Commercial fueling system with vapor capture

Abstract

A closed fueling system with a passive vapor return comprising a cap and nozzle which selectively seal together defining passages for fuel delivery and vapor return. The cap and nozzle are sealed when the cap and nozzle are not connected together. The system optionally includes a downtube which conveys fluid to the bottom of the receiving tank, permitting filling from the bottom of the tank and minimizing atomization and vapor creation.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A cap for a fuel tank adapted to minimize fuel atomization during filling of said fuel tank, said fuel tank having a bottom, and said cap comprising:
 a) a cap structure defining a fuel carrying passage;   b) a valve capable of selectively sealing said passage; and   c) a downtube in fluid communication with said fuel carrying passage and extending from said cap structure to substantially said bottom of said fuel tank.   
     
     
         2 . The cap of said  claim 1  wherein said cap structure further defines one or more vapor carrying passages adapted to allow fuel vapor to leave a fuel receiving tank during fueling. 
     
     
         3 . The cap of  claim 1  wherein said valve is a piston valve. 
     
     
         4 . The cap of  claim 1 , further comprising a member removably affixed to said cap structure, wherein said valve is mounted on said member. 
     
     
         5 . The cap structure of  claim 4  wherein said member is threaded. 
     
     
         6 . The cap of  claim 4 , further comprising a gasket associated with said valve, said gasket being accessible via the removal of said member from said cap structure. 
     
     
         7 . The cap of  claim 1  wherein said cap structure defines an annular member adapted to interlock with a fuel dispensing nozzle. 
     
     
         8 . The cap of  claim 1  wherein said valve is adapted to be selectively operated upon the engagement of a fuel dispensing nozzle with said valve. 
     
     
         9 . The cap of  claim 2  wherein each said one or more vapor carrying passages is associated with a siphon tube. 
     
     
         10 . A fueling system adapted to deliver fuel to a receiving tank having a bottom and to remove vapor from said receiving tank, comprising:
 a) a fuel dispensing nozzle having a first attachment structure;   b) a cap structure having a second attachment structure complementary to said first attachment structure, said cap structure being affixable to an inlet of said receiving tank; and   c) a downtube having sufficient length to convey fuel substantially to said bottom of said fuel receiving tank; and   d) wherein said nozzle is selectively attachable to said cap structure via first and second attachment structures, and   e) whereby selectively attaching said nozzle to said cap structure defines two or more fluid and vapor communication passages between said nozzle and said downtube, said two or more passages capable of conveying fuel from said nozzle to said downtube and removing vapor from said receiving tank.   
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10  wherein said cap structure is sealed when said nozzle is not attached to said cap structure. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 10  wherein said nozzle is sealed when said nozzle is not attached to said cap structure. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 10  wherein each said passage is associated with at least one valve. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13  wherein at least one said valve is a piston valve. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 11 , further comprising a member removably affixed to said cap structure and wherein said valve is mounted on said member. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 13  wherein said member is threaded. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 13  further comprising a gasket associated with said valve and wherein said gasket can be selectively accessed by removing said member from said cap structure. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 10  wherein said cap structure comprises an annular member adapted to interlock with said fuel dispensing nozzle. 
     
     
         19 . The cap of  claim 10  wherein said valve is adapted to be operated by said fuel dispensing nozzle. 
     
     
         20 . The cap of  claim 10  wherein each said one or more vapor carrying passages is associated with a siphon tube.