Versatile systems for continuous in-line blending of butane and petroleum

Abstract

A system and method are provided for in-line processes of blending butane into gasoline streams, and for blending butane into a gasoline stream at any point along a petroleum pipeline. The invention additionally provides a method for measuring the vapor pressure and vapor to liquid ratio of the gasoline, both upstream and downstream of the blending operation, as well as the sulfur content of the butane entering the blending operation. The blending operation can be controlled to ensure that the blended gasoline meets EPA requirements for vapor pressure and sulfur content of gasoline. The invention further provides a method for accessing and monitoring the operation off-site.

1 - 43 ) (canceled) 
     
     
         44 . A system for blending a volatility modifying agent with a refined petroleum stream having a flow rate, comprising:
 a valve for injecting the volatility modifying agent into the refined petroleum stream at a particular volatility modifying agent flow rate, wherein the refined petroleum stream and valve are located downstream of a refinery;   a volatility measurement device in communication with the refined petroleum stream, the volatility measurement device configured to output data representative of a volatility measurement; and   a processor in connection with the valve and the volatility measurement device and configured to receive data from the volatility measurement device; compare the data to a target volatility value; determine an adjustment to the volatility modifying agent flow rate based on the volatility measurement and the target volatility value; and output a signal representative of the adjustment to the injection device,   wherein the valve is electronically configured to access or receive the output signal from the processor and adjust the volatility modifying agent flow rate accordingly.   
     
     
         45 . The system of  claim 44 , wherein the target volatility value is based on at least one of seasonable and regional data. 
     
     
         46 . The system of  claim 44 , further comprising a plurality of refined petroleum streams each associated with a different type of petroleum, at least one refined petroleum stream being selectable for blending with the volatility modifying agent. 
     
     
         47 . The system of  claim 44 , wherein the volatility measurement is a vapor pressure measurement. 
     
     
         48 . The system of  claim 44 , wherein the volatility measurement is a vapor to liquid ratio measurement. 
     
     
         49 . The system of  claim 44 , wherein the adjustment includes a blend ratio, and the processor calculates the blend ratio based on the volatility measurement and the target volatility value. 
     
     
         50 . The system of  claim 44 , wherein the refined petroleum is refined gasoline and the volatility modifying agent is butane. 
     
     
         51 . The system of  claim 44 , wherein the volatility measurement is a measurement of the blended stream comprising the volatility modifying agent and the refined petroleum. 
     
     
         52 . The system of  claim 44 , wherein the volatility measurement is a measurement of the unblended refined petroleum stream. 
     
     
         53 . A method for blending a volatility modifying agent with a refined petroleum stream downstream of a refinery, wherein the refined petroleum stream has a flow rate, which method comprises:
 injecting a volatility modifying agent into the refined petroleum stream at a volatility modifying agent flow rate;   receiving, by a processor, data representative of a volatility measurement;   receiving, by the processor, a target volatility value;   determining, by the processor, an adjustment to the volatility modifying agent flow rate based on a comparison of the volatility measurement and the target volatility value; and   outputting, by the processor, a signal representative of the adjustment to the injection device: and   automatically adjusting the volatility modifying agent flow rate according to the signal representative of the adjustment.   
     
     
         54 . The method of  claim 53  wherein the volatility modifying agent is injected into the refined petroleum stream by a valve. 
     
     
         55 . The method of  claim 53 , wherein the target volatility value is based on at least one of seasonable and regional data. 
     
     
         56 . The method of  claim 53 , further comprising selecting the refined petroleum stream from a plurality of refined petroleum streams, wherein each of the plurality of refined petroleum streams is associated with a different type of petroleum. 
     
     
         57 . The method of  claim 53 , wherein the volatility measurement is a vapor pressure measurement. 
     
     
         58 . The method of  claim 53 , wherein the volatility measurement is a vapor to liquid ratio measurement. 
     
     
         59 . The method of  claim 53 , wherein the adjustment includes a blend ratio, and the processor calculates the blend ratio based on the volatility measurement and the target volatility value. 
     
     
         60 . The method of  claim 53 , wherein the refined petroleum is refined gasoline and the volatility modifying agent is butane. 
     
     
         61 . The method of  claim 53 , wherein the volatility measurement is a measurement of the blended stream comprising the volatility modifying agent and the refined petroleum. 
     
     
         62 . The method of  claim 53 , wherein the volatility measurement is a measurement of the unblended refined petroleum stream.