초록 ▼

A gasoline vapor treating system includes a single hydrocarbon filter apparatus interconnected to a fuel tank having a range of vapor pressures therein, said filter apparatus receiving hydrocarbon vapors from said tank for one vapor pressure in said fuel tank and said filter apparatus delivering air

A gasoline vapor treating system includes a single hydrocarbon filter apparatus interconnected to a fuel tank having a range of vapor pressures therein, said filter apparatus receiving hydrocarbon vapors from said tank for one vapor pressure in said fuel tank and said filter apparatus delivering air and hydrocarbon vapor to said tank from said filter responsive to another vapor pressure in said tank lower than said one vapor pressure, said filter operated serially between hydrocarbon loading and hydrocarbon unloading cycles without reference to any other hydrocarbon removal apparatus. A balance nozzle includes a mechanism to mechanically operate a vapor valve therein before the fuel valve is opened.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A passive gasoline vapor treating system including; a hydrocarbon filter apparatus interconnected to a fuel tank having a range of vapor pressures therein over time, said filter apparatus configured to receive and load hydrocarbon vapors from said tank in response to one vapor pressure in said fu

1. A passive gasoline vapor treating system including; a hydrocarbon filter apparatus interconnected to a fuel tank having a range of vapor pressures therein over time, said filter apparatus configured to receive and load hydrocarbon vapors from said tank in response to one vapor pressure in said fuel tank, said filter apparatus being in direct fluid communication with the atmosphere and configured to deliver air from the atmosphere, and hydrocarbon vapor, to said tank in response to another vapor pressure in said tank lower than said one vapor pressure for unloading said filter, said filter configured to operate between hydrocarbon loading and hydrocarbon unloading cycles independently of any other hydrocarbon removal apparatus, the passage of air through said filter being in direct response to said vapor pressures; anda valve operatively coupled to a pressure sensor, wherein the valve is configured to be opened when the pressure sensor senses a sufficiently low pressure to enable air to flow from the atmosphere to the fuel tank via the filter. 2. A system as in claim 1 further including a hydrocarbon monitor operably connected to an outlet from said filter on an opposite side of said filter from its connection to said tank. 3. Apparatus for passively filtering hydrocarbon vapor in storage tank of a fuel, said apparatus including: a storage tank;a fuel dispenser interconnected to said tank for dispensing fuel therefrom and for passing hydrocarbon vapor back to said tank during said dispensing;an exhaust passage from said tank to atmosphere;a hydrocarbon filter in said exhaust passage operably interconnected directly to said tank for receiving hydrocarbon vapor from said tank at an upstream side of said filter, said filter being directly connected to and communicating with atmosphere at a downstream, opposite side of said filter;at least a first pressure sensor for sensing vapor pressure upstream of said filter;a vapor valve operatively positioned between said atmosphere and said tank; anda control for operating said valve in response to said sensing of vapor pressure, said control being operable to open said valve for flow of air through said filter in an upstream direction when the at least first pressure sensor senses a pressure that is below a predetermined value to unload said filter of hydrocarbon. 4. Apparatus as in claim 3 including a second pressure sensor for also sensing vapor pressure upstream of said filter, said first sensor for sensing a higher vapor pressure and said second sensor for securing a lower vapor pressure, said valve being open upon sensing vapor pressure below about −2.0 inches water column and upon sensing vapor pressure above about 0.20 inches water column. 5. The system of claim 1 further comprising a second pressure sensor operatively coupled to the valve, wherein the second pressure sensor is configured to open the valve when the second pressure sensor senses a sufficiently high pressure in the fuel tank to enable hydrocarbon vapor to flow from the tank to the filter apparatus. 6. The system of claim 1 wherein said valve is configured to generally be closed, blocking the flow of air and vapor between said tank and said filter, when said pressure sensor does not sense said sufficiently low pressure. 