Fluent material handling – with receiver or receiver coacting mea – Diverse fluid containing pressure filling systems involving... – Gas and other material separating passage or chamber
Reexamination Certificate
2000-03-28
2001-10-16
Douglas, Steven O. (Department: 3751)
Fluent material handling, with receiver or receiver coacting mea
Diverse fluid containing pressure filling systems involving...
Gas and other material separating passage or chamber
C141S044000, C141S059000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06302164
ABSTRACT:
The present invention relates to a system for dispensing hydrocarbons from a storage tank comprising:
a pump followed by a liquid/gas separator connected to a device for measuring liquid upstream of a dispensing valve,
a circuit for recovering hydrocarbon vapour, connected to the dispensing valve to pick up the hydrocarbon vapour at the outlet of the tank during filling, this valve being connected to a vapour suction pump, the output of which is connected to the storage tank,
a control unit connected to the device for measuring the liquid volume and to the vapour flow controller as well as the vapour pump to control the flow of vapour depending on the rate at which the liquid is dispensed by the valve.
Both national and international regulations governing air protection require hydrocarbon vapours emitted to the exterior of motor vehicle tanks (into the air) during filling operations to be eliminated or recovered.
The volume above the liquid in a tank in effect contains hydrocarbon vapour. In accordance with current regulations, these vapours must be recovered and recovery requirements are becoming increasingly stringent since in some cases these vapours must be recovered with losses of less than 5%.
Due to the fact that recovery is effected on a level with the dispenser valve (gun), and shut-down of the dispenser is generally controlled by liquid rising in the supply sleeve of the vehicle tank, it may be that some liquid is sucked in by the vapour recovery system This is not satisfactory because it disrupts operation of the suction and vapour recovery system. If the dispenser valve does not automatically close as liquid reaches the level of the vehicle tank, it may be sucked in.
Finally, depending on the operating conditions of the system and the state of the vehicle (vehicle may be hot in summer, pipework cold), recovered vapour condenses in the cold pipe of the vapour recovery circuit. Condensates build up and disrupt operation of the means controlling vapour flow downstream of this control means.
The objective of this invention is to overcome these disadvantages and it in effect relates to a dispensing system of the type outlined above, characterised by a vapour/liquid separator having a receiving chamber which collects the liquid, this separator being mounted in the vapour recovery circuit upstream of the vapour flow controller, and the recovery chamber is connected to a bleeding pipe, the inlet of which is fitted with a non-return valve.
As there is no longer any risk of the vapour suction pump taking in condensates, it is able to operate very accurately and efficiently, sucking in a volume of gas (vapours) from the tank corresponding to the volume of liquid simultaneously introduced into it by the dispensing valve.
By virtue of another advantageous feature, the vapour outlet of the vapour/liquid separator has a particle filter.
Another advantageous feature is provided whereby the vapour/liquid separator consists of a chamber with a centrifugal effect having an inlet arranged at a tangent connected to the vapour pipe, which is in turn connected to the dispensing valve, a base into which the bleeding pipe opens and, in the top part, a drawing-off tube is provided at the centre of the chamber.
The system also has a control unit which receives data from the separator in order to check that it is operating correctly
Due to another advantageous feature, the vapour/liquid separator has a float which controls opening of the bleeding pipe depending on the level of liquid collected in the chamber.
By virtue of another advantageous feature, the drainage pipe is very small in diameter so that it is able to operate as a flame arrester.
As a result of other practical features:
the base of the separator chamber is connected to a venturi, mounted in the pipe connecting the measuring device to the dispensing valve;
the bleeding pipe is connected to the intake of the pump;
the base of the separator chamber is connected to a venturi mounted in a pipe linking the output of the vapour pump to the tank;
the float in the separator is fitted with a level sensor, selected from the group comprising a magnet and contact pin sensor, a Hall-effect or optical fibre sensor or an optical coupler.
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Fournier Jacques
Nitecki Jean-Pierre
Douglas Steven O.
Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP
Huynh Khoa
Tokheim Services France
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