WO2015187976A2 - Ensemble pompe de distribution de carburant - Google Patents

Ensemble pompe de distribution de carburant Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2015187976A2
WO2015187976A2 PCT/US2015/034244 US2015034244W WO2015187976A2 WO 2015187976 A2 WO2015187976 A2 WO 2015187976A2 US 2015034244 W US2015034244 W US 2015034244W WO 2015187976 A2 WO2015187976 A2 WO 2015187976A2
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
fuel
control system
pump
motor
pump assembly
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/US2015/034244
Other languages
English (en)
Other versions
WO2015187976A3 (fr
Inventor
Rakesh JUNAGADE
Joe WALTON
Uwe Koslowsky
Mike MELNYK
Dieter Breuer
Original Assignee
Gilbarco Inc.
Priority date (The priority date 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 date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Gilbarco Inc. filed Critical Gilbarco Inc.
Publication of WO2015187976A2 publication Critical patent/WO2015187976A2/fr
Publication of WO2015187976A3 publication Critical patent/WO2015187976A3/fr

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Classifications

    • 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
    • B67D7/04—Apparatus or devices for transferring liquids from bulk storage containers or reservoirs into vehicles or into portable containers, e.g. for retail sale purposes for transferring fuels, lubricants or mixed fuels and lubricants
    • 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
    • B67D7/08—Arrangements of devices for controlling, indicating, metering or registering quantity or price of liquid transferred
    • B67D7/22—Arrangements of indicators or registers
    • B67D7/221—Arrangements of indicators or registers using electrical or electro-mechanical means
    • B67D7/222—Arrangements of indicators or registers using electrical or electro-mechanical means involving digital counting
    • 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
    • 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
    • B67D7/58—Arrangements of pumps
    • B67D7/62—Arrangements of pumps power operated
    • B67D7/66—Arrangements of pumps power operated of rotary type
    • 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
    • B67D7/763—Arrangements of devices for purifying liquids to be transferred, e.g. of filters, of air or water separators of air separators

Definitions

  • the present invention relates generally to fuel dispensing. More particularly, the invention relates to a pump assembly for a fuel dispenser and to systems and methods for optimizing the operation of a fuel dispensing system comprising a pump in a fuel dispenser.
  • a submersible turbine pump (STP) associated with an underground storage tank (UST) is often used to pump fuel to one or more fuel dispensers.
  • STP submersible turbine pump
  • UST underground storage tank
  • some fuel dispensers comprise a "self-contained" pumping unit, meaning fuel is drawn to the fuel dispenser by a motor-driven pump positioned within the fuel dispenser housing.
  • these fuel dispensers typically comprise a self-contained pump for each grade of fuel.
  • these pumps are sliding vane pumps and are driven by a motor which operates at a fixed speed.
  • a bypass valve is typically provided within the pump to regulate the maximum pressure at which the pump operates.
  • the pump is used in a fuel dispenser to supply fuel to two or more nozzles for delivering the same grade of fuel.
  • the pump is designed to produce a fuel stream having a sufficient pressure to allow simultaneous fueling from the two or more nozzles at a desirable flow rate.
  • the bypass valve remains closed.
  • a backpressure develops and causes the bypass valve to open. Thereby, a portion of the pumped fuel is returned to the inlet of the pump.
  • An example of a bypass valve is disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 5,884,809, entitled "Air separating fuel dispensing system," incorporated by reference herein in its entirety for all purposes.
  • Fuel dispensers also include flow meters to measure the volumetric flow rate of fuel as it is dispensed. Such flow meters are typically required to comply with weights and measures regulatory requirements that mandate a high level of accuracy. This ensures that the customer is neither overcharged nor undercharged for the fuel purchase. Typically, either positive displacement meters or inferential meters have been used for this purpose.
  • a control system processes signals generated by a pulser to monitor the amount of fuel delivered to a customer's vehicle.
  • Pulsers are typically operatively connected to the flow meter to measure rotation of a flow meter shaft. As fuel is dispensed, causing the shaft to rotate, the pulser generates a pulse train. Each pulse represents a known volume of fuel (e.g., 0.001 gallons) passing through the meter.
  • non-steady state conditions can cause meter inaccuracy.
  • non- steady state conditions can result from cavitation and vapor lock in the pump. Cavitation can occur when the minimum pressure in a portion of the pump (such as around an impeller or at an inlet restriction) falls below the metered fluid's vapor pressure. Cavitation, which is more likely to occur when the pumped fluid increases in temperature, can cause undesirable shock waves. Vapor lock can occur when the pump fills with gas or vapor due to cavitation or air entrained in the pumped fluid, preventing liquid from entering the pump. Non-steady state conditions can also occur as a result of pressure pulsations, flow fluctuations, rapid viscosity and density changes within the metered fluid, and water hammer effects associated with "nozzle snap."
  • a dishonest consumer may disconnect the pulser (or one of its components) from the fuel flow meter prior to a fueling transaction. Also, a dishonest consumer may disable either or both of the fuel dispenser or pulser electronics and force fuel through the fuel flow meter.
  • the present invention provides a pump assembly for pumping fuel between a storage tank and a fuel dispensing nozzle coupled with a fuel dispenser.
  • the pump assembly comprises a pump housing defining a fuel flow path between an inlet and an outlet and a pump disposed along the fuel flow path.
  • the pump comprises a variable-speed motor that is operative to drive a shaft coupled with a pumping element.
  • the motor is configured for electronic communication with a control system.
  • a control valve is disposed along the fuel flow path.
  • the pump assembly also comprises an air separating device for removing air entrained in fuel flowing along the fuel flow path and a bypass conduit in fluid communication with the fuel flow path upstream of the pumping element and downstream of the pumping element.
  • a bypass valve is disposed along the bypass conduit.
  • the pump assembly comprises at least one pressure transducer disposed along the fuel flow path and configured for electronic communication with the control system. The at least one pressure transducer is operative to measure the pressure of fuel flowing along the fuel flow path.
  • the present invention provides a method of controlling a fuel dispenser.
  • the fuel dispenser comprises a control system in electronic communication with a motor of a pump and with a displacement sensor operatively connected to at least one fuel flow meter.
  • the pump is located within a housing of the fuel dispenser, and the motor is operative to turn a shaft coupled with a pumping element to pump fuel from a storage tank through the fuel dispenser to a fuel dispenser nozzle.
  • the method comprises the steps of receiving at the control system information representative of the flow rate of fuel through the at least one fuel flow meter; receiving at the control system information representative of at least one operational characteristic of the motor; and comparing the information representative of the flow rate of fuel to the information representative of the at least one operational characteristic of the motor.
  • the present invention provides a fuel dispenser.
  • the fuel dispenser comprises a housing, a control system disposed within the housing, and fuel piping disposed within the housing and configured for fluid communication with a source of fuel and at least one hose in fluid communication with at least one nozzle.
  • the fuel dispenser also comprises a fuel flow meter disposed along the fuel piping.
  • the fuel flow meter is coupled with a displacement sensor in electronic communication with the control system.
  • the displacement sensor is operative to transmit to the control system information representative of an amount of fuel dispensed.