7. The system of claim 1 wherein said sufficiently low pressure sensed by said pressure sensor is pressure in said tank or in an area in direct fluid communication with said tank. 8. Apparatus for filtering hydrocarbon vapor in a storage tank for a fuel, said apparatus consisting of: a storage tank;a fuel dispenser interconnected to said tank for dispensing fuel therefrom and for passing hydrocarbon vapor through passages back to said tank during said dispensing;an exhaust passage from said tank to atmosphere;a single hydrocarbon filter operably connected between said tank and said atmosphere in said exhaust passage for receiving hydrocarbon vapor from said tank at an upstream side of said filter solely in response to one vapor pressure in said tank;an opposite outlet from said filter, communicating directly with atmosphere, at a downstream side of said filter;at least a first pressure sensor for sensing vapor pressure upstream of said filter;a vapor valve between said tank and said filter,a control for operating said valve in response to said sensing of vapor pressure upstream of said filter;said control being operable to open said valve for flow of air through said filter in an upstream direction when said sensor senses a second lower vapor pressure when fuel is dispensed from said tank and to unload said filter of hydrocarbon, and for flow of hydrocarbon vapor through said filter to said atmosphere from said tank upon sensing said first vapor pressure when fuel is not being dispensed to load said filter with hydrocarbon and thereby remove hydrocarbon from said hydrocarbon vapor emanating from said tank. 9. A passive gasoline vapor treating system comprising: a hydrocarbon filter interconnected to a fuel tank having a range of vapor pressures therein over time, said filter configured to receive and load hydrocarbon vapors from said tank in direct response to one vapor pressure in said fuel tank, said filter being in direct fluid communication with the atmosphere for delivering air from the atmosphere, and hydrocarbon vapor, to said tank in response to another vapor pressure in said tank lower than said one vapor pressure for unloading said filter, said filter being configured to pass hydrocarbon vapor and air between hydrocarbon loading and hydrocarbon unloading cycles independently of any other hydrocarbon removal apparatus, said filter being operative to remove hydrocarbon vapor from fluid flowing in one direction from said tank to atmosphere and to introduce air and hydrocarbon from said filter to said tank to unload hydrocarbon from said filter to said tank, upon fluid flowing in an opposite direction, and in the absence of any other filters and of any pumps; anda valve operatively coupled to a pressure sensor, wherein the valve is configured to be opened when the pressure sensor senses a sufficiently low pressure to enable air to flow from the atmosphere to the fuel tank via the filter. 10. A passive gasoline vapor treating system including: a hydrocarbon filter apparatus interconnected to a fuel tank having a range of vapor pressures therein over time and coupled to the atmosphere, said filter apparatus configured to receive and load hydrocarbon vapors from said tank for one vapor pressure in said fuel tank, said filter apparatus configured to deliver air from the atmosphere, and hydrocarbon vapor, to said tank responsive to another vapor pressure in said tank lower than said one vapor pressure for unloading said filter, said filter configured to operate in hydrocarbon loading and hydrocarbon unloading cycles without reference to any other hydrocarbon removal apparatus; anda valve operatively coupled to a pressure sensor, wherein the valve is configured to be opened when the pressure sensor senses a sufficiently low pressure to enable air to flow from the atmosphere to the fuel tank via the filter. 11. A system as in claim 10 wherein fluid passes in opposite directions through said filter solely in response to vapor pressure differentials on respective sides of said filter apparatus. 12. A system as in claim 10 which consists of only one said single filter apparatus. 13. Apparatus for filtering hydrocarbon vapor in storage tank of a fuel, said apparatus including: a storage tank;a fuel dispenser interconnected to said tank for dispensing fuel therefrom and for passing hydrocarbon vapor back to said tank during said dispensing;an exhaust passage from said tank to atmosphere;a hydrocarbon filter in said exhaust passage operably interconnected directly to said tank for receiving hydrocarbon vapor from said tank at an upstream side of said filter, said filter being directly connected to and communicating with atmosphere, at a downstream side of said filter;at least a first pressure sensor for sensing vapor pressure upstream of said filter;a vapor valve operatively positioned between said atmosphere and said tank; anda control for operating said valve in response to said sensing of vapor pressure; said control being operable to open said valve for flow of air through said filter in an upstream direction when the at least first pressure sensor senses a pressure that is below a predetermined value.