Method and apparatus for adding fluid additives to fluids

Dispensing – Automatic control – By weight – volume or pressure of a second dispensed material

Patent

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Details

222 71, B67D 508, B67D 516

Patent

active

060953713

DESCRIPTION:

BRIEF SUMMARY
The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for adding a fluid additive to a fluid. The invention relates particularly, but not exclusively, to a method and apparatus for securely adding an additive to fluid dispensed from a delivery means which is required to deliver fluid with and without an additive. The invention also relates particularly, but not exclusively, to a delivery means which is a delivery vehicle and to a method for securely adding marker chemical to middle distillate oils.
Many countries impose different rates of taxation on particular grades of middle distillate oils. For example, diesel grade oil may be taxed at a relatively high rate when used for powering on-road vehicles, but be untaxed or taxed at a lower rate when used for heating purposes, or for powering off-road vehicles. Where such variations exist, it is necessary for the taxation authority to ensure that the untaxed or lower taxed oil cannot be used in circumstances where the higher tax rate should apply. Various methods have been used to meet this need. One method requires the users of higher taxed oil to keep records of distances travelled by means of a special meter and account for tax on this basis from time to time. Another more common method involves collecting the tax on the higher taxed oil at source and chemically marking the untaxed or lower taxed oil in order that any prohibited use can be readily detected.
Chemical marking usually takes place at the refinery or bulk storage depot. It typically comprises two main components, a coloured dye marking chemical which provides readily recognised marking on visual inspection and an invisible second marking chemical which is such more difficult to remove than the dye chemical.
The use of chemical marker, or marker, has several advantages over the metering method. Firstly, it is more easily controlled. Secondly, it eliminates the need for special meters. Thirdly, it eliminates the need to record and account for distances travelled. Fourthly, it taxes fuel consumption rather than distance travelled and therefore encourages fuel efficiency.
However, it has the relative disadvantage that the same delivery vehicle will not normally be able to deliver both marked and unmarked oil where the oil is stored in a common tank on the vehicle. This arises because the systems available for the addition of marker are unlikely to be sufficiently secure to be accepted by the taxation authorities. For example, with systems which are currently available, a dishonest operator could deliver unmarked oil but record it as marked and thereby avoid payment of the higher tax by either disabling the marker system or by replacing the marker with a different fluid. Throughout this specification, the term secure refers to an acceptable level of prevention of tampering or unauthorised interference.
The requirement to use different delivery vehicles for marked and unmarked oil may increase costs in several ways. Firstly, it may necessitate the need for larger numbers of delivery vehicles. Secondly, it may necessitate additional distances travelled in situations where one destination or route could be delivered by one vehicle if it could deliver both types.
An object of the invention is to overcome these disadvantages by providing a se cure system which c an add marker at the point of delivery and thus allow one vehicle to deliver both marked and unmarked types.
It is noted that the disadvantages associated with current systems would not be adequately overcome by using a delivery vehicle with two or more tank compartments, separately containing marked oil and unmarked oil, for the following reasons. Firstly it may be troublesome to attempt to match the relative quantities for marked and unmarked oil on the vehicle with the relative quantities required for its delivery schedule. The relative quantities may not even be known in advance. Also, quantities can only be carried in discrete tank sized amounts. Secondly, changing tank use from marked to unmarked use may necessitate frequent cleaning of th

REFERENCES:
patent: 4262710 (1981-04-01), Nomura et al.
patent: 4353482 (1982-10-01), Tomlinson et al.
patent: 4789100 (1988-12-01), Senf
patent: 4886367 (1989-12-01), Bragg et al.
patent: 5344044 (1994-09-01), Hayden et al.

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