Vapor recovery apparatus and method for gasoline dispensing systems
AssigneeDresser, Inc.
InventorsKen W. Taylor, Robert G. McKinney
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An apparatus and method for recovering vapor during the dispensing of gasoline via a hose into a vehicle tank, according to which a turbine disposed in a vapor passage and is activated in response to the dispensing of the gasoline for drawing the vapor from the tank and into the vapor passage. Blades on the turbine separate the air from the gasoline vapor. The vapor is returned to the liquid stream and the air discharged to atmosphere. The apparatus therefore does not require vapor return piping to the underground tanks.
Claims20
A vapor recovery method comprising flowing gasoline through a hose and into a vehicle tank, establishing a passage connected to the vehicle tank, activating a compressor in the passage in response to the dispensing of the gasoline so that the compressor draws a mixture of gasoline vapor and air from the tank and into the passage, separating the air from the vapor in the vapor passage, and recycling the separated vapor back into the gasoline flowing through the hose.
A vapor recovery device for a fuel dispensing system, comprising:
- a fuel passage in communication with the fuel dispensing system and a destination for delivering fuel from the fuel dispensing system to the destination;
- a recovery passage in communication with the destination for recovering vapor from the destination;
- a turbine disposed within the fuel passage, wherein flow of fuel through the fuel passage causes the turbine to rotate;
- a compressor in the recovery passage, the turbine and the compressor coupled such that rotation of the turbine causes rotation of the compressor, and rotation of the compressor draws vapor from the destination through the recovery passage;
- a conduit in the recovery passage having a porous surface adapted to allow passage of vapor from the recovery passage into an interior of the conduit;
- and
- a collector passage in communication with the interior of the conduit and the fuel passage to communicate vapor in the interior of the conduit to the fuel passage.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.