A wholesale gas discount card system allows an oil company to provide a uniform percentage discount across regions where the wholesale price per gallon varies and at the same time allows consumers to get a discount on the retail price per gallon of gas. The wholesale gas discount card system operates as a subscription system in which only subscribing consumers are able to receive discounts at participating retail gas stations. The discount is based upon a predetermined amount of the wholesale price component of the retail gas price per gallon, for example 5%. The percentage wholesale price discounts can vary depending on the gasoline type, i.e. regular, mid-range, premium and diesel. In this way, a wholesaler can control their price margin across regions with varying wholesale price components per gallon. Participating consumers can download a software application onto their smart phone that provides the locations of participating retail gas stations in a given area and the discounted retail gas prices per gallon. Once a retail station is selected, the consumer inserts a discount credit card into the gas dispenser. The system uses the account information from the credit card and the location of the gas pump to process the transaction as the consumer pumps gas into their vehicle. The gas is charged to their credit account. Based upon a predetermined discount, the total discounted cost of the transaction is determined back office and credited on the consumer's account and optionally displayed on the pump.

A fueling data collection unit associated with a fuel transfer apparatus and for use with a system for managing fueling transactions of a fleet operator using fuel transfer apparatuses at one or more locations includes a fueling data interface module and a temperature compensation module. The temperature compensation module compensates for a volume variance of the fuel as a result of temperature variance from the standard temperature data to determine a volume correction factor at the measured fuel temperature, while the temperature compensation module uses the measured fuel temperature to determine a compensated, more accurate volume and/or mass of fuel dispensed through the fuel meter. In this way, the fuel data collection unit can accurately measure the volume and/or mass of fuel being delivered. This allows the provider and the recipient to more accurately sell/buy what was actually delivered and can avoid over-filling a fueling order.

A product delivery system includes a product transport vehicle having at least a plurality of tank compartments, internal valves, control valves, fluid property sensors, temperature sensors, overfill sensors, pressure sensors, a system controller, and a memory module. The product delivery system may be operable to communicatively connect with the loading system at a loading station, a fleet management system, or a cloud system to obtain information, such as the amount of liquid product to be loaded into a tank compartment. The product delivery system may be operable to compare the volumes of the tank compartments with the amounts of liquid product to be loaded at a loading station and maintain the internal valve or control valve in a locked state or transition the internal valve or control valve to an unlocked state based on the comparison. Other comparisons based on liquid type or distribution tank volume can also be made.

A fuel dispenser may include a transceiver for wireless communication with a transceiver on a vehicle in order to receive vehicle information about a vehicle in response to a transceiver on the vehicle coming into a wireless communication range of the transceiver of the fuel dispenser. The vehicle information may be used to identify at least one fuel type that is suitable for the vehicle and the fuel dispenser may be prevented from dispensing a fuel type other than the at least one identified fuel type. The vehicle may also request a specific amount of fuel. A fuel transaction is complete when the amount of fuel dispensed reaches the requested amount or when an automatic shut-off mechanism is triggered.

A method for processing water and a control apparatus are provided. According to the method, a processor in communication with an apparatus for processing water may determine a water usage amount for an object; determine water usage time for the object; calculate time required for water preparation according to the water usage amount, a water preparation speed of the apparatus for processing water and a current amount of residual water; and determine time of starting water preparation according to the time required for water preparation and the water usage time.

An improved fluid transfer accuracy, information collection, and overall management. A system may utilize a pump to transfer fluid from a source to a target vessel, a meter for measuring an amount of fluid transferred, a density meter to detect actual fluid density, and a control unit to determine actual fluid transfer amount based on density. As an example, a fluid flow meter can be coupled with a flow conduit to determine fluid volume, along with the density meter to detect real-time density of transferred fluid. During a fluid transfer event, such as aircraft refueling, LPG fueling, or other refined fuels or valuable liquids, fluid volume can be converted to fluid weight in real-time based on actual density. The real-time fluid weight can be used to determine if a target fluid weight has been reached, and fluid flow can be shut off at the appropriate time.

A liquid transfer apparatus and a control method thereof are provided. The liquid transfer apparatus includes a first auxiliary cover, a second auxiliary cover, a transfer tube and a breathing pipe. The first auxiliary cover is configured to cover a container for holding a liquid to be transferred; and the second auxiliary cover is configured to cover a target container. One end of the transfer tube runs through the first auxiliary cover and the other end runs through the second auxiliary cover. One end of the breathing pipe runs through the first auxiliary cover and the other end is configured to introduce nitrogen, or an inert gas, so that the liquid in the container for holding the liquid to be transferred can be transferred to the target container through the transfer tube.

A fluid dispenser system is disclosed herein that is configured to switch between an open position in which fluid flows through a fluid channel and a closed position in which fluid is prevented from flowing through the fluid channel. The fluid dispenser system includes a valve disposed along the fluid channel and configured to move between the open valve position and the closed valve position, a trigger actuatable between an open trigger position and a closed trigger position which move the valve between the open valve position and the closed valve position, a trigger latch configured to move between a latched position in which the trigger latch fixes the trigger in the open trigger position and an unlatched position in which the trigger latch does not constrain movement of the trigger, and a solenoid with a solenoid pin. The solenoid is configured to translate the solenoid pin between an extended position capable of retaining the trigger latch in the latched position and a retracted position that allows the trigger latch to move into the unlatched position.

A bulk windshield washer fluid vending system. The system includes a storage tank for storing fluid, a controller communicatively connected to the fluid storage tank for managing flow of fluid from the fluid storage tank, a fluid flow line connected to the controller, and a vending mechanism connected to the fluid flow line and disposed at a predetermined location remote from the fluid storage tank for actuation by a customer.

The present application provides an automated beverage dispenser for dispensing a beverage and ice into a cup. The automated beverage dