Vapor Containment and Electrical Power Generation

Abstract

A fuel vapor and energy conservation system includes one or more liquid fuel storage tanks connected to at least one fuel dispenser for delivering liquid fuel to vehicle fuel tanks and a motor/generator set powered by the evaporated fuel vapor and/or liquid fuel, used alone or in combination to generate electrical power. In some implementations, the fuel vapor and energy conservation system also includes a vapor conservation system with a tank defining a tank volume and a bladder disposed within the tank volume and defining a bladder volume for receiving fuel vapor from the ullage space, the tank and the bladder defining an air space external of the bladder, with a system of vapor conduit for conducting evaporated 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.

1 . A fuel vapor and energy conservation system, comprising:
 a liquid fuel dispensing system comprising:
 one or more liquid fuel storage tanks connected to at least one 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 evaporated fuel vapor between the ullage space and the bladder volume;   a system of air conduit for conducting air into and out of the air space external of the bladder; and   an electrical power generation system comprising a motor/generator set powered at least by the evaporated fuel vapor to generate electrical power.   
   
   
       2 . A fuel vapor and energy conservation system, comprising:
 a liquid fuel dispensing system comprising:
 one or more liquid fuel storage tanks connected to at least one 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; and 
   an electrical power generation system comprising a motor/generator set powered at least by the evaporated fuel vapor to generate electrical power.   
   
   
       3 . The fuel vapor and energy conservation system of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 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 from the ullage space,
 the tank and the bladder defining an air space external of the bladder; 
 
   a system of vapor conduit for conducting evaporated 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.   
   
   
       4 . The fuel vapor and energy conservation system of  claim 1  or  claim 2 , further comprising:
 a vapor shut-off and flow control valve disposed in a fuel vapor inlet conduit for regulating volume flow of evaporated fuel vapor to the motor of the motor/generator set;   an air inlet valve disposed in an air inlet conduit for regulating volume flow of air to the motor of the motor/generator set; and   an air/fuel ratio sensor disposed is an air and fuel vapor flow conduit in communication with the air inlet conduit and with the fuel vapor conduit; and   an electrical controller;   the air/fuel ratio sensor being disposed in electrical communication with the controller for signaling the ratio of air to fuel delivered to the motor; and   the controller being in communication with the air flow control valve and the vapor shut-off and flow control valve for signaling adjustment of flow of air in the air inlet conduit and/or flow of evaporated fuel vapor in the fuel vapor conduit, thereby to adjust and maintain a desired ratio in a mixture of the fuel vapor and the air delivered to power the motor of the motor/generator set.   
   
   
       5 . The fuel vapor and energy conservation system of  claim 4  wherein the motor of the motor/generator set is selectively powered by liquid fuel and the system further comprises:
 a liquid fuel shut-off disposed in a liquid fuel conduit in communication between a source of liquid fuel and a carburetor,   the carburetor being disposed in communication with the liquid fuel conduit and the air intake conduit, and   the controller being in communication with the air flow control valve and the liquid fuel shut-off for signaling adjustment of flow of air in the air inlet conduit and flow of liquid fuel in the liquid fuel conduit, thereby to adjust and maintain a desired ratio in a mixture of the fuel and the air delivered by the carburetor to power the motor of the motor/generator set.   
   
   
       6 . The fuel vapor and energy conservation system of  claim 5 , wherein the motor/generator set is powered by evaporated fuel vapor and/or by liquid fuel, used alone or in combination. 
   
   
       7 . The fuel vapor and energy conservation system of  claim 1  or  claim 2 , wherein the motor/generator provides power at least for operation of the vehicle fueling service station. 
   
   
       8 . The fuel vapor and energy conservation system of  claim 1  or  claim 2 , wherein the motor/generator provides power at least for delivery into a utility power grid. 
   
   
       9 . The fuel vapor and energy conservation system of  claim 1  or  claim 2 , wherein the system further comprises a starter and battery for initiating operation of the motor in the motor/generator set. 
   
   
       10 . The fuel vapor and energy conservation system of  claim 1  or  claim 2 , further comprising an air filter disposed in the air inlet conduit. 
   
   
       11 . The fuel vapor and energy conservation system of  claim 1  or  claim 2 , further comprising a flame arrestor in the fuel vapor conduit. 
   
   
       12 . The fuel vapor and energy conservation system of  claim 1  or  claim 2 , wherein the controller issues signals for activation and deactivation of the motor/generator set in response to at least one condition selected from among the following group of conditions: Phase 1 hose connection, UST vapor space pressure, manual start/stop button, and external power supply. 
   
   
       13 . The fuel vapor conservation system of  claim 1  or  claim 3 , wherein 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. 
   
   
       14 . The fuel vapor conservation system of  claim 13 , wherein 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. 
   
   
       15 . The fuel vapor conservation system of  claim 13 , wherein the system of vapor conduit further comprises a float check valve for restricting flow of liquid fuel toward the bladder volume. 
   
   
       16 . The fuel vapor conservation system of  claim 1  or  claim 3 , wherein 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, replacing a volume of liquid fuel delivered from the liquid fuel delivery vehicle. 
   
   
       17 . The fuel vapor conservation system of  claim 1  or  claim 3 , wherein 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. 
   
   
       18 . The fuel vapor conservation system of  claim 1  or  claim 3 , wherein the bladder is inflatable and collapsible. 
   
   
       19 . The fuel vapor conservation system of  claim 1  or  claim 3 , wherein the bladder is formed of thin wall, flexible material. 
   
   
       20 . The fuel vapor conservation system of  claim 19 , wherein the bladder is formed of resilient material. 
   
   
       21 . A method of conserving fuel vapor in a liquid fuel dispensing system comprising one or more liquid fuel storage tanks connected to at least one 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, said method comprising:
 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 evaporated fuel vapor from the one or more liquid fuel storage tanks;   delivering displaced evaporated fuel vapor into the bladder, the delivered evaporated fuel vapor inflating the bladder and displacing air from the air space of the vapor conservation tank external of the bladder;   thereafter, over time, delivering evaporated 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; and   using at least evaporated fuel vapor to operate a motor/generator set for generation of electrical power.   
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 21 , comprising using at least a portion of the electrical power for operation of a vehicle fueling service station. 
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 22 , comprising contributing a portion of the electrical power to a local power grid. 
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising:
 delivering liquid fuel from a liquid fuel delivery vehicle into the one or more liquid fuel storage tanks.   
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 24 , further comprising:
 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.   
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising:
 delivering the air displaced from the air space of the vapor conservation tank into the ambient environment.   
   
   
       27 . The method of  claim 21 , comprising 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.   
   
   
       28 . The method of  claim 21 , comprising 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.   
   
   
       29 . The method of  claim 21 , comprising 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.