Fluid delivery apparatus with delivery hose flushing

Abstract

A mobile storage container has at least two compartments ( 11, 12 ), for use in transporting at least two fluids from main storage tanks to subsidiary storage tanks at other locations, the apparatus having a single fluid flow path ( 19 ) to deliver fluid, means ( 11 c , 12 c ) to feed any one fluid along the flow path ( 19 ) and means ( 35 ) to clear the flow path of the first fluid, before a second fluid is sped along the flow path.

1 . Fluid delivery apparatus comprising a mobile storage container having at least two compartments, for use in transporting at least fluids from main storage tanks to subsidiary storage tanks at other locations, the apparatus having a single fluid flow path to deliver fluid, means to feed any one fluid along the flow path, and means to clear the flow path of the first fluid, before a second fluid is fed along the flow path.  
   
   
       2 . Fluid delivery apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , in which the means to clear the flow path of a fluid comprises means to deliver pressurized air along the flow path.  
   
   
       3 . Fluid delivery apparatus as claimed in  claim 2 , in which the means to delivery pressurized air comprises a compressed air tank.  
   
   
       4 . Fluid delivery apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , such that the quantity of the first fluid cleared from the flow path is returned to an appropriate storage tank of the apparatus.  
   
   
       5 . Fluid delivery apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , the apparatus having means to monitor the quantity of fluid that is delivered from the apparatus, the monitoring means being arranged to take into account the quantity of first fluid which is returned to the apparatus by cleaning of the flow path.  
   
   
       6 . Fluid delivery apparatus as claimed in  claim 5 , the apparatus being such that it takes into account the quantity of fluid contained in the flow path between the compressed air tank and the outlet end of a dispensing nozzle of the apparatus.  
   
   
       7 . Fluid delivery apparatus as claimed in  claim 6 , having means to measure the quantity of fluid contained between the compressed air tank and the outlet end of the nozzle.  
   
   
       8 . Fluid delivery apparatus as claimed in  claim 7 , in which the measuring means included a flow monitoring valve associated with the nozzle.  
   
   
       9 . Fluid delivery apparatus as claimed in any on of the preceding claims, comprising electronic control means connected to various valves of the apparatus, arranged to reduce the number of decisions and action which need to be taken by an operator, and also reduce the risk of incorrect or unauthorized operation of the apparatus.  
   
   
       10 . A tanker vehicle when fitted with delivery apparatus as claimed in  claim 1.