Systems and Methods for Blending Hydrocarbons into Gasoline

Abstract

A system for forming blended gasoline from gasoline and butane includes a gasoline inlet configured to receive the gasoline, a butane inlet configured to receive the butane, and a first mixing section in which the gasoline and the butane mix to thereby form a rough blended gasoline. A second mixing section downstream from the first mixing section further mixes the rough blended gasoline with additional amounts of the gasoline or the butane until a final blended gasoline forms in the second mixing section. The final blended gasoline dispenses from the second mixing section via an outlet.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for forming blended gasoline from gasoline and butane, the system comprising:
 a gasoline inlet configured to receive the gasoline;   a butane inlet configured to receive the butane;   a first mixing section that mixes the gasoline and the butane to thereby form a rough blended gasoline;   a second mixing section downstream from the first mixing section that mixes the rough blended gasoline with additional amounts of the gasoline or the butane until a final blended gasoline forms in the second mixing section;   an outlet through which the final blended gasoline dispenses from the second mixing section.   
     
     
         2 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the second mixing section receives the rough blended gasoline from the first mixing section as the final blended gasoline dispenses to the outlet. 
     
     
         3 . The system according to  claim 2 , wherein the second mixing section continuously receives the rough blended gasoline from the first mixing section as the final blended gasoline dispenses to the outlet. 
     
     
         4 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the rough blended gasoline formed by the first mixing section has a Reid Vapor Pressure (RVP) that is less than a maximum allowable RVP of the final blended gasoline. 
     
     
         5 . The system according to  claim 4 , wherein additional amounts of the butane are added to the blended gasoline in the second mixing section to thereby increase the RVP of the blended gasoline in the second mixing section. 
     
     
         6 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the blended gasoline in the second mixing section circulates in the second mixing section as the additional amounts of the gasoline or the butane mix with the rough blended gasoline. 
     
     
         7 . The system according to  claim 1 , further comprising a first valve configured to close when the final blended gasoline forms in the second mixing section and open when the blended gasoline in the second mixing section has not yet formed in the second mixing section. 
     
     
         8 . The system according to  claim 7 , further comprising a second valve configured to open when the final blended gasoline forms in the second mixing section such that the final blended gasoline flows to the outlet. 
     
     
         9 . The system according to  claim 8 , further comprising a check valve through which the rough blended gasoline is received from the first mixing section, wherein the check valve prevents the blended gasoline in the second mixing section from flowing upstream into the first mixing section. 
     
     
         10 . The system according to  claim 7 , further comprising a controller is configured to close the first valve when the final blended gasoline is formed in the second mixing section. 
     
     
         11 . The system according to  claim 10 , further comprising a gasoline analyzer configured to analyze the blended gasoline in the second mixing section and further output data pertaining to composition of the blended gasoline in the second mixing section to the controller; and wherein the controller closes the first valve based on the data. 
     
     
         12 . The system according to  claim 8 , further comprising a controller operably coupled to the first valve and the second valve, wherein the controller is configured to close the first valve and open the second valve when the final blended gasoline is formed in the second mixing section. 
     
     
         13 . The system according to  claim 12 , further comprising a gasoline analyzer configured to analyze the blended gasoline in the second mixing section and further output data pertaining to composition of the blended gasoline in the second mixing section to the controller; and wherein the controller opens or closes the first valve and the second valve based on the data. 
     
     
         14 . A system for forming blended gasoline from gasoline and butane, the system comprising:
 a gasoline inlet configured to receive gasoline, wherein the gasoline is conveyed along a first gasoline flow path and a second gasoline flow path;   a butane inlet configured to receive the butane, wherein the butane is conveyed along a first butane flow path and a second butane flow path;   a first mixing section that receives gasoline from the first gasoline flow path, receives the butane from the first butane flow path, mixes the gasoline and the butane to thereby form a rough blended gasoline, and dispenses the rough blended gasoline;   a second mixing section downstream from the first mixing section that receives the rough blended gasoline from the first mixing section, receives the gasoline from the second gasoline flow path, receives the butane from the second butane flow path, mixes the gasoline and/or the butane with the rough gasoline to thereby form a final blended gasoline, and dispenses the final blended gasoline;   an outlet through which the final blended gasoline dispenses;   a check valve configured to permit the rough blended gasoline to flow downstream into the second mixing section and prevent the blended gasoline in the second mixing section from flowing upstream into the first mixing section;   a gasoline analyzer configured to analyze the blended gasoline in the second mixing section and further output data pertaining to characteristics of the blended gasoline in the second mixing section; and   a controller configured to open and close a first valve and a second valve based on the data from the gasoline analyzer, wherein the controller:
 opens the first valve and closes the second valve such that the blended gasoline in the second mixing section circulates therein; and 
 closes the first valve and opens the second valve when the final blended gasoline is formed in the second mixing section; and 
   wherein the final blended gasoline is formed when the blended gasoline in the second mixing section has a Reid Vapor Pressure (RVP) that is within a threshold less than a maximum allowable RVP.   
     
     
         15 . A method for forming blended gasoline, the method comprising:
 receiving at a gasoline inlet gasoline from a gasoline supply;   receiving at a butane inlet butane from a butane supply;   mixing the gasoline and the butane in a first mixing section to thereby form a rough blended gasoline;   dispensing the rough blended gasoline to a second mixing section;   mixing the rough blended gasoline with additional amounts of the gasoline or the butane until a final blended gasoline forms in the second mixing section; and   dispensing, via an outlet, the final blended gasoline from the second mixing section.   
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 15 , further comprising:
 dispensing additional amounts of the rough blended gasoline to the second mixing section as the final blended gasoline dispenses to the outlet.   
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 16 , further comprising:
 dividing the gasoline received via the gasoline inlet such that the gasoline flow along a first flow path to the first mixing section and a second flow path to the second mixing section; and   dividing the butane received via the butane inlet such that the butane flow along a third flow path to the first mixing section and a fourth flow path to the second mixing section.   
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein the second mixing section continuously receives the rough blended gasoline from the first mixing section as the final blended gasoline continuously dispenses to the outlet. 
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 16 , further comprising:
 circulating the blended gasoline in the second mixing section as the additional amounts of the gasoline or the butane mix with the rough blended gasoline.   
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 16 , further comprising:
 analyzing, with an gasoline analyzer, composition of the blended gasoline in the second mixing section;   outputting, with the gasoline analyzer, data corresponding the composition of the blended gasoline to a controller;   determining, with the controller, based on the data from the gasoline analyzer if the composition of the blended gasoline in the second mixing section corresponds to the formation of the final blended gasoline in the second mixing section;   closing a first valve, with the controller, when the final blended gasoline has formed in the second mixing section; and   opening a second valve, with the controller, when the final blended gasoline has formed in the second mixing section.