to keep on pumping. When CNDCT<CTHRESH, meaning that thedetector 455 is seeing primarily ethanol-free fuel, thecontroller 475 turns off thepump 460 instep 616. - In the present embodiment, additional water is incrementally added to the fuel in the
fuel tank 110 and allowed to circulate for PUMPTIME1 in a series of “water fills” in order to assure that the substantial majority of ethanol has been successfully removed. The additional water fills also aid in diluting the ethanol-water mixture in thewaste container 470, making its ultimate disposal less hazardous and easier from a regulatory standpoint. Instep 618, thecontroller 475 determines whether the fuel in thefuel tank 415 has been exposed to a predetermined number of water fills, MINFILLS. If not, thewaste selector valve 465 instep 620 is set such that it again routes fluids to the top of thefuel tank 415 rather than to thewaste container 470. Subsequently, instep 622, thecontroller 475 commands thesource selector valve 445 such that it receives water from thewater source 450 rather than from thesecond fuel filter 440. Thepump 460 is then allowed to run for a time PUMPTIME2 instep 624. The time PUMPTIME2 is preferably set so that about one gallon of water is caused to be pumped from thewater source 450 into thefuel tank 415, although other water quantities may be chosen if desired. With the additional water added in this manner, the variable FILLS is incremented by one instep 626. Steps 604-626 are repeated until the number of additional water fills is equal to MINFILLS. At that point, theprocess 600 progresses to step 628 inFIG. 6B . - The remaining steps in the automated
separation process 600 give any additional ethanol-water in thefuel tank 415 additional time to settle out without the fluid in thefuel tank 415 being circulated by thepump 460. This additional time is called “dwell time.” Dwell time is measured by having a counter, CNTR, in thecontroller 475 advance until it reaches a predetermined counter value, CNTRDWELL. Instep 628, CNTR is set to zero. Instep 630, thedetector 455 determines whether CNDCT exceeds another predetermined conductivity value, CHIGH. CHIGH is a conductivity value greater than CTHRESH, and is used during the dwell time to avoid having the user wait through the entire dwell time when there is still a lot of ethanol-water collecting at the bottom of thefuel tank 415. If CNDCT>CHIGH instep 630, thecontroller 475 turns thepump 460 back on (step 632) and runs thepump 460 for a time PUMPTIME3 (e.g., two seconds), thereby using thepump 460 to send more fluid to thewaste container 470. Thepump 460 then turns back off, reinitiating the dwell time by reverting back tostep 628. If CNDCT<CHIGH instep 630, the CNTR is advanced by one instep 634 and thecontroller 475 proceeds to step 636. - Step 636 determines whether CNTR>CNTRDWELL has been achieved, meaning that the fueling
system 400 has waited the predetermined dwell time in order to allow complete phase separation. If no, thecontroller 475 proceeds back tostep 630. If yes, thecontroller 475 moves to step 638, where it again checks if CNDCT>CTHRESH. This is the final measurement to determine if all the ethanol-water has been removed from thefuel tank 415. If the result is no, thecontroller 475 assumes that all the ethanol-fuel has been removed. If the answer is yes, thecontroller 475 assumes that ethanol-water still remains, and moves back tostep 632. Thepump 460 is again run for PUMPTIME3 and the dwell time starts again instep 628. - With the alcohol now removed from the fuel, the fuel can be dispensed in a manner similar to the
fueling system 100. Again referring toFIG. 5 ,step 530 has the user fill theair tank 125 with compressed air in a manner similar to step 215. Instep 535, the fuelingsystem 400 is properly grounded to the vehicle. Lastly, insteps fuel tank 110 is pressurized and the fuel is dispensed as was done insteps - The illustrative automated separation sequence can be modified and the results would still come within the scope of the invention. One such modification involves replacing
step 608 in the automatedseparation process 600 shown inFIGS. 6A and 6B with the sequence of steps 802-806 shown inFIG. 8 . Step 608 in theprocess 600 causes the fuel-ethanol-water to be circulated through thefuel tank 110 for the time PUMPTIME1. Steps 802-806 inFIG. 8 , in contrast, use thedetector 455 to determine the circulation time. More particularly, in step 806, CNDCT is measured to see if it is below a predetermined conductivity, CCIRC. If yes, it is assumed that most, if not all, of the ethanol-water has phase separated from the fuel and is at the bottom of thefuel tank 415. The circulation process may then be stopped. If no, it is assumed that more circulation is required and that process is allowed to continue. - Like the fueling