  • the fuel dispenser further comprises a pump disposed along the fuel piping.
  • the pump comprises a variable-speed motor that is operative to drive a shaft coupled with a pumping element.
  • the motor is in electronic communication with the control system.
  • the fuel dispenser comprises at least one transducer disposed along the fuel piping.
  • the at least one transducer is in electronic communication with the control system and operative to measure the pressure of fuel upstream of the pumping element and downstream of the pumping element.
  • the control system is operative to change the pump speed based on information from the at least one transducer.
  • Figure 1 is a schematic view of fuel flow components of a prior art fuel dispensing system.
  • Figure 2 is a perspective view of a pump assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention coupled with two positive displacement meters.
  • Figure 3 is a right side view of the pump assembly of Figure 2.
  • Figure 4 is a left side view of the pump assembly of Figure 2.
  • Figure 5 is a top plan view of the pump assembly of Figure 2.
  • Figure 6 is a bottom plan view of the pump assembly of Figure 2.
  • Figure 7 is a top plan view of the pump assembly of Figure 2 shown without the cover.
  • Figure 8 is a perspective view of the pump assembly of Figure 2 shown without the cover.
  • Figure 9 is a perspective view of a housing for a pump assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention.
  • Figure 10 is a cross-sectional view of the left side of the housing of Figure 9, taken along the line 10-10 in Figure 9, and includes an inlet valve disposed in the inlet passageway of the housing.
  • Figure 11 is a cross-sectional elevation view of the front of the housing of Figure 9, taken along the line 11-11 in Figure 9.
  • Figure 12 is a perspective view of the bottom and right sides of the housing of Figure 9 illustrating a sleeve configured to receive the pump assembly motor.
  • Figure 13 is a perspective view of a gear pump which may be used with embodiments of the present invention.
  • Figure 14 is a left side view of the gear pump of Figure 13.
  • Figure 15 is a perspective view of the back side of the gear pump of Figure 13 with the motor removed.
  • Figure 16 is a perspective view of the back side of the gear pump of Figure 13 with the motor and stator removed.
  • Figure 17 is a perspective view of the bottom and left sides of an air separation and fuel bypass subassembly, with the front cover removed, which may be used with a pump assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention.
  • Figure 18 is a back elevation view of the air separation and fuel bypass subassembly of Figure 17, with the back cover also removed.
  • Figure 19 is a bottom plan view of the air separation and fuel bypass subassembly of Figure 17.
  • Figure 20 is a left side cross-sectional view of the air separation and fuel bypass subassembly of Figure 17, taken along the line 20-20 in Figure 19.
  • Figure 21 is a left side cross-sectional view of the air separation and fuel bypass subassembly of Figure 17, with the front and back covers also removed, taken along the line 21-21 in Figure 19.
  • Figure 22 is a perspective view of the pump assembly of Figure 2, shown without the cover and wherein the back cover of the air separation and fuel bypass subassembly is removed.
  • Figure 23 is a cross-sectional elevation view of the front of the pump assembly of Figure 2, taken along the line 23-23 in Figure 7.
  • Figure 24 is a schematic view of a fuel dispensing system according to an
  • Embodiments of the present invention provide a pump assembly for a fuel dispenser and systems and methods for optimizing the operation of a fuel dispensing system comprising a pump assembly in a fuel dispenser.
  • a fuel dispensing system in accordance with the present invention may comprise a pump coupled to a variable speed motor upstream of a fuel flow meter in a fuel dispenser housing.
  • the pump may preferably be a gear pump, and the motor may preferably be a brushless DC motor.
  • one or more transducers may be provided for determining pressure at various points in, upstream of, or downstream of the pump; for determining temperature of the pump or its motor; and for detecting electrical characteristics, such as current, of the motor.
  • the pump assembly may define a housing having fewer leak points than prior art self-contained pumps and may preferably comprise fewer parts.
  • a control system may preferably be configured to receive information from one or more of the transducer(s), the pump assembly motor, the fuel bypass valve, an air separator subsystem, and the fuel flow meter.
  • the control system may use this information for optimizing operation of the fuel dispensing system. As described below, for example, this information may be used to perform several functions, including detecting flow meter error, failure, and/or fraud; achieving maximum allowed dispensing flow rate when fuel dispenser demand is high but reducing energy expenditure by the fuel dispenser when demand is lower; improving management of the separation of air from fuel during dispensing; and managing the conditions of fuel flow through the fuel dispensing system to increase flow meter accuracy.
  • Some embodiments of the present invention are particularly suited for use in a fuel dispenser, and the below discussion will describe preferred embodiments in this context. However, those of skill in the art will appreciate that the present invention is not so limited. In fact, it is contemplated that aspects of the present invention may be used with other fuel handling systems within a fuel dispensing environment, including a fuel supply tanker, an underground storage tank, submersible turbine pump, and/or underground piping.
  • fuel dispensing system 10 is similar to the fuel dispensing systems found in some models of the ENCORE® fuel dispensers sold by Gilbarco Inc. of Greensboro, N.C.
  • fuel may travel from an underground storage tank (UST) via main fuel piping 12, which may be a double-walled pipe having secondary containment as is well known, through the fuel flow components of fuel dispensing system 10, and to a hose 14 and nozzle 16 for delivery to a customer's vehicle tank.
  • UST underground storage tank
  • main fuel piping 12 which may be a double-walled pipe having secondary containment as is well known
  • An exemplary underground fuel delivery system is illustrated in U.S. Patent No. 6,435,204, entitled “Fuel dispensing system,” hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety for all purposes.
  • Shear valve 18 is designed to close the fuel flow path in the event of an impact to a fuel dispenser.
  • Commonly-assigned U.S. Patent No. 7,946,309 entitled “Vacuum-actuated shear valve device, system, and method, particularly for use in service station environments," incorporated by reference herein in its entirety for all purposes, discloses an exemplary secondarily-contained shear valve.
  • Shear valve 18 contains an internal fuel flow path to carry fuel from main fuel piping 12 to internal fuel piping 20, which may also be double-walled.
  • fuel dispensing system 10 is equipped with a self-contained pump 22 and motor 24 to draw fuel from the UST to the fuel dispensing system 10.
  • Pump 22 is a rotary vane pump driven by motor 24, which typically operates at a fixed speed.
  • pump 22 may be the Global Pumping Unit offered by Gilbarco Inc. Additional information regarding self-contained pumps is provided in U.S. Patent Nos.
  • Valve 28 is typically a digital valve or proportional solenoid controlled valve positioned upstream of a flow meter 30, though in some installations valve 28 may be placed downstream of flow meter 30.
  • a proportional valve is described in commonly-assigned U.S. Patent No. 5,954,080, entitled “Gated proportional flow control valve with low flow control,” incorporated by reference herein in its entirety for all purposes.
  • Flow control valve 28 is under control of a control system 32 via a flow control valve signal line 34.
  • Control system 32 is typically a microprocessor, microcontroller, or other electronics with associated memory and software programs running thereon. In this manner, the control system 32 controls the opening and closing of the flow control valve 28 to either allow fuel to flow or not flow through meter 30 and on to hose 14 and nozzle 16.
