This disclosure relates to underground fuel storage tanks, and more particularly to systems for containment and conservation of fuel vapor from such tanks.
Vehicle fueling service stations in some regions of the United States, i.e. those regions where only Phase I (i.e. non-Phase II) vapor recovery is mandated, and in many other countries, operate with limited or no restrictions on release of fuel vapors into the environment, e.g. including fuel vapors generated by evaporation of liquid fuel into the ullage space of vehicle and underground storage tanks (“UST”), and then displaced from the tank by entering liquid fuel during filling. This loss of fuel in its vapor state is recognized as a detriment to the environment. Over a period of fueling operations, it can also represent a substantial loss of product and potential profit to the service station owner and operator.
According to one aspect of the disclosure, a method of conserving fuel vapor in a liquid fuel dispensing system comprising one or more liquid fuel storage tanks connected to a dispenser for delivering liquid fuel to vehicle fuel tanks, a volume of liquid fuel dispensed from the one or more liquid fuel storage tanks being replaced by a volume of air, comprises: connecting ullage space of the one or more liquid fuel storage tanks to a bladder within a vapor conservation tank; delivering liquid fuel into the one or more liquid fuel storage tanks, the liquid fuel displacing fuel vapor from the one or more liquid fuel storage tanks; delivering displaced fuel vapor into the bladder, the delivered fuel vapor inflating the bladder and displacing air from the air space of the vapor conservation tank external of the bladder; and, thereafter, over time, delivering fuel vapor from the bladder of the vapor conservation tank into ullage space of the one or more liquid fuel storage tanks, replacing the volume of liquid fuel delivered from the one or more liquid fuel storage tanks into vehicle fuel tanks.
Preferred implementations of this aspect of the disclosure may include one or more of the following additional features. The method comprises delivering liquid fuel from a liquid fuel delivery vehicle, e.g. a tanker truck or rail car, into the one or more liquid fuel storage tanks. The method further comprises connecting ullage space of the liquid fuel delivery vehicle to air space of the vapor conservation tank containing the bladder, external of the bladder; and delivering the air displaced from the air space of the vapor conservation tank into the ullage space of the liquid fuel delivery vehicle, the displaced air replacing a volume of the liquid fuel delivered from the liquid fuel delivery vehicle. The method further comprises delivering the air displaced from the air space of the vapor conservation tank into the ambient environment. The method comprises the further step of connecting one or more underground storage tanks to a vapor conservation tank in the form of an auxiliary tank containing the bladder. The method comprises the further step of connecting one or more underground storage tanks to a vapor conservation tank in the form of an aboveground auxiliary tank containing the bladder. The method comprises the further steps of converting an underground storage tank to a vapor conservation tank containing the bladder, and connecting one or more underground storage tanks to the vapor conservation tank in the form of the converted underground storage tank containing the bladder.
According to another aspect of the invention, a fuel vapor conservation system comprises: a liquid fuel dispensing system comprising one or more liquid fuel storage tanks connected to a liquid fuel dispenser for delivering liquid fuel to vehicle fuel tanks, the one or more fuel storage tanks defining ullage space containing evaporated fuel vapor above an interface with liquid fuel; a vapor conservation system comprising a tank defining a tank volume, and a bladder disposed within the tank volume and defining a bladder volume for receiving fuel vapor, the tank and the bladder defining an air space external of the bladder; a system of vapor conduit for conducting fuel vapor between the ullage space and the bladder volume; and a system of air conduit for conducting air into and out of the air space external of the bladder.
Preferred implementations of this aspect of the disclosure may include one or more of the following additional features. The system of vapor conduit further comprises a conduit system for delivery of fuel vapor displaced from the ullage space by addition of liquid fuel to the one or more fuel storage tanks into the bladder volume, and for delivery of fuel vapor from the bladder volume back into the ullage space as liquid fuel is dispensed from the one or more liquid fuel storage tanks. The system of vapor conduit further comprises a conduit system for delivery of fuel vapor from the bladder volume back into the ullage space as liquid fuel is dispensed from the one or more liquid fuel storage tanks into vehicle fuel tanks over time. The system of vapor conduit further comprises a float check valve for restricting flow of liquid fuel toward the bladder volume. The system of air conduit further comprises a conduit system for delivery of the air displaced from the air space of the vapor conservation tank into the ullage space of a liquid fuel delivery vehicle, e.g. a liquid fuel delivery tanker truck or tanker rail car, replacing a volume of liquid fuel delivered from the liquid fuel delivery vehicle. The system of air conduit further comprises a conduit system for delivery of the air displaced from the air space of the vapor conservation tank into the ambient environment. The bladder is inflatable and collapsible. The bladder is formed of thin wall, flexible material. The bladder is formed of resilient material.
Objects of this disclosure include providing a system for containment and recovery of fuel vapors, e.g. in regions of the United States with only Phase I vapor recovery mandates, and in similarly lightly regulated and non-regulated foreign countries.
Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this disclosure belongs. Although methods and materials similar or equivalent to those described herein can be used in the practice or testing of the present disclosure, suitable methods and materials are described below. All publications, patent applications, patents, and other references mentioned herein are incorporated by reference in their entirety. In case of conflict, the present specification will control. In addition, the materials, methods, and examples are illustrative only and not intended to be limiting. Other features and advantages will be apparent from the following detailed description, and/or from the claims.
Like reference symbols in the various drawings indicate like elements.
Referring to
During refueling of a vehicle, C, as liquid fuel, L, is delivered via conduit 24 from the UST 14 into the vehicle tank 28, fuel vapor, V, displaced from the vehicle tank by the liquid fuel is permitted to escape into the environment.