system 100, the fuelingsystem 400 may also be manufactured using conventional, commercially available components. Thefuel tank 415, the firstfuel shutoff valve 420, thefuel hose 432, and thefuel nozzle 430 may comprise the same components as their respective counterparts in thefueling system 100. That said, it is preferred that thefirst fuel filter 425 be of the “water-block” variety to create a final barrier to dispensing any water into a vehicle. Suitable water-block fuel filters are conventional and are commercially available. Likewise, the secondfuel shutoff valve 435 may comprise a conventional ball valve, while thesecond fuel filter 440 may comprise a conventional fuel filter (non water-block type). Thepump 460 may be a conventional electric fuel pump and theselector valves - For logic functions, the
controller 475 may include any suitable, commercially available microcontroller chip such as, but not limited to, a PIC-type microcontroller. Once its functions are understood, one of ordinary skill in the electronics arts would recognize how to program the microcontroller and how to configure any additional circuitry in thecontroller 475 needed to interface the microcontroller with thepump 460, thedetector 455, and theselector valves controller 475 by battery (standard or rechargeable) or by line power. Displays may be added to the controller to indicate the various phases of the separation process such as draining, settling, and separating. Alarms and other features may also be programmed into thecontroller 475 to indicate fouled filters, inoperative pumps, out-of-range detector measurements, electrical faults, and the like. -
FIG. 9 shows a perspective view of a working prototype of thefueling system 400 implemented in acart 900 with tworear wheels 905, afront base 910, and twohandles 915. Aregion 920 of the working prototype comprised the airtank pressure gauge 130, the air tanksafety relief valve 135, and the air tank fillvalve 140; while anotherregion 925 comprised theair tank valve 145, thepressure regulator 150, the fueltank relief valve 155, theair filter 160, theair shutoff valve 165, the fuel tanksafety relief valve 170, the fueltank pressure gauge 175, the firstfuel shutoff valve 420, and thefirst fuel filter 425. A region 930 near the bottom of thecart 900 comprised the secondfuel shutoff valve 435, thesecond fuel filter 440, the motorizedsource selector valve 445, thedetector 455, thepump 460, the motorizedwaste selector valve 465, and thecontroller 475. Additional hoses were provided for connection to thewater source 450 and the waste container 470 (not shown). In this prototype, it will be noted that the first fuel filter 425 (e.g., water-block type) was elevated on thecart 900 so that it was higher than thefuel tank 415. Such a configuration is preferable; it helps to ensure that thefirst fuel filter 425 is not flooded with ethanol-water from thefuel tank 415, and that thefirst fuel filter 425 provides the greatest effectiveness in removing any residual water from the fuel while the fuel is ultimately being dispensed. - It should again be emphasized that the above-described embodiments of the invention are intended to be illustrative only. Other embodiments can use different types and arrangements of elements, as well as different process steps, for implementing the described functionality and the results will still come within the scope of the invention. For example, in another embodiment, the air tank may not be present or the air tank may be removable, and the fueling system may be configured to receive compressed air from an external source such as an external compressed air tank or an air compressor. In another example, a detector might use capacitive, inductive, or optical measurements instead of a conductivity measurement to determine the presence and absence of ethanol-water. Alternatively or additionally, another embodiment may even comprise several air tanks and/or several fuel tanks to increase the capacity of the fueling system as well as to provide for even faster fuel flow rates. These numerous alternative embodiments within the scope of the invention will be apparent to one skilled in the art.
