Method and system for blending and dispensing fuels

Abstract

A method and system for blending and dispensing fuels that makes it easier for a retail filling station ( 10 ) to provide blended fuels to its customers and that more effectively encourages customers to purchase the blended fuels. Gasoline and additives such as ethanol are received and stored in separate tanks ( 12 - 18 ) at the filling station. Customers of the filling station are then allowed to select the amount of additive, if any, to add to their gasoline. Once a selection has been made, a proportioner ( 40 ) blends the selected amount of additive with gasoline at the time of purchase and then dispenses the blended fuel to the customer.

1 . A method for blending and dispensing fuel comprising: 
 receiving and storing gasoline in a first tank at a filling station;    receiving and storing a fuel additive in a second tank at the filling station;    pumping a portion of the gasoline from the first tank and a portion of the additive from the second tank:    blending the gasoline pumped from the first tank with the additive pumped from the second tank to create a blended fuel; and    dispensing the blended fuel to a customer.    
     
     
         2 . The method as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the gasoline and the additive are blended with a chemical proportioner.  
     
     
         3 . The method as set forth in  claim 1 , further including the step of permitting the customer to select a percentage of additive to blend with the gasoline.  
     
     
         4 . The method as set forth in  claim 3 , further including the step of storing the percentage selected by the customer along with an identifier for the customer.  
     
     
         5 . The method as set forth in  claim 4 , further including the step of displaying the stored percentage to the customer during subsequent trips to the filling station so that the customer may automatically select the percentage.  
     
     
         6 . The method as set forth in  claim 5 , wherein the identifier is a credit card number used by the customer when paying for the blended fuel.  
     
     
         7 . The method as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the additive is selected from the group consisting of a biomass fuel, an octane enhancing compound and an engine cleaner.  
     
     
         8 . The method as set forth in  claim 7 , wherein the biomass fuel is ethanol.  
     
     
         9 . The method as set forth in  claim 3 , further including the step of determining a price for the blended fuel based on the percentage additive selected by the customer and displaying the price.  
     
     
         10 . A filling station comprising: 
 a first tank for receiving and storing gasoline;    a second tank for receiving and storing an additive;    a pump assembly operably coupled with the first and second tanks and including 
 a first pump positioned in the first tank,  
 a second pump positioned in the second tank,  
 a proportioner operably coupled with the first and second pumps for blending a selected amount of gasoline pumped from the first tank with a selected amount of additive pumped from the second tank to create a blended fuel, and  
 a nozzle/valve assembly operatively coupled with the proportioner for dispensing the blended fuel to a customer.  
   
     
     
         11 . The filling station as set forth in  claim 10 , the pump assembly further including an input device for permitting the customer to select a percentage of additive to blend with the gasoline.  
     
     
         12 . The filling station as set forth in  claim 11 , the pump assembly further including a computing device for calculating a price for the blended fuel based on the percentage of additive selected by the customer.  
     
     
         13 . The filling station as set forth in  claim 11 , the computing device being further operable for storing the percentage selected by the customer along with an identifier for the customer.  
     
     
         14 . The filling station as set forth in  claim 13 , the computer device being further operable for presenting the percentage to the customer during subsequent trips to the filling station so that the customer may automatically select the percentage.  
     
     
         15 . The filling station as set forth in  claim 10 , wherein the additive is ethanol.