A hydrocarbon dispensation line pressure sensor adapted to work without requirement of a separate closed valve. The system closes the dispensation line upstream via an isolation valve. The pressure can be sensed from the dispensation line through the valve to provide dispensation line pressure. A channel in fluid communication with the dispensation line may be provided to allow pressure measurement apart from the main dispensation line. Further, a method for measuring the pressure drop profile of a dispensation line and various methods to determine the pressure loss due to leaks in dispensation line.

A fuel dispensing system includes a fuel tank adapted to contain a quantity of fuel. A fuel dispenser in is fluid communication with the fuel tank via piping. A pump is operative to transfer fuel from the fuel tank to the fuel dispenser. A corrosive detection assembly operative to identify presence of a corrosive substance in the fuel is also provided. The corrosive detection assembly has at least one thermoelectric detector positioned to be in contact with fuel vapor in the fuel dispensing system, the thermoelectric detector producing a detector signal indicating presence of the corrosive substance. Electronics are in electrical communication with the thermoelectric detector, the electronics being operative to interpret the detector signal and produce an output if the corrosive substance is present. The at least one thermoelectric detector may comprises a plurality of thermoelectric detectors at different locations in the fuel dispensing system.

A fuel dispenser includes a fuel nozzle configured to be connected to a vehicle fuel system, fuel piping configured to transfer fuel from at least one fuel storage tank associated with the fuel dispenser through the fuel nozzle into the vehicle fuel system, and a fraud detection valve apparatus. The fraud detection valve apparatus includes a cutoff valve configured to selectively prevent flow of fuel, a flow sensor configured to sense a flow of fuel, and processing circuity. The processing circuitry is configured to receive an indication of flow of fuel through the fuel flow control valve apparatus, determine an authorization status, and in response to a determination of no authorization during flow, cause the cutoff valve apparatus to close.

A tank simulator apparatus includes: a piping flowpath configured to receive a flow of a gas, the piping flowpath defining a buffer volume and including a receptacle for receiving gas flow at an upstream end thereof; a pressure transducer disposed in flow communication with the piping flowpath, the pressure transducer being configured to measure a pressure of the gas and generate a signal representative thereof; a pressure regulator disposed in flow communication with the piping flowpath and configured to maintain the pressure of the gas at a setpoint value; and an electronic controller operably connected to the pressure transducer and the pressure regulator, the electronic controller programmed to feed a time-varying setpoint value to the pressure regulator, the setpoint value following a tank profile representative of a tank having a predetermined volume.

Data characterizing a fuel storage facility can be received from one or more of a plurality of sensors disposed in the fuel storage facility. A fuel leak prediction for the fuel storage facility can be determined by a server, based on the received data, and further based on at least one predictive model that predicts whether a fuel leak exists in the fuel storage facility. The fuel leak prediction can be provided by the server. Related apparatus, systems, methods, techniques, and articles are also described.

An automated liquid inventory monitoring and inventory reconciliation system. The system uses a liquid densitometer to precisely measure the density of liquid being dispensed. This allows the system to account for the significant temperature-induced volume variations existing in common liquids such as gasoline. In the preferred embodiments, a fuel inventory processor tracks the quantity of fuel loaded into the tank and the quantity of fuel dispensed to maintain an ongoing computation of the quantity of fuel that should be present in the tank. An accurate tank depth measurement device is also employed. The processor compares the tank depth measurement to the computed quantity of fuel in the tank and uses the values to create an updated tank strapping chart.

An automated liquid inventory monitoring and inventory reconciliation system. The system uses a liquid densitometer to precisely measure the density of liquid being dispensed. This allows the system to account for the significant temperature-induced volume variations existing in common liquids such as gasoline. In the preferred embodiments, a fuel inventory processor tracks the quantity of fuel loaded into the tank and the quantity of fuel dispensed to maintain an ongoing computation of the quantity of fuel that should be present in the tank. An accurate tank depth measurement device is also employed. The processor compares the tank depth measurement to the computed quantity of fuel in the tank and uses the values to create an updated tank strapping chart.

A method for calibrating a filling system is disclosed. In a first calibration step, a calibration of a calibration variable of a first flow or level measuring device is performed at a first calibration point. In a first deviation determination step, the first control and evaluation unit of the measuring device determines an average deviation of the calibration variable from a desired value. In a first correction step, the first control and evaluation unit corrects a calibration parameter taking into account the determined deviation. In a first transmission step, the first control and evaluation unit transmits the determined deviation and/or the corrected calibration parameter to the second control and evaluation unit. In a first adaptation step, the second control and evaluation unit corrects a calibration parameter at a first calibration point, taking into account the deviation transmitted by the first control and evaluation unit or the transmitted calibration parameter.

In one aspect, fuel inventory data characterizing a level of fuel stored at a fuel storage facility can be received from a sensor in operable communication with the fuel storage facility. Flow meter data characterizing an amount of fuel dispensed from the fuel storage facility by a fuel dispenser nozzle can be received from a flow meter in fluid communication with the fuel dispenser nozzle and the fuel storage facility. Fuel transaction data characterizing the dispensing of fuel by the fuel dispenser nozzle and the dispensing of the fuel by one or more additional fuel dispenser nozzles in fluid communication with the fuel storage facility can be received. An estimate of meter drift characterizing a change in calibration of the flow meter can be determined based on the fuel inventory data, the flow meter data, and the fuel transaction data. The estimate of meter drift can be provided.

Data characterizing a fuel storage facility can be received from one or more of a plurality of sensors disposed in the fuel storage facility. A fuel leak prediction for the fuel storage facility can be determined by a server, based on the received data, and further based on at least one predictive model that predicts whether a fuel leak exists in the fuel storage facility. The fuel leak prediction can be provided by the server. Related apparatus, systems, methods, techniques, and articles are also described.