High efficiency vapor recovery fuel dispensing
AssigneeGilbacro, Inc.
InventorsMark B. Tucker, Edward A. Payne, Paul D. Miller
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An apparatus for dispensing volatile liquid fuel with recovery of fuel vapors includes a fuel delivery system having a fuel delivery line and a pump in the line to pump fuel there-along to a nozzle. A vapor recovery subsystem includes a vapor return line from the nozzle and a vapor impulsion means to induce vapor to flow through the vapor return line at a vapor flow rate comparable to the liquid flow rate through the fuel delivery line during most of a fueling operation. A vapor impulsion booster boosts the vapor flow rate above the liquid flow rate early in a fueling operation.
Claims26
An apparatus for dispensing volatile liquid fuel with recovery of fuel vapors comprising
- a fuel delivery system including a fuel delivery line and a pump in said line to pump fuel there-along to a nozzle,
- a vapor recovery subsystem including a vapor return line from said nozzle and a vapor impulsion means to induce vapor to flow through said vapor return line at an ordinary vapor flow rate through said fuel delivery line during most of a fueling operation,
- a vapor impulsion booster to boost the vapor flow rate above the ordinary vapor flow rage early in a fueling operation and subsequently permitting said vapor to flow at the ordinary vapor flow rate.
An apparatus for dispensing volatile liquid fuel with recovery of fuel vapors comprising
- a fuel delivery system including a fuel delivery line and a pump in said line to pump fuel there-along to a nozzle,
- a vapor recovery subsystem including a vapor return line from said nozzle and a vapor pump to induce vapor to flow through said vapor return line at a vapor flow rate comparable to the liquid flow rate through said fuel delivery line during most of a fueling operation, and
- a vapor impulsion booster circuitry to operate said vapor pump at a speed to pump vapor at a rate greatly in excess of said liquid flow rate early in a fueling operation, the excess being characterized by a fast rise time to a maximum and a gradual decrease to the rate comparable to the liquid flow rate through said fuel delivery line.
A method of dispensing volatile liquid fuel with recovery of fuel vapors comprising
- pumping fuel through a fuel delivery line at a liquid flow rate to a nozzle,
- returning vapors along a vapor return line from the nozzle at an ordinary vapor flow rate through the fuel delivery line during most of a fueling operation,
- boosting the vapor flow rate above the ordinary vapor flow rate early in a fueling operation and
- subsequently returning the vapors at the ordinary vapor flow rate.
A method of dispensing volatile liquid fuel with recovery of fuel vapors comprising
- pumping fuel through a fuel delivery line at a liquid flow rate to a nozzle,
- pumping vapor with an electrically-driven vapor pump along a vapor return line from the nozzle at a vapor flow rate comparable to the liquid flow rate through the fuel delivery line during most of a fueling operation, and
- supplying electrical signals to the vapor pump to operate the vapor pump at a speed to pump vapor at a rate greatly in excess of the liquid flow rate early in the fueling operation, the excess being characterized by a fast rise time to a maximum and a gradual decrease.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.