# US 10,246,656 B2 · Versatile systems for continuous in-line blending of butane and petroleum > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,246,656 B2 - Document ID: US10246656B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/430,274 - Filed: 2017-02-10 - Published: 2017-06-15 - Granted: 2019-04-02 - Earliest claimed: 2001-02-09 - Assignees: Sunoco Partners Marketing & Terminals L.P. - Applicants: Sunoco Partners Marketing & Terminals L.P. - Inventors: Larry D. Mattingly; Steven M. Vanderbur - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10246656B2 ## CPC - C10L 1/06: for spark ignition - C10L 1/16: Hydrocarbons - C10L 1/1608: {Well defined compounds, e.g. hexane, benzene} - C10L 10/00: Use of additives to fuels or fires for particular purposes (additives for liquid carbonaceous fuels characterised by their chemical nature C10L1/10; using binders for briquetting solid fuels C10L5/10; using additives to improve the combustion of solid fuels C10L9/10) - G05B 19/406: characterised by monitoring or safety (G05B19/19 takes precedence) - G05B 19/4166: {Controlling feed or in-feed (G05B19/4163 takes precedence)} - G05D 11/131: {by measuring the values related to the quantity of the individual components (G05D11/139 takes precedence)} - G05D 11/132: {by controlling the flow of the individual components (G05D11/133 takes precedence)} - G05D 11/133: {with discontinuous action} - G05D 11/139: {by measuring a value related to the quantity of the individual components and sensing at least one property of the mixture} - C10G 2400/02: Gasoline - C10G 2400/28: Propane and butane - C10L 2200/0423: Gasoline - C10L 2270/023: for gasoline engines - C10L 2290/141: of additive or catalyst - C10L 2290/24: Mixing, stirring of fuel components - C10L 2290/58: Control or regulation of the fuel preparation of upgrading process - C10L 2290/60: Measuring or analysing fractions, components or impurities or process conditions during preparation or upgrading of a fuel - G05B 2219/37371: Flow - G05B 2219/41303: Flow rate valve controls speed - Y10T 137/7759: Responsive to change in rate of fluid flow - Y10T 137/86823: Rotary valve - C10L: FUELS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; NATURAL GAS; SYNTHETIC NATURAL GAS OBTAINED BY PROCESSES NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASSES C10G OR C10K; LIQUIFIED PETROLEUM GAS; USE OF ADDITIVES TO FUELS OR FIRES; FIRE-LIGHTERS - G05B: CONTROL OR REGULATING SYSTEMS IN GENERAL; FUNCTIONAL ELEMENTS OF SUCH SYSTEMS; MONITORING OR TESTING ARRANGEMENTS FOR SUCH SYSTEMS OR ELEMENTS (systems for controlling or regulating non-electric variables G05D; systems for regulating electric or magnetic variables G05F; control devices or systems insofar as characterised by mechanical features only G05G) - G05D: SYSTEMS FOR CONTROLLING OR REGULATING NON-ELECTRIC VARIABLES - C10G: CRACKING HYDROCARBON OILS; PRODUCTION OF LIQUID HYDROCARBON MIXTURES, e.g. BY DESTRUCTIVE HYDROGENATION, OLIGOMERISATION, POLYMERISATION (cracking to hydrogen or synthesis gas C01B; cracking or pyrolysis of hydrocarbon gases to individual hydrocarbons or mixtures thereof of definite or specified constitution C07C; cracking to cokes C10B); RECOVERY OF HYDROCARBON OILS FROM OIL-SHALE, OIL-SAND, OR GASES; REFINING MIXTURES MAINLY CONSISTING OF HYDROCARBONS; REFORMING OF NAPHTHA; MINERAL WAXES - Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION ## Abstract A system and method are provided for in-line processes of blending butane into gasoline streams, and for blending butane into a gasoline stream at any point along a petroleum pipeline. The invention additionally provides a method for measuring the vapor pressure and vapor to liquid ratio of the gasoline, both upstream and downstream of the blending operation, as well as the sulfur content of the butane entering the blending operation. The blending operation can be controlled to ensure that the blended gasoline meets EPA requirements for vapor pressure and sulfur content of gasoline. The invention further provides a method for accessing and monitoring the operation off-site. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A system for blending a volatility modifying agent with a petroleum stream having a petroleum flow rate, comprising: a petroleum stream downstream of a refinery; an injection device injecting the volatility modifying agent into the petroleum stream at a volatility modifying agent flow rate; a volatility measurement device in communication with the petroleum stream, the volatility measurement device configured to output data representative of a volatility measurement; and a processor in connection with the injection device and the volatility measurement device, the processor configured to: receive the volatility measurement; receive a target volatility value; determine an adjustment to the volatility modifying agent flow rate based on the volatility measurement and the target volatility value; and output a signal representative of the adjustment to the injection device, wherein the injection device is electronically configured to access or receive the signal representative of the adjustment and to adjust the volatility modifying agent flow rate. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the target volatility value is based on at least one of seasonable and regional data. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of petroleum streams each associated with a different type of petroleum, at least one petroleum stream being selectable for blending with the volatility modifying agent. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the volatility measurement is a vapor pressure measurement. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the volatility measurement is a vapor to liquid ratio measurement. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the injection device includes a valve that controls the volatility modifying agent flow rate into the petroleum stream. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the adjustment includes a blend ratio, and the processor calculates the blend ratio based on the volatility measurement and the target volatility value. ### Claim 8 A system for blending a volatility modifying agent with a petroleum stream having a petroleum flow rate, comprising: a petroleum stream downstream of a refinery; an injection device injecting the volatility modifying agent into the petroleum stream at a volatility modifying agent flow rate; a volatility measurement device in communication with the petroleum stream, the volatility measurement device configured to output data representative of a volatility measurement; and a processor in connection with the injection device and the volatility measurement device, the processor configured to: receive the volatility measurement; receive a target volatility value; and determine an adjustment to the volatility modifying agent flow rate based on the volatility measurement and the target volatility value; and output a signal representative of the adjustment to the injection device, wherein the volatility measurement device is in communication with the petroleum stream at a location downstream of the injection device, and wherein the injection device is electronically configured to access or receive the signal representative of the adjustment and to adjust the volatility modifying agent flow rate. ### Claim 9 A method for blending a volatility modifying agent with a petroleum stream having a petroleum flow rate, comprising: providing a petroleum stream downstream of a refinery; injecting, by an injection device, the volatility modifying agent into the petroleum stream at a volatility modifying agent flow rate; receiving, by a processor, data representative of a volatility measurement of the petroleum stream; receiving, by the processor, a target volatility value; determining, by the processor, an adjustment to the volatility modifying agent flow rate based on the volatility measurement and the target volatility value; and outputting, by the processor, a signal representative of the adjustment to the injection device; and the injection device adjusting the volatility modifying agent flow rate according to the signal representative of the adjustment. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein the target volatility value is based on at least one of seasonable and regional data. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, further comprising selecting the petroleum stream from a plurality of petroleum streams, wherein each of the plurality of petroleum streams is associated with a different type of petroleum. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein the volatility measurement is a vapor pressure measurement. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein the volatility measurement is a vapor to liquid ratio measurement. ### Claim 14 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein the injection device includes a valve that controls the volatility modifying agent flow rate into the petroleum stream. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein the adjustment includes a blend ratio, and the processor calculates the blend ratio based on the volatility measurement and the target volatility value. ### Claim 16 A method for blending a volatility modifying agent with a petroleum stream having a petroleum flow rate, comprising: providing a petroleum stream downstream of a refinery; injecting, by an injection device, the volatility modifying agent into the petroleum stream at a volatility modifying agent flow rate; receiving, by a processor, data representative of a volatility measurement of the petroleum stream; receiving, by the processor, a target volatility value; determining, by the processor, an adjustment to the volatility modifying agent flow rate based on the volatility measurement and the target volatility value; and outputting, by the processor, a signal representative of the adjustment to the injection device, wherein the volatility measurement is taken at a location downstream of the injection device, and the injection device adjusting the volatility modifying agent flow rate according to the signal representative of the adjustment. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the petroleum is refined gasoline and the volatility modifying agent is butane. ### Claim 18 (depends on 8) The system of claim 8, wherein the petroleum is refined gasoline and the volatility modifying agent is butane. ### Claim 19 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein the petroleum is refined gasoline and the volatility modifying agent is butane. ### Claim 20 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein the petroleum is refined gasoline and the volatility modifying agent is butane.