Bulk liquid fuel is delivered to service station, S, by fuel delivery vehicle, e.g. tanker truck 30. During a fuel “drop” or delivery, the truck tank is connected by conduit 32 to the fuel inlet spout 15 of UST 14, while the ullage space 18 of UST 14 is connected by conduit 36 to the ullage space 34 of the tanker truck. Delivery of liquid fuel 16 into UST 14, e.g. about 5,000 gallons delivered at 400 GPM (gallons per minute) is typical, causes displacement of fuel vapor 18 from the ullage of space, U, of UST 14, into the ullage space 34 of the tank truck, replacing the liquid fuel as it is delivered. Upon completion of the fuel drop, the tanker truck departs carrying 5,000 gallons of fuel vapor created from gasoline previously purchased by the service station owner, with the fuel vapor being subsequently displaced back into fuel company tanks as the tanker truck is filled for its next delivery.
Referring now to
The vapor containment system 12 includes a vapor storage tank 42, e.g. an 8,000 gallon steel storage tank, connected to conduit 20, which, in turn, is in communication with the vapor space, U, of UST 14. The vapor space is controlled by pressure/vacuum relief vent valve 22, as described above. The storage tank 42 contains a thin wall, resilient, flexible urethane, inflatable bladder 44 defining an auxiliary vapor space volume 46 within the bladder, which is in communication with the UST vapor space, U, via conduit 20. The bladder 44 and the storage tank wall 48 also together define an air space 50 within the vapor storage tank 42 but external of the bladder 44, which is in communication with the atmosphere through a 1-inch orifice air relief/air ingestion port 52 to release air from the air space 50, and also to ingest air into the air space 50 at about 20 GPM when the pressure differential is 1 inch W.C., as described in more detail below. This is a passive system not requiring electrical components. As a result, installation costs are relatively low.
Referring also to
In
Referring also now to
According to this implementation, the third UST 114″ is retrofitted (typically after removal of the submerged turbine fuel pump (not shown) to provide maximum available volume) by installation of an inflatable/collapsible bladder 144, e.g., formed of thin wall, resilient, flexible material, e.g. urethane, defining an auxiliary vapor space volume 146 through the tank hatchway 130 (
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1. With the bladder 144 in a collapsed condition, the driver of fuel tanker truck 30 makes a fuel hose connection (typically a 4-inch diameter hose 32) between the underground storage tank 114 and the tanker truck 30.
2. The driver makes a vapor hose connection (typically a 3-inch diameter hose 36) to pipe 119 in communication with the air space 150 of the vapor containment tank 114″, external of the bladder 144.
3. The driver opens the tanker vapor valve 301.
4. The driver opens the tanker liquid fuel valve 302.
5. The tanker truck 30 drops 5,000 of liquid fuel 16 through conduit 32 and pipe inlet 15, into the UST 114, at a rate of up to 400 GPM, forcing 5,000 gallons of vapor 18 from the ullage space, U, of UST 114, through vapor conduit 120 and pipe inlet/outlet 115, into the auxiliary vapor space volume 146 of the bladder 144.
6. Inflation of the bladder 144 forces 5,000 gallons of air from the air space 150 between the bladder 144 and the wall 148 of UST 114″ through pipe inlet/outlet 119 and conduit 36, into the tanker 30.
7. The tanker 30 disconnects and leaves, carrying 5,000 gallons of air.
8. Vehicles, C, are fueled with the 5,000 gallons of liquid fuel 16 delivered into UST 114, with removal of liquid fuel 16 from UST 114 drawing vapor 18 from the auxiliary vapor space volume 146 of bladder 144 into the ullage space, U, of UST 114.
9. Removal of vapor 18 from the bladder 144 into the ullage space, U, of UST 114″ causes gradual collapse of bladder, drawing air through conduit 152 and pipe 117, into the air space region 150 between the bladder 144 and the wall 148 of the UST 114″.
10. The entire process is repeated with each subsequent bulk delivery of liquid fuel 16.
Delivery of liquid fuel, e.g. gasoline, from the fuel tanker truck 30, at flow rates up to 400 GPM, into the underground storage tank 114 forces the fuel vapor 18 in the ullage space, U, of the underground storage tank 114 to flow through conduit 120, e.g. an underground 2-inch pipe, to inflate the bladder 144 in the vapor containment tank, i.e. aboveground tank 42 (
The vapor space of the fuel tanker truck 30 is thus filled with air expelled from the air space 150 about the bladder 144 of the containment tank 114″, and the fuel vapor 18 displaced from the ullage space, U, of the underground storage tank 114 is contained with the bladder 144, remaining under control and possession of the service station.
The fuel vapor 18 that remains in the possession of the service station owner within the bladder 144 will subsequently, over time, be drawn back into the ullage space, U, of the underground fuel storage tank 114 as fuel is removed from the tank 114 to fuel customer vehicles, C. The air that would normally be ingested as the gasoline level in the underground storage 114 tank drops is now replaced by fuel vapor 18 from the bladder 144, resulting in essentially no loss of product due to evaporation.
The fuel vapor containment system (12,
The potential savings that might be realized from use of a vapor containment system of the disclosure at a typical non-Phase II service station are as follows:
Fuel vapor generation and loss can be relatively higher under certain conditions. For example, referring to
A number of implementations of the disclosure have been described. Nevertheless, it will be understood that various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure. For example, the bladder described above may have other forms according to the disclosure. For example, the bladder may alternatively have the form of a resilient wall or a diaphragm.
Referring to
Also, the submerged turbine pump in a retrofit UST, e.g. UST 114″ in
Additionally referring to
Accordingly, other implementations are within the scope of the following claims.