Mobile fueling system and method

Abstract

Some embodiments include a mobile fueling system. The mobile fueling system includes a fueling lid configured to cover a fueling compartment opening, and a recessed fueling compartment having the fueling compartment opening. The recessed fueling compartment includes one or more compartment walls having at least one recessed wall portion that is recessed a predetermined distance away from the fueling compartment opening, with the one or more compartment walls defining an interior compartment volume. The recessed fueling compartment further includes a fueling port configured to couple the recessed fueling compartment to a fuel storage tank, and a gas inlet in at least one of the one or more compartment walls of the recessed fueling compartment. The gas inlet is configured to introduce a gas into the interior compartment volume. Other embodiments of related systems and methods are also disclosed.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method comprising:
 detecting one or more of opening or closing of a lid for a recessed compartment; and 
 initiating a flow of gas into the recessed compartment, or changing a flow rate of the gas into the recessed compartment, (a) upon or after detecting the opening or closing of the lid, and (b) before, during or after dispensing fuel from or and delivering the fuel to through the recessed compartment and into a mobile fuel storage tank,
 wherein detecting the one or more of the opening or closing of the lid comprises:
 detecting a motion of the lid from an open state towards a closed state, or from the closed state towards the open state. 
 
 
 
     
     
       2. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 initiating the flow of the gas into the recessed compartment, or changing the flow rate of the gas, upon or after detecting the opening or closing of the lid comprises:
 initiating the a flow of the gas into the recessed compartment upon or after detecting the opening or closing of the lid. 
 
 
     
     
       3. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 initiating the flow of the gas into the recessed compartment, or changing the flow rate of the gas, upon or after detecting the opening or closing of the lid comprises:
 increasing the flow rate of the gas into the recessed compartment upon or after detecting the opening or closing of the lid. 
 
 
     
     
       4. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 initiating the flow of the gas into the recessed compartment, or changing the flow rate of the gas, upon or after detecting the opening or closing of the lid comprises:
 changing the flow rate of the gas after a predetermined period of time has elapsed following detecting the opening or closing of the lid. 
 
 
     
     
       5. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 initiating the flow of the gas into the recessed compartment, or changing the flow rate of the gas, upon or after detecting the opening or closing of the lid comprises:
 reducing the flow rate of the gas into the recessed compartment in relation to detecting the opening or closing of the lid. 
 
 
     
     
       6. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 initiating the flow of the gas into the recessed compartment, or changing the flow rate of the gas, upon or after detecting the opening or closing of the lid comprises:
 ceasing the flow rate of the gas into the recessed compartment upon or after detecting the opening or closing of the lid. 
 
 
     
     
       7. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 initiating the flow of the gas into the recessed compartment, or changing the flow rate of the gas, upon or after detecting the opening or closing of the lid comprises:
 increasing the flow rate of the gas into the recessed compartment upon or after detecting the opening of the lid; and 
 decreasing the flow rate of the gas into the recessed compartment upon or after detecting the closing of the lid. 
 
 
     
     
       8. The method according to  claim 7 , wherein:
 initiating the flow of the gas into the recessed compartment, or changing the flow rate of the gas before, during or after dispensing fuel from or delivering the fuel to a mobile fuel storage tank comprises:
 increasing the flow rate of the gas into the recessed compartment before dispensing the fuel from or and delivering the fuel to the mobile fuel storage tank, through the recessed compartment; and 
 decreasing the flow rate of the gas into the recessed compartment after dispensing the fuel from or and delivering the fuel to the mobile fuel storage tank, through the recessed compartment. 
 
 
     
     
       9. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 initiating the flow of the gas into the recessed compartment, or changing the flow rate of the gas before, during or after dispensing fuel from or delivering the fuel to a mobile fuel storage tank comprises:
 increasing the flow rate of the gas into the recessed compartment before dispensing the fuel from or and delivering the fuel to the mobile fuel storage tank, through the recessed compartment; and 
 decreasing the flow rate of the gas into the recessed compartment after dispensing the fuel from or and delivering the fuel to the mobile fuel storage tank, through the recessed compartment. 
 
 
     
     
       10. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 initiating the flow of the gas into the recessed compartment, or changing the flow rate of the gas before, during or after dispensing fuel from or delivering the fuel to a mobile fuel storage tank comprises:
 increasing or decreasing the flow rate of the gas into the recessed compartment for a predetermined period of time. 
 
 
     
     
       11. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 initiating the flow of the gas into the recessed compartment, or changing the flow rate of the gas comprises:
 increasing or decreasing the flow rate of the gas into the recessed compartment to obtain a predetermined pressure of the gas in the recessed compartment. 
 
 
     
     
       12. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 initiating the flow of the gas into the recessed compartment, or changing the flow rate of the gas comprises:
 increasing the flow rate of the gas into the recessed compartment to change a pressure of the gas in the recessed compartment from a first pressure to a second pressure that is greater than the first pressure. 
 
 
     
     
       13. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 initiating the flow of the gas into the recessed compartment, or changing the flow rate of the gas comprises:
 decreasing the flow rate of the gas into the recessed compartment to change a pressure of the gas in the recessed compartment from a first pressure to a second pressure that is less than the first pressure. 
 
 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 initiating the flow of the gas into the recessed compartment, or changing the flow rate of the gas, upon or after detecting the opening or closing of the lid comprises:
 increasing or decreasing the flow rate of the gas into the recessed compartment to obtain a predetermined pressure of the gas in the recessed compartment after a predetermined period of time has elapsed following detecting the opening or closing of the lid. 
 
 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 initiating the flow of the gas into the recessed compartment, or changing the flow rate of the gas comprises:
 increasing or decreasing the flow rate of the gas into the recessed compartment for a predetermined period of time to increase or decrease, respectively, a pressure of the gas in the recessed compartment. 
 
 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 initiating the flow of the gas into the recessed compartment, or changing the flow rate of the gas before, during or after dispensing fuel from or delivering the fuel to a mobile fuel storage tank comprises:
 increasing the flow rate of the gas into the recessed compartment to increase the a pressure of the gas in the recessed compartment before dispensing the fuel from or and delivering the fuel to the mobile fuel storage tank, through the recessed compartment; and 
 decreasing the flow rate of the gas into the recessed compartment to decrease the pressure of the gas in the recessed compartment after dispensing the fuel from or and delivering the fuel to the mobile fuel storage tank, through the recessed compartment. 
 
 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 initiating the flow of the gas into the recessed compartment, or changing the flow rate of the gas before, during or after dispensing fuel from or delivering the fuel to a mobile fuel storage tank comprises:
 decreasing the flow rate of the gas into the recessed compartment to decrease the a pressure of the gas in the recessed compartment before dispensing the fuel from or and delivering the fuel to the mobile fuel storage tank, through the recessed compartment; and 
 increasing the flow rate of the gas into the recessed compartment to increase the pressure of the gas in the recessed compartment after dispensing the fuel from or and delivering the fuel to the mobile fuel storage tank, through the recessed compartment. 
 
 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 initiating the flow of the gas into the recessed compartment, or changing the flow rate of the gas before, during or after dispensing fuel from or delivering the fuel to a mobile fuel storage tank comprises:
 increasing or decreasing the flow rate of the gas into the recessed compartment to increase or decrease, respectively, the a pressure of the gas in the recessed compartment before dispensing the fuel from or and delivering the fuel to the mobile fuel storage tank, through the recessed compartment; and 
 increasing or decreasing the flow rate of the gas into the recessed compartment to provide a predetermined pressure of the gas in the recessed compartment after dispensing the fuel from or and delivering the fuel to the mobile fuel storage tank, through the recessed compartment.