  • Flow meter 30 is usually a positive displacement meter or an inferential flow meter having one or more rotors which rotate on one or more shafts.
  • a pulser 36 is used to measure the volume and/or flow rate of the fuel through flow meter 30, and thus pulser 36 generates a signal indicative of the volumetric flow rate of fuel and periodically transmits the signal to control system 32 via a signal line 38. In this manner, control system 32 can calculate the total gallons dispensed and the price of the fuel dispensed for display to the customer.
  • Pulser 36 is typically analogous to the pulsers provided in the ENCORE® fuel dispensers sold by Gilbarco Inc.
  • Flow switch 40 which preferably includes a one-way check valve that prevents rearward flow, provides a flow switch communication signal to control system 32 via the flow switch signal line 42.
  • the flow switch communication signal indicates to control system 32 that fuel is actually flowing in the fuel delivery path and that subsequent signals from flow meter 30 are due to actual fuel flow.
  • FIGS. 2-25 are perspective, right side, left side, top, and bottom views, respectively, of pump assembly 100.
  • pump assembly 100 is coupled with a pair of flow meters 102, 104 via piping 106.
  • Meters 102, 104 may be similar to the C+ meter offered by Gilbarco Inc. It will be appreciated, however, that embodiments of the present invention may be used with any type of flow meter, including inferential and Coriolis flow meters, among others.
  • Pump assembly 100 may comprise a housing 108 and a cover 110. Piping 106 may be coupled with cover 110 via a flange 112.
  • fuel drawn from a UST by pump assembly 100 may enter housing 108 at an inlet 114 and may exit pump assembly 100 via an outlet in fluid communication with piping 106. As described above, fuel pumped through pump assembly 100 may then pass through piping 106 and one of flow meters 102, 104 for subsequent delivery to a vehicle fuel tank.
  • FIGS 7-8 which are respective top plan and perspective views, illustrate pump assembly 100 disconnected from meters 102, 104 and with cover 110 removed.
  • housing 108 of pump assembly 100 preferably defines an air elimination chamber 116 therein.
  • air elimination chamber 116 captures air and fuel vapors extracted from the fuel stream flowing through pump assembly 100.
  • a float valve 118 also described in more detail below, may preferably be located in air elimination chamber 116.
  • Float valve 118 may be coupled with housing 108 via a bracket 120.
  • float valve 118 may be operative to pivot with respect to bracket 120 to open and close the valve in response to the fluid level in chamber 116.
  • an air separation and fuel bypass subassembly 122 may also be disposed in chamber 116.
  • subassembly 122 may comprise a first conduit downstream of and in fluid communication with the pump discharge such that fuel drawn by the pump element is supplied to the first conduit.
  • the first conduit preferably comprises an air separator to separate air from the fuel stream and pass it into chamber 116 via a variable orifice valve 124.
  • the air-free fuel stream may then be directed through subassembly 122 to an outlet 126.
  • outlet 126 may be in fluid communication with piping 106.
  • subassembly 122 may comprise a second conduit upstream of and in fluid communication with the pump intake.
  • a bypass valve may preferably be disposed at the end of the second conduit.
  • FIG. 9-12 illustrate the housing 108 of pump assembly 100 according to one embodiment of the present invention.
  • inlet 114 of housing 108 is preferably in fluid communication with an inlet passageway 128 defined in housing 108.
  • a filter chamber 130 and an inlet check valve 132 may preferably be disposed along inlet passageway 128.
  • filter chamber 130 is upstream of check valve 132, but this is not required; in other embodiments filter chamber 130 may also be downstream of check valve 132, and in yet other embodiments either or both of filter chamber 130 and check valve 132 may not be provided.
  • Check valve 132 may preferably be biased toward the closed position via a spring 134 to prevent the backflow of fuel draw into pump assembly 100, but it is preferably configured to open in response to the flow of fuel from a storage tank.
  • an internal filter 136 (Figure 22) may be disposed in filter chamber 130 such that fuel entering pump assembly 100 may be filtered upstream of the other flow-handling components.
  • housing 108 may define a port 137 ( Figure 12) which may facilitate easy access to and removal of filter 136. Further, in some embodiments, port 137 may serve as the inlet to pump assembly 100.
  • inlet passageway 128 may preferably terminate at and be in fluid communication with a second passageway 138.
  • second passageway 138 may extend perpendicularly to inlet passageway 128.
  • An aperture 140 defined between secondary passageway 138 and inlet passageway 128 preferably allows fluid communication therebetween.
  • second passageway 138 preferably terminates at and is in fluid communication with the inlet of a pump chamber 142.
  • pump chamber 142 may be generally cylindrical in shape and is preferably sized to receive an internal gear pump (though other pumps may be used). Thus, fuel entering secondary passageway 138 from inlet passageway 128 is directed into the inlet of the pump.
  • housing 108 may preferably define a fuel outlet passageway 144, a bypass passageway 146, and a fuel return passageway 148.
  • fuel outlet passageway 144 and bypass passageway 146 are preferably fluid communication with pump chamber 142 via circular arc-shaped chambers 150 and 152, respectively, coupled with pump chamber 142. More particularly, fuel outlet passageway 144 extends between air elimination chamber 116 and chamber 150, which preferably defines the outlet for fuel pumped through pump chamber 142.
  • Bypass passageway 146 extends between air elimination chamber 116 and chamber 152, which allows bypassed fuel to return to the inlet side of pump chamber 142.
  • both fuel outlet passageway 144 and bypass passageway 146 are defined in housing 108 such that they will be in fluid communication with air separation and fuel bypass subassembly 122 when pump assembly 100 is assembled.
  • Fuel return passageway 148 extends between air elimination chamber 116 and both inlet passageway 128 and secondary passageway 138. Thereby, liquid-state fuel collected in air elimination chamber 116 may return into the fuel stream upstream of pump chamber 142. Fuel return passageway 148 is defined in housing 108 such that it will be in fluid communication with float valve 118 when pump assembly 100 is assembled.
  • housing 108 preferably defines a rectangular recess 154 behind pump chamber 142.
  • a sleeve portion 156 may preferably be provided in rectangular recess 154.
  • sleeve portion 156 is preferably cylindrical in shape and defines an opening 158 therethrough sized to receive a motor which drives the pump of pump assembly 100.
  • sleeve portion 156 may terminate without extending the entire length of rectangular recess 154 from the back of housing 108 to pump chamber 142.
  • a shaft driven by the motor may extend the remaining length of rectangular recess 154 into pump chamber 142.
  • Gear pumps may be quieter and more efficient than traditional pumps, such as rotary vane pumps. Moreover, they eliminate the need for belts and pulleys, which require frequent maintenance due to wear. Moreover, belt overtightening can cause motor shafts and bearings to wear.
  • a gear pump 160 may comprise a motor 162 operatively connected to a pumping element 164, such as by a shaft 166.
  • a flange 168 may be received over shaft 166 to couple gear pump 160 with sleeve portion 156 of housing 108.
  • pumping element 164 is received in pump chamber 142.
  • motor 162 may be a variable speed motor in electronic communication with a suitable control system, such as control system 32 described above.
