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US RE48,204 E1Granted
Method and apparatus for limiting acidic corrosion in fuel delivery systems
AssigneeFranklin Fueling Systems, Inc.
InventorsLorraine Vander Wielen Sabo, William Nelson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method and apparatus are provided for monitoring a fuel delivery system to limit acidic corrosion. An exemplary monitoring system includes a controller, at least one monitor, and an output. The monitoring system may collect and analyze data indicative of a corrosive environment in the fuel delivery system. The monitoring system may also automatically warn an operator of the fueling station of the corrosive environment so that the operator can take preventative or corrective action.
Claims25
A fuel delivery system comprising:
- a storage tank containing a fuel product;
- a fuel delivery line in communication with the storage tank and with a fuel dispenser for dispensing the fuel product to a consumer;
- at least one monitor that collects data indicative of a corrosive environment in the fuel delivery system, wherein the at least one monitor is an electrical monitor comprising:
- a target material configured to be exposed to a sample from the fuel delivery system;
- an energy source directing an electrical current through the target material;
- and
- a sensor configured to detect a decrease in the electrical current through the target material, the decrease in electrical current indicating the presence of a corrosive environment in the fuel delivery system;
- and
- a controller in communication with the at least one monitor to receive collected data from the at least one monitor, the controller being programmed to issue a warning based on the collected data from the at least one monitor, wherein the controller is programmed to issue the warning based on a decrease in the electrical current through the target material.
6 more elements
A fuel delivery system comprising:
- a storage tank containing a fuel product;
- a fuel delivery line in communication with the storage tank and with a fuel dispenser for dispensing the fuel product to a consumer;
- at least one monitor that collects positioned in a vapor space of the fuel delivery system, the at least one monitor configured to collect data indicative of a corrosive environment in a vapor sample from the vapor space of the fuel delivery system, wherein the at least one monitor is an electrical monitor comprising:
- at least two opposing, charged metal plates;
- and
- a sensor operatively connected to the two opposing, charged metal plates configured to determine a measured value of an electrical property of a the vapor sample from the vapor space of the fuel delivery system positioned between the at least two opposing, charged metal plates, the electrical property having a predetermined value indicating the presence of a corrosive environment in the vapor space of the fuel delivery system;
- and
- a controller in communication with the at least one monitor to receive collected data from the at least one monitor, the controller being programmed to issue a warning indicating the presence of the corrosive environment in the vapor space of the fuel delivery system based on the collected data from the at least one monitor, wherein the controller is programmed to issue the warning based on a comparison of the predetermined value and the measured value of the electrical property.
5 more elements
A fuel delivery system comprising:
- a storage tank containing a fuel product;
- a fuel delivery line in communication with the storage tank and with a fuel dispenser for dispensing the fuel product to a consumer;
- at least one monitor that collects data indicative of a corrosive environment in the fuel delivery system, wherein the at least one monitor is a microbial monitor comprising:
- a microbial detector configured to expose a sample from the fuel delivery system to a flurogenic enzyme substrate and measure a concentration of fluorescence produced from bacteria cleaved to the flurogenic enzyme substrate, where the concentration of fluorescence having a predetermined value indicating the presence of a corrosive environment in the fuel delivery system;
- and
- a controller in communication with the at least one monitor to receive collected data from the at least one monitor, the controller being programmed to issue a warning based on the collected data from the at least one monitor, wherein the controller is programmed to issue the warning based on the measured concentration of fluorescence.
3 more elements
A fuel delivery system comprising:
- a storage tank containing a fuel product;
- a fuel delivery line in communication with the storage tank and with a fuel dispenser for dispensing the fuel product to a consumer;
- at least one monitor positioned in a vapor space of the fuel delivery system that collects data indicative of a corrosive environment including acetic acid in the vapor space of the fuel delivery system, wherein the at least one monitor comprises:
- a metallic target material configured to be exposed to a sample from the fuel delivery system, the metallic target material being susceptible to acidic corrosion such that the metallic target material corrodes when exposed to the acetic acid in the fuel delivery system before the fuel delivery system corrodes;
- and
- a sensor configured to detect the corrosion of the target material;
- and
- a controller in communication with the at least one monitor to receive collected data from the at least one monitor, the controller being programmed to issue a warning based on the collected data from the at least one monitor, wherein the controller is programmed to issue the warning based on the detected corrosion of the target material.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.