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US 12,404,467 B2Granted
Systems and methods for automated tank monitoring and blending
AssigneeTexon Midstream, LLC
InventorLarry D. Mattingly
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Provided are automated systems and methods for measuring the physical properties of fuels in large storage tanks, and for blending butane into the fuels, including chemometric methods for controlling physical properties selected from volatility, butane content, and density of the fuel during the blending process.
Claims16
A system for automated tank monitoring and butane blending comprising:
- a) a fuel storage tank comprising a volume of tank fuel, a withdrawal port, a return port, and a plurality of monitoring units, wherein:
- i) the tank fuel is characterized by a type and a physical property selected from volatility, butane content, and density;
- and
- ii) each of the tank fuel monitoring units is capable of measuring the physical property of the tank fuel via absorption spectroscopy and generating a physical property signal corresponding to the measured physical property;
- b) a variable rate butane blending unit under the control of an information processing unit;
- c) a tank fuel circulating line comprising:
- i) a tank fuel withdrawal line in fluid communication with the storage tank, configured to withdraw fuel from the storage tank through the storage tank withdrawal port;
- ii) a junction providing fluid communication between the tank fuel recirculating line and the butane blending unit, configured to transmit butane from the butane blending unit into the circulating line to produce butane enriched fuel having a ratio of butane to fuel;
- and
- iii) a tank fuel return line in fluid communication with the storage tank, configured to return the butane enriched fuel to the storage tank through the storage tank return port;
- d) the information processing unit (“IPU”) comprising programming for receiving the physical property signal, performing a comparison of the physical property corresponding to the physical property signal to a physical property limit, and adjusting the ratio of butane to fuel in response to the comparison.
8 more elements
A system for automated tank blending comprising:
- a) a fuel storage tank comprising a volume of tank fuel, a withdrawal port, a return port, and a plurality of tank fuel sampling units, wherein:
- i) the tank fuel comprises a physical property selected from volatility, butane content, and density;
- and
- ii) each of the tank fuel sampling units comprises a sampling line providing fluid communication between a sampling port on the tank and a physical property analysis unit capable of measuring the physical property of the tank fuel and generating a physical property signal corresponding to the measured physical property, and an optional sample return line providing fluid communication between the physical property analysis unit and the tank;
- b) a variable rate butane blending unit under the control of an information processing unit;
- c) a tank fuel circulating line comprising:
- i) a tank fuel withdrawal line in fluid communication with the storage tank, configured to withdraw fuel from the storage tank through the storage tank withdrawal port;
- ii) a junction providing fluid communication between the tank fuel recirculating line and the butane blending unit, configured to transmit butane from the butane blending unit into the circulating line to produce butane enriched fuel having a ratio of butane to fuel;
- and
- iii) a tank fuel return line in fluid communication with the storage tank, configured to return the butane enriched fuel to the storage tank through the storage tank return port;
- wherein the information processing unit (“IPU”) comprises programming for receiving the physical property signal, performing a comparison of the physical property corresponding to the physical property signal to a physical property limit, and adjusting the ratio of butane to fuel in response to the comparison.
8 more elements
A system for automated tank monitoring and butane blending comprising:
- a) a fuel storage tank comprising a volume of tank fuel, a withdrawal port, a return port, and one or more monitoring units, wherein:
- i) the tank fuel is characterized by a type and a physical property selected from volatility, butane content, and density;
- and
- ii) the one or more tank fuel monitoring units are capable of measuring the physical property of the tank fuel and generating a physical property signal corresponding to the measured physical property;
- b) a variable rate butane blending unit under the control of an information processing unit;
- c) a tank fuel circulating line comprising:
- i) a tank fuel withdrawal line in fluid communication with the storage tank, configured to withdraw fuel from the storage tank through the storage tank withdrawal port;
- ii) a junction providing fluid communication between the tank fuel recirculating line and the butane blending unit, configured to transmit butane from the butane blending unit into the circulating line to produce butane enriched fuel having a ratio of butane to fuel;
- and
- iii) a tank fuel return line in fluid communication with the storage tank, configured to return the butane enriched fuel to the storage tank through the storage tank return port;
- d) the information processing unit (“IPU”) comprising programming for receiving the physical property signal, performing a comparison of the physical property corresponding to the physical property signal to a physical property limit, and adjusting the ratio of butane to fuel in response to the comparison.
8 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.