  • control system 32 may preferably configured to adjust the speed of motor 162 based on various factors described below.
  • motor 162 may be a brushless DC motor.
  • pumping element 164 may cooperate with motor 162 to discharge fuel at rates between 0 and 40 gallons/minute.
  • Pumping element 164 may comprise a stator 170, an end cap 172, an inner rotor 174, and an outer rotor 176.
  • inner rotor 174 may preferably be rotatably coupled with (and thus driven by) shaft 166.
  • shaft 166 may carry suitable bearings 178, 180 to enable shaft 166 to rotate with respect to stator 170, end cap 172, and housing 108.
  • the outer race of bearing 178 may be coupled with stator 170, and the outer race of bearing 180 may be coupled with sleeve portion 156 of housing 108.
  • Stator 170 and end cap 172 are preferably fixed to housing 108.
  • inner rotor 174 may preferably comprise a trochoidal gear defining a plurality of teeth 182 spaced equally about its circumference.
  • Outer rotor 176 may be generally circular in shape and define a plurality of inner teeth 184 spaced equally around the interior of rotor 176.
  • Inner teeth 184 may be arcuate in shape and sized for mating engagement with corresponding recesses 186 defined between the teeth 182 of inner rotor 174.
  • teeth 182 of inner rotor 174 may be sized for mating engagement with corresponding recesses 188 defined between inner teeth 184 of outer rotor 176.
  • inner rotor 174 may be eccentric, or off-center, with respect to outer rotor 176. Further, inner rotor 174 may be sized such that its outer diameter is smaller than the inner diameter defined by teeth 184 of outer rotor 176. End cap 172 may preferably define a lip 190, which may be crescent-shaped and extend in a perpendicular direction from end cap 172, which is received in the space between inner rotor 174 and outer rotor 176 opposite the location at which rotors 174 and 176 are in mating engagement.
  • the curvature of the inner face of lip 190 may correspond to the outer diameter of inner rotor 174, and the curvature of the outer face of lip 190 (nearest outer rotor 176) may correspond to the inner diameter of outer rotor 176.
  • the outer diameter of inner rotor 174 may preferably be sized such that it rotates in close tolerance above lip 190.
  • shaft 166 may drive inner rotor 174 in a counterclockwise direction (as viewed in Figures 15 and 16).
  • the teeth 182 of inner rotor 174 and teeth 184 of outer rotor 176 respectively mate with corresponding recesses 188, 186, and thus rotation of inner rotor 174 causes rotation of outer rotor 176 in the same direction.
  • Stator 170 preferably defines an intake aperture 192 into which fuel is drawn (e.g., from secondary passageway 138) and a discharge aperture 194 out of which fuel is pumped (e.g., into fuel outlet passageway 144).
  • the difference in size and relative position of rotors 174, 176 creates a plurality of dynamically changing volumes. These volumes first increase in size, creating a vacuum or suction that draws fuel into intake aperture 192. As rotors 174, 176 continue to rotate fuel is forced around lip 190. Later in the cycle, the volumes decrease in size, creating compression that forces fuel out of discharge aperture 194 and into fuel outlet passageway 144. Additional background information regarding the construction and operation of gear pumps is provided in Japanese Patent Nos. JPS06361784; JPH01178782; and JPH09324766; and U.S. Patent Nos.
  • Air separation and fuel bypass subassembly 122 is described in more detail with reference to Figures 17-22.
  • subassembly 122 may comprise a housing 196 defining a first conduit 198 and a second conduit 200.
  • first conduit 198 and second conduit 200 may be parallel and extend through the length of housing
  • housing 196 may define an aperture 202 which opens into first conduit 198 and an aperture 204 which opens into second conduit 200.
  • apertures 202 and 204 are respectively in fluid communication with fuel outlet passageway 144 and bypass passageway
  • a front cover 206 and a back cover 208 may be coupled to housing 196 to respectively enclose the front and back ends of housing 196.
  • housing 196 may preferably define a third conduit 209 which connects first and second conduits 198, 200.
  • housing 196, front cover 206, and back cover 208 may define paths for fuel flow from fuel outlet passageway 144 and to bypass passageway 146 along first, second, and third conduits 198, 200, and 209, respectively.
  • front cover 206 is not shown in Figures 17-21, and back cover 208 is not shown in Figures 18 and 21-22.
  • subassembly 122 may comprise a centrifugal air separation device.
  • housing 196 of subassembly 122 may define a first projection 210 which projects downwardly past aperture 202 and has a distal end 212 which, when subassembly 122 is coupled with housing 108, extends into fuel outlet passageway 144.
  • First projection 210 may define a gradually reducing cross-section and have a depth approximately equal to the length of aperture 202. Thus, first projection 210 may increase in width from distal end 212 to aperture 202.
  • first projection 210 is shaped such that it directs fuel leaving pump 160 outwardly toward the wall of first conduit 198 opposite first projection 210. In other words, first projection 210 imparts a rotation to the fuel leaving pump 160 that is in the same direction of rotation of inner rotor 174.
  • housing 196 of subassembly 122 may define a second projection 214 which projects upwardly into, but which does not bisect, first conduit 198.
  • second projection 214 may define a tapered cross-section configured to impart rotation to fuel entering first conduit 198.
  • the entrance to first conduit 198 may have a somewhat spiral cross-section when viewed from the front of subassembly 122.
  • Second projection 214 may have a depth that is similar to or slightly greater than that of first projection 210 (as shown in Figure 210), but in any event second projection only extends into first conduit 198 a distance sufficient to impart the desired rotation to the pumped fuel.
  • Air separator 216 may comprise an air tube 218 which may be centrally disposed within first conduit 198.
  • the upstream end of air tube 218 may be open (at 220) to receive air (and a small portion of fuel), and a variable orifice valve 222 is preferably provided at the downstream end. Accordingly, air forced from the fuel which enters air tube 218 may exit subassembly 122 and enter air elimination chamber 116 via valve 124.
  • Control valve 224 may comprise a built-in relief valve, which may typically be used to relieve excess pressure which results from expansion of fuel in a fuel dispenser hose during hot weather.
  • float valve 118 When motor 162 drives shaft 166 and pumping element 164, a vacuum force develops and causes fuel to be drawn into pump assembly 100 from a storage tank. Fuel enters inlet 114, passing through filter 136 and along inlet passageway 128. Fuel then travels through second passageway 138 and enters intake aperture 192. Fuel leaves pump 160 at discharge aperture 194, entering chamber 150 and fuel outlet passageway 144. Fuel then passes into first conduit 198, where air is separated from the fuel via air separator 216. Air and a small amount of vaporized fuel then exit air separator 216 via valve 124 and enter air elimination chamber 116.
  • Air elimination chamber 116 serves as the space in which any small fuel droplets and fuel vapor from air separator 216 are able to collect and condense into liquid-state fuel.
  • Fuel-free air collects in the top of chamber 116 and is vented from pump assembly 100, such as via a vent tube or the like.