- Moreover, all the features disclosed herein may be replaced by alternative features serving the same, equivalent, or similar purposes, unless expressly stated otherwise. Thus, unless expressly stated otherwise, each feature disclosed is one example only of a generic series of equivalent or similar features.
Claims (20)
1. An apparatus for providing fuel, the apparatus comprising:
a fuel handling portion, the fuel handling portion comprising a fuel tank adapted to store fuel, and a fuel nozzle in fluid communication with the fuel tank and adapted to dispense fuel from the fuel tank; and
an air handling portion, the air handling portion comprising an air tank adapted to be filled with pressurized gas from a pressurized gas source and the air handling portion operative to, after the pressurized gas source is removed, apply the pressurized gas from the air tank to the fuel in the fuel tank so as to provide a motive force for dispensing fuel through the fuel nozzle.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the fuel handling portion comprises a fuel filter.
3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the air handling portion comprises a pressure regulator operative to modify a pressure of the pressurized gas from the air tank before it is applied to the fuel in the fuel tank.
4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the air handling portion comprises an air filter operative to filter the pressurized gas from the air tank before it is applied to the fuel in the fuel tank.
5. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising an electronic controller.
6. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the electronic controller is in signal communication with a detector that allows the electronic controller to determine a composition of fluid received from the fuel tank.
7. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the determination is based at least in part on an electrical conductivity of the fluid.
8. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the electronic controller is operative to control one or more pumps.
9. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the electronic controller is operative to control one or more motorized selector valves.
10. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the electronic controller is operative to cause fluids from the fuel tank to be returned back to the fuel tank.
11. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the electronic controller is operative to cause fluids from the fuel tank to be delivered to a waste container.
12. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the electronic controller is operative to cause water from a water source to be introduced into the fuel tank.
13. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is at least partially implemented in the form of a rolling cart.
14. A method of providing fuel, the method comprising the steps of:
filling a fuel tank with fuel, the fuel tank in fluid communication with a fuel nozzle;
pressurizing an air tank with a gas from a pressurized gas source;
removing the pressurized gas source; and
dispensing the fuel from the fuel tank through the fuel nozzle while allowing pressurized gas from the air tank to provide a motive force for dispensing the fuel.
15. The method of claim 14 , further comprising the step of introducing water into the fuel.
16. The method of claim 14 , further comprising the steps of introducing water into the fuel tank a plurality of separate times.
17. The method of claim 14 , further comprising the step of mixing the contents of the fuel tank.
18. The method of claim 14 , further comprising the step of waiting a predetermined time for the contents of the fuel tank to settle without mixing the fluid in the fuel tank.
19. The method of claim 14 , further comprising the step of determining a composition of fluid received from the fuel tank.
20. The method of claim 14 , further comprising the step of pumping fluid from the bottom of the fuel tank and sending the fluid to a waste container.
Priority Applications (1)
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US13/423,222 US20120241041A1 (en) | 2011-03-22 | 2012-03-18 | Fueling system |
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
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US201161466026P | 2011-03-22 | 2011-03-22 | |
US13/423,222 US20120241041A1 (en) | 2011-03-22 | 2012-03-18 | Fueling system |
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US20120241041A1 true US20120241041A1 (en) | 2012-09-27 |
Family
ID=46876309
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
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US13/423,222 Abandoned US20120241041A1 (en) | 2011-03-22 | 2012-03-18 | Fueling system |
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US (1) | US20120241041A1 (en) |
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US20140041388A1 (en) * | 2012-08-08 | 2014-02-13 | Tronair, Inc. | Aircraft Fuel System Test Unit |
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US11840444B2 (en) | 2018-03-16 | 2023-12-12 | Fuelie Systems, Inc. | Fuel storage and dispensing device |
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