  • Fuel return passageway 148 in housing 108 places atmospheric air elimination chamber 116 in fluid communication with second passageway 138 upstream of pump 160. Thereby, liquid-state fuel collecting at the bottom of atmospheric air elimination chamber 116 can return to intake aperture 192.
  • float valve 118 is provided in chamber 116 to selectively cover the inlet of passageway 148.
  • the pump assembly comprises features for cooling the motor.
  • a fluid reservoir containing cooling fluid may be disposed directly above the motor or may also extend down and around one side of the motor (for example occupying the remaining space in rectangular recess 154).
  • the motor may include fins for cooling.
  • a fan could be coupled with the shaft to blow across the motor for cooling, similar to method employed by sealed AC induction motors.
  • the pump assembly may comprise one or more sensors or transducers.
  • one or more temperature sensors may be coupled with either or both of the pumping element or the motor and in electronic communication with the control system.
  • the sensor(s) could sense the temperature of the pumped fluid, the temperature of the motor, and/or the ambient temperature, for example.
  • the control system could stop the motor and pump assembly for safety purposes.
  • the control system may determine that the pump assembly should be run in a "bypass" mode to generate heat, which may prevent stalling or gelling of certain fuels, such as diesel fuel, and which reduces the risk of freezing within the pumping unit.
  • the pump may continue to run when no nozzles are in use, causing a sufficient pressure to open the bypass valve and allowing fuel to recirculate within the pump, which ultimately heats the fuel.
  • the control system may cause the motor to turn the pumping element slowly to provide fuel movement. However, the pressure created would be sufficient to reduce the process of fuel gelling/freezing within the pump but would not be sufficient to operate the outlet control valve.
  • one or more pressure sensors may be included at locations in the pump assembly, such as upstream of or downstream of the pumping element, and placed in electronic communication with the control system. As discussed below, these sensors may be used to detect poor pump performance, a clogged strainer, or other problems.
  • the control system may be able to detect certain electrical characteristics of the motor, such as current and/or voltage.
  • the motor may output current or voltage to the control system, or current or voltage sensors may be provided at the motor. In any event, the ability to detect electrical characteristics may enable the control system to identify safety issues caused by high current, or as discussed in more detail below, to detect pump malfunction or lockup.
  • control system may send a short spike of voltage or current to "unstick” the pump.
  • the pump may also be run backwards when high current levels are detected in order to "unstick” the pump. Further, the control system may alter the inflow current and/or voltage for energy savings.
  • brushless DC motor technology may provide 25% to 50% expected reduced energy consumption over the standard AC induction motor.
  • this motor technology may be immune from and/or continue operation during a drop in mains line voltage (e.g., from 220 V to 160V), which may be common in some markets (such as in India and Asia).
  • mains line voltage e.g., from 220 V to 160V
  • a brushless DC motor would continue operate a nominal or reduced speed until such time line voltage no longer permits operation of controlling the motor electronics. It will be appreciated that this may decrease site downtime due to a power surge or brownout.
  • the use of one or more pressure and/or current sensors may enable the control system to automatically adjust the flow rate of the pump assembly to accommodate various conditions or customer demand, also as discussed below.
  • sensors may also make an embodiment of the pump assembly of the present invention "intelligent," in that signals, error codes, data, run time, etc., may be provided to the control system and compiled.
  • the control system may be in wired or wireless communication with the Internet or a remote diagnostics "cloud” service, similar to the On Star system on General Motors vehicles, such that this information may be then provided to the cloud service for storage and analysis.
  • the software on the control system used to control the pump assembly could be upgraded remotely or at the request of a customer to implement a specific configuration.
  • the pump assembly of the present invention may comprise a "backflush" feature. Because of the use of a variable speed motor, the pump may be driven either forward or backward. Thus, the pump may be run backwards at prescribed or predetermined intervals to flush back debris or clean the inlet strainer. In particular, upon the control system detecting a reduction in flow rate associated with a clogged or clogging filter, the control system may operate the pump to provide pulses of fuel in reverse to push or dislodge dirt caught in the mesh of the filter towards the center of the filter (or into some other dirt collection point within the filter housing).
  • the pulses may be alternated with pulses in the normal direction of flow in order to re-open the inlet valve to restore fluid communication between the filter chamber to the pump chamber. It will be appreciated that this feature may increase filter (and flow meter) life and extend the time a fuel dispenser may dispense fuel where a pump assembly contains a dirty, or partially blocked, filter.
  • the air separator of the pump assembly may comprise a variable orifice in electronic communication with the control system.
  • the control system may also adjust the air separator to maintain desired or required air separation.
  • the air separator may comprise nanotechnology, such as magneto-rheological materials used in vehicles, to facilitate dynamic orifice adjustment.
  • the pumping assembly may not be provided with a control valve (e.g., similar to control valve 28 or 224, described above).
  • the control system can control the speed of the motor, the control system can control the flow rate of fuel without the need for a two-stage or preset valve.
  • the control system may stop the motor (and thus, the flow of fuel) when no transactions are ongoing.
  • the control system may rapidly shut-off the motor when a nozzle breakaway condition occurs.
  • the use of a variable speed motor may be complementary to existing breakaway valve technology, in that fuel spillage may be further reduced.
  • it is contemplated that a breakaway valve may not be necessary at all.
  • the pump assembly may comprise a plurality of lighted, configurable push buttons.
  • the push buttons may be used to automatically adjust the speed of the motor and/or the flow rate of the pump depending on the type of vehicle being refueled.
  • the site owner may configure the pump assembly to provide a particular flow rate for each button.
  • three configurable buttons may be provided and correspond to flow rates of 20 liters/minute, 40 liters/minute, and 60 liters/minute, respectively.
  • the attendant may actuate the button corresponding to the lowest speed for motorbike refueling, the button corresponding to the middle speed for automobile refueling, and the button corresponding to the highest speed for two automobiles simultaneously or for trucks or diesel fuel.
  • control system may operate the pump assembly according to an "auto-economy" mode.
  • quiet periods i.e., periods of low demand
  • the motor speed may be reduced, saving power and electricity usage.
  • the motor speed may be increased in order to increase both refueling flow rate and the throughput of vehicles.
  • a fuel dispenser control system may monitor the average time between transactions and determine whether the site is busy or quiet.
  • embodiments of the pump assembly of the present invention may increase meter accuracy across all flow rate regimes, including low volume presets requiring low flow rates typically observed in emerging markets. More particularly, when conventional systems are operated at low or minimum flow rates, the pump unit may bypass a large portion of the pumped fuel, placing a large bypass pressure on the meter. High pressure at the sides of meter piston cups may cause leakage across a piston in the meter (or moving members of a positive displacement meter), which negatively affects accuracy. With embodiments of the present pump assembly comprising a variable speed motor, however, bypass flow may be reduced because the control system can readily increase or decrease the speed of the motor to provide a desired flow rate. This may reduce the bypass pressure on the flow meter and across the meter piston cups, and it may provide a constant pressure on the meter for all flow rates. Those of skill in the art will appreciate that this may increase flow meter accuracy.
  • embodiments of the pump assembly of the present invention may be used to manage "hose swell” or "display jump” better than conventional pump units.
  • a "display jump” i.e., where a few cents on the transaction cost display tick up before the customer has actuated the nozzle
  • the control system may manage the speed of the motor to provide a "soft start,” or a low-pressure start, to avoid this issue.
  • the control system would not increase the pump assembly flow rate to its standard operating level until it knows, based on information received from a pulser associated with the flow meter, that the nozzle has been actuated. It will be appreciated that this may increase customer satisfaction, particularly with regard to expensive fuels or where a fuel dispenser is fitted with a particularly long hose.
  • fuel dispensing system 300 may preferably be disposed internal to a fuel dispenser. More particularly, fuel dispensing system 300 may comprise a pump assembly 302 to pump fuel from a storage tank through fuel dispenser piping 304. Pump assembly 302 may be located along piping 304 upstream of a fuel flow meter 306 coupled to a pulser 308. Also, fuel dispensing system 300 may comprise a control system 310.
  • Meter 306 and pulser 308 may preferably be analogous to meter 30 and pulser 36, described above.
  • Control system 310 may be analogous to control system 32, also described above.
  • pulser 308 may generate a signal indicative of the volumetric flow rate of fuel and periodically transmit the signal to control system 310 via a signal line 312.
  • fuel dispensing system 300 may typically comprise more than one meter 306 and pulser 308 which receive fuel from pump assembly 302.
  • Pump assembly 302 may comprise a suitable pump, such as a gear pump as described above or another suitable pump.
  • the pump may be capable of supplying flow rates up to 140 1pm to four hoses or two separate dispensers (master/satellite).
  • the pump may comprise a motor 314 which drives a shaft 316 operatively connected to a pumping element 318.
  • Pump assembly 302 may preferably be similar in many respects to pump assembly 100 described above, and thus pumping element 318 may preferably be analogous to pumping element 164, and motor 314 may preferably be analogous to motor 162.
  • Motor 314 may preferably be a variable-speed motor in electronic communication with control system 310 via signal line 320.
  • signal line 320 and other signal lines described below are shown in schematic form and may comprise one or more conductors, or wireless connections, as necessary or desired.
  • Control system 310 is preferably configured to adjust the speed of motor 314 via signal line 320 based on various factors described below.
  • pumping element 318 may cooperate with motor 314 to discharge fuel at rates between 0 and 40 gallons/minute.
  • pump assembly 302 may also comprise an air separating device 322 to separate out air that is entrained in the fuel.
  • Air separating device 322 may be similar to the air separation components of pump assembly 100. However, other types of air separating devices may be used, and those of skill in the art will appreciate that air separating device 322 may be separate from or integrated with pump assembly 302.
  • Pump assembly 302 may further comprise a bypass valve 324 to assist in regulating the maximum pressure at which pump assembly 302 operates.
  • Bypass valve 324 may normally be biased to a closed position and designed to open upon the application of sufficient pressure, such that fuel may return to the inlet side of pumping element 318 via a bypass conduit 326.
  • Pump assembly 302 may additionally comprise a control valve 328.
  • pump assembly 302 may further comprise one or more transducers configured to provide to control system 310 information representative of the fuel pressure upstream and/or downstream of pumping element 318.
  • a pressure transducer 330 may be in electronic communication with control system 310 via signal line 332.
  • a pressure transducer 334 may be in electronic communication with control system 310 via a signal line 336.
  • Transducers 330, 334 are preferably sensitive enough to convey information representative of both aggregate pressure and small pressure changes in the pumped fuel to control system 310. Those of skill in the art can readily provide suitable pressure transducers for this purpose.
  • Control system 310 may preferably be further configured to receive and process additional information transmitted from components in fuel dispensing system 300.
  • motor 314 is preferably adapted to transmit to control system 310 various operational characteristics of motor 314, including information representative of the torque on shaft 316, the rotational velocity of shaft 316, and the motor 314 current. This information may be transmitted via signal line 320.
  • motor 314 may be a brushless three- phase DC motor.
  • a brushless DC motor may include three Hall Effect sensors, one for each phase of the three-phase motor. These are used in conventional motor drive electronics in control system 310 to apply appropriately phased power to the three phase motor.
  • the Hall Effect signals are a form of feedback and indicate the angular displacement of the motor. Rates of change of angular displacement signaled by the Hall Effect sensors by a pulse frequency are sent over line 320 to control system 310. That is, signal line 320 may provide a tachometer reading of the rate of rotation of shaft 316.
  • air separating device 322 is preferably configured to periodically transmit to control system 310 information representative of its performance or capacity via a signal line 338.
  • air separating device 322 may transmit information representative of the volume or amount of air entrained in the pumped fuel. This information may be transmitted continuously or periodically, or control system 310 may periodically sample this information from air separating device 322.
  • air separating device 322 may employ for this purpose a pressure transducer configured to measure the pressure of air exhausted from air separating device 322 or the pressure differential across an air elimination chamber of air separating device 322. It will be apparent to those of skill in the art that other methods of determining the volume of air entrained in the fuel may be used, including ultrasonic and venturi sensors.
  • air separating device 322 may be adapted to transmit the volume of fuel resident in the air elimination chamber.
  • a transducer may be provided to measure and transmit the depth of fuel within a chamber having dimensions that are known to control system 310.
  • Control system 310 may use this information to determine the amount of fuel resident in the air elimination chamber and thus the performance of air separating device 322. For example, where the amount of fuel resident in the air elimination chamber falls below a predetermined threshold, control system 310 may determine that excessive air is entrained in the fuel and that the speed of motor 314 is too high.
  • bypass valve 324 is preferably adapted to periodically transmit its status (i.e., open or closed) to control system 310 via a signal line 340.
  • status i.e., open or closed
  • information that bypass valve 324 is closed may indicate to control system 310 that pump assembly 302 is not generating sufficient pressure. In such a case, control system 310 may increase the speed of motor 314.
  • control system 310 may use information from one or more of the above-described components to optimize operation of fuel dispensing system 300.
  • control system 310 may alter the speed of motor 314 to meet fuel dispenser demand.
  • the fuel dispensing system may provide the maximum allowed dispensing flow rate at a particular nozzle when dispensing demand is high, and the fuel dispensing system may reduce energy expenditure by the fuel dispenser when dispensing demand is lower.
  • demand on a pump in a fuel dispenser can change based on various conditions. For example, in a fuel dispenser comprising two or more nozzles for delivering the same grade of fuel, demand on the pump increases when the nozzles are used simultaneously to dispense the same grade of fuel.
  • prior art self-contained pumps are typically designed to pump fuel at a pressure that allows each nozzle to deliver fuel at a desirable flow rate, such as 10 gallons/minute, under all conditions. In other words, the "default" fuel delivery pressure may far exceed the minimum pressure required to provide the maximum flow rate when only a single nozzle is being used.
  • control system 310 may determine demand on pump assembly 302 by evaluating the flow rate of fuel through meter 306 using information from pulser 308. (Where multiple flow meters are provided to measure fuel flowing to other nozzles, control system 310 may likewise determine flow rate through these flow meters using information from their associated pulsers.) Control system 310 also monitors the number of transactions ongoing at a fuel dispenser, and may use this information in evaluating demand on pump assembly 302. Other methods of determining demand on pump assembly 302 are contemplated, such as providing an electronic nozzle in communication with control system 310 configured to transmit the change in position of its handle relative to its position when not in use. This information may provide an indication of the flow rate a customer desires. Further, where bypass valve 324 is provided, control system 310 may use information regarding the status of bypass valve 324 to infer demand. For example, if bypass valve 324 is fully open it may indicate low demand.
  • Control system 310 preferably then scales the speed of motor 314 relative to the demand on pump assembly 302. For example, where demand on pump assembly 302 is lower because only one nozzle is in use or a customer does not desire the maximum flow rate, control system 310 may signal motor 314 to reduce its speed, thereby reducing the pressure of pump assembly 302. Likewise, where demand on pump assembly 302 increases due to initiation of simultaneous fueling transactions or a customer desiring a higher flow rate, control system 310 may signal motor 314 to increase its speed proportionately, up to the maximum flow rate allowed at each nozzle.
  • Control system 310 may preferably comprise an algorithm which governs the rate and magnitude of change to the speed of motor 314 based on the demand on pump assembly 302.
  • control system 310 may be programmed to increase or decrease the speed of motor 314 in predefined amounts or steps until the motor 314 speed corresponds to the demand on pump assembly 302.
  • smoother speed control may be obtained using a proportional-integrated-derivative (PID) control algorithm.
  • PID proportional-integrated-derivative
  • Those of skill in the art are familiar with algorithms suitable for variable speed motor control which may be adapted for use in fuel dispensing system 300.
  • information regarding signaling and variable- speed control of a submersible turbine pump is provided in commonly-assigned U.S. Patent No. 6,352,176, entitled “Fuel dispensing system with discharge rate control,” incorporated by reference herein in its entirety for all purposes.
  • control system 310 may control the speed of motor 314, and ultimately the flow rate of fuel through meter 306, in some embodiments a proportional control valve (such as control valve 328) may not be needed to control flow rate. Additionally, because the speed of motor 314 may be reduced to reduce the pressure of pump assembly 302 when demand decreases, the bypass valve in pump assembly 302 may be used less frequently. This may decrease the risk of cavitation because the fuel will not be heated through bypass.
  • control system 310 may manage the conditions of fuel flow through the fuel dispensing system to maintain steady pressures and flow rates. For example, control system 310 may attempt to minimize the occurrence and duration of non- steady state conditions by altering the speed of motor 314 in real time in response to receipt of predetermined information from components of fuel dispensing system 300. As explained above, non-steady state conditions can lead to inaccuracy in measurement of flow rate, and thus this embodiment may also increase flow meter accuracy. Further, it will be appreciated that reduction of non-steady state conditions may reduce meter wear.
  • control system 310 may periodically receive information from pressure transducers 330, 334 representative of the pressure upstream and/or downstream of pumping element 318. Thereby, control system 310 may signal motor 314 to alter its speed in response to a change in pressure. It will be appreciated that control system 310 may also use the status of bypass valve 324 in determining whether to alter the speed of motor 314. Flow rate may be regulated to remain in a range at which meter 306 has the best accuracy. For example, a rapid decrease in pressure level may indicate to control system 310 that vapor lock conditions are present or loss of prime has occurred. Thus, control system 310 may increase the speed of motor 314 to attempt to increase the vacuum level upstream of pumping element 318 to draw fuel into pump assembly 302.
  • control system 310 may then reduce the speed of motor 314 to increase the pressure upstream of rotor 318 and reduce the likelihood cavitation will occur.
  • small changes in pressure sensed by pressure transducer 330 may indicate to control system 310 that cavitation conditions are present. In this case, control system 310 may also reduce the speed of motor 314 to alleviate the condition.
  • Changes in pressure level may also be indicative of a clogged filter or that pump assembly 302 is otherwise underperforming, a blockage in the fuel supply piping, or a fuel leak upstream of pump assembly 302. If one of these conditions is detected, control system 310 is preferably adapted to take appropriate action to remedy the problem, such as by stopping fuel dispensing, sounding an alarm, or notifying an authorized service center (ASC) of the problem. For example, based on empirical analysis of pump pressure and/or vacuum levels associated with the above flow conditions, control system 310 is preferably provided with software or a look-up table to associate a detected change in vacuum and/or pressure with a particular condition.
  • ASC authorized service center
  • control system 310 may manage the conditions of fuel flow using information regarding the load on motor 314 or rotation of shaft 316, information from pulser 308 regarding the flow rate of fuel through meter 306, and, in some embodiments, the status of bypass valve 324. Where the load on motor 314 or rotation of shaft 316 does not correspond to the flow rate of fuel based on information from pulser 308, control system 310 may infer that a non-steady state condition is present or that fraud has occurred. In one example, control system 310 may preferably be adapted to detect an impending or existing vapor lock condition. This may be the case where the load on motor 314 is high, but information from pulser 308 indicates that the flow rate of fuel through meter 306 is low or nonexistent. In this case, control system 310 signals motor 314 to increase its speed and overcome the vapor lock condition, as described above.
  • Control system 310 may determine the load on motor 314 in several ways. Preferably, control system 310 may use information from components of fuel dispensing system 300 to determine the work done by motor 314. For example, as noted above, control system 310 may receive the motor 314 current, which, along with the motor 314 voltage, is proportional to the power output of motor 314. Hence, control system 310 may determine the work done by motor 314 based on its power demand over a given period of time. Also, control system 310 may receive the torque on shaft 316 from motor 314, which is proportional to work.
  • control system 310 may use information from transducers 330, 334 to determine the pressure differential across pumping element 318, which is also proportional to work.
  • transducers 330, 334 may be used for this purpose, such as the Motorola MPXV 5004G6U or another suitable transducer.
  • control system 310 may use information from motor 314 and pulser 308 to detect an inconsistency between the amount of fuel passing through pump assembly 302 and meter 306.
  • an inconsistency may be indicative of error associated with, failure of, and/or fraudulent tampering with flow meter 306 or a leak in fuel dispenser piping 304.
  • pulser 308 preferably transmits to control system 310 via signal line 312 a signal representative of the volume or flow rate of fuel through meter 306.
  • Control system 310 is preferably configured to determine the amount of fuel dispensed based on the signals received from pulser 308.
  • motor 314 is preferably adapted to transmit to control system 310 information representative of the rotation of shaft 316 via signal line 320 or another signal line.
  • control system 310 is configured to determine the amount of fuel pumped through pump assembly 302 based on the rotation of shaft 316 over the course of a fueling transaction.
  • control system 310 may be programmed to associate each rotation of shaft 316 with a known volume of fuel. Where multiple transactions to dispense the same grade of fuel occur simultaneously, control system 310 may compare the amount of fuel flowing through pump assembly 302 with the amount of fuel flowing through multiple meters 306. Also, control system 310 may take the status of bypass valve 324 into account when comparing the amount of fuel flowing through pump assembly 302 and meter(s) 306 and evaluating whether an inconsistency exists.
  • control system 310 may periodically determine whether an inconsistency exists during a fueling transaction. In particular, control system 310 may compare the amount of fuel pumped through pump assembly 302 and the amount of fuel passing through meter 306. If the amount of fuel pumped through pump assembly 302 is greater or less than the amount of fuel passing through meter(s) 306 (when bypass valve 324 is closed), an inconsistency exists.
  • control system 310 may be configured to account for inconsistencies in the amount of fuel pumped through pump assembly 302 and meter 306 due to air entrained in the fuel. Specifically, control system 310 may use information representative of the volume or amount of air entrained in the pumped fuel transmitted by air separating device 322 over signal line 338 in its calculation of the amount of fuel pumped through pump assembly 302.
  • control system 310 may preferably be configured to take corrective action. For example, control system 310 may communicate an alarm condition to a user, a site controller, and/or a remote location (such as a headquarters or regulatory authority). The alarm condition may trigger an investigation of fuel dispensing system 300 to determine the source of the inconsistency. Also, control system 310 may stop dispensing of fuel and/or store the alarm condition in memory.
  • control system 310 may be configured to take corrective action only when the inconsistency exceeds a predetermined threshold. For example, where control system 310 does not use information from air separating device 322 to account for inconsistencies due to air entrained in the fuel, control system 310 may take corrective action only when the difference in the amount of fuel pumped exceeds 20% (or other selected difference).
  • motor 314 may comprise a displacement sensor or encoder adapted to measure the rotation of shaft 316.
  • the displacement sensor may comprise a magnetic sensor or an optical sensor configured to convert shaft angular position into an analog signal.
  • the displacement sensor may preferably be in electronic communication with control system 310 to provide information representative of the angular position of shaft 316.
  • control system 310 may determine the amount of fuel pumped through pump assembly 302 as described above.
  • control system 310 may use information from air separating device 322 to better manage the separation of air from fuel during dispensing.
  • air separating device 322 may periodically transmit to control system 310 information representative of its performance or capacity via signal line 338.
  • air separating device 322 may transmit information representative of the volume or amount of air entrained in the pumped fuel. In some embodiments, air separating device 322 may also or alternatively transmit the depth or volume of fuel resident in the air elimination chamber to control system 310.
  • air separating device 322 may not be able to remove enough of the air from the pumped fuel for the fuel to be acceptable for dispensing. In the past when this occurred, a gas detector coupled to a fuel shut-off valve would be triggered to halt dispensing.
  • control system 310 may monitor the amount of air entrained in the fuel pumped through pump assembly 302 and adjust the speed of motor 314 to meet the needs of air separating device 322. For example, where the amount of air entrained in the fuel is such that air separating device 322 cannot remove enough air to meet regulatory requirements, control system 310 may signal motor 314 to reduce speed, thus allowing air separating device 322 to bleed the entrained air. Notably, this prevents inefficiencies caused by having to fully halt dispensing of fuel to bleed entrained air and having to subsequently restart motor 314 and pump assembly 302.
  • control system 310 may monitor the depth or volume of fuel resident in the air elimination chamber. Where the depth or volume exceeds a predetermined threshold, control system 310 may signal motor 314 to reduce speed, thus reducing the rate at which fuel is pumped through pump assembly 302. Likewise, where no fuel or very little fuel is detected in the air elimination chamber, control system 310 may determine that the speed of motor 314 may be increased.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
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  • Theoretical Computer Science (AREA)
  • Details Of Reciprocating Pumps (AREA)
  • Loading And Unloading Of Fuel Tanks Or Ships (AREA)

Abstract

L'invention concerne des systèmes et des procédés visant à optimiser le fonctionnement d'un système de distribution de carburant comprenant un ensemble pompe dans un distributeur de carburant. Le distributeur de carburant comprend un système de commande en communication électronique avec un moteur d'une pompe et avec un capteur de déplacement raccordé de manière fonctionnelle à un débitmètre de carburant. La pompe est placée à l'intérieur du corps du distributeur de carburant, et le moteur est mis en oeuvre de façon à entraîner en rotation un arbre accouplé à un élément de pompage pour pomper le carburant dans un réservoir de stockage par l'intermédiaire du distributeur de carburant. Un procédé de commande du distributeur de carburant consiste à recevoir, au niveau du système de commande, des informations représentatives du débit de carburant par le biais du débitmètre, recevoir au niveau du système de commande des informations représentatives d'au moins une caractéristique fonctionnelle du moteur, et comparer les informations représentative du débit du carburant aux informations représentatives de ladite au moins une caractéristique fonctionnelle du moteur.
PCT/US2015/034244 2014-06-04 2015-06-04 Ensemble pompe de distribution de carburant WO2015187976A2 (fr)

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CN109716407B (zh) * 2016-06-14 2022-06-14 韦恩加油系统有限公司 用于燃料加注器电子通信的方法和设备
CN109716407A (zh) * 2016-06-14 2019-05-03 韦恩加油系统有限公司 用于燃料加注器电子通信的方法和设备
EP3395754A1 (fr) * 2017-04-28 2018-10-31 Wayne Fueling Systems Sweden AB Unité de pompe à carburant pour une unité de distribution de carburant, unité de distribution de carburant pour ravitailler un véhicule et procédé de gestion d'une unité de pompe à carburant pour une unité de distribution de carburant
WO2018197185A1 (fr) 2017-04-28 2018-11-01 Wayne Fueling Systems Sweden Ab Unité de pompe à carburant pour une unité de distribution de carburant, unité de distribution de carburant pour le ravitaillement d'un véhicule, et procédé de manipulation d'une unité de pompe à carburant pour une unité de distribution de carburant
EP3395753A1 (fr) * 2017-04-28 2018-10-31 Wayne Fueling Systems Sweden AB Unité de pompe à carburant pour une unité de distribution de carburant, unité de distribution de carburant pour ravitailler un véhicule et procédé de gestion d'une unité de pompe à carburant pour une unité de distribution de carburant
WO2019158322A1 (fr) * 2018-02-19 2019-08-22 Wayne Fueling Systems Sweden Ab Unité de distribution de carburant dotée d'un réservoir de stockage sous pression et procédé associé
WO2020142020A3 (fr) * 2018-12-31 2020-09-10 Mepsan Petrol Ci̇hazlari San. Ve Ti̇c. A.Ş. Unité de pompage intelligente pouvant ajuster automatiquement sa rotation par minute et sa vitesse en fonction du débit souhaité
US20230014660A1 (en) * 2019-12-20 2023-01-19 Wayne Fueling Systems Sweden Ab Fuel Dispenser with Control System Inside the Hydraulic Compartment
US11820645B2 (en) * 2019-12-20 2023-11-21 Wayne Fueling Systems Sweden Ab Fuel dispenser with control system inside the hydraulic compartment
WO2021163738A1 (fr) * 2020-02-10 2021-08-19 Renewable Energy Dispensing Systems (Pty) Ltd Système de distribution de carburant
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IT202100018968A1 (it) * 2021-07-19 2023-01-19 Assytech S R L Unità recupero vapori per stazioni di rifornimento carburanti.
WO2023002318A1 (fr) * 2021-07-19 2023-01-26 Assytech S.R.L. Unité de récupération de vapeur pour stations d'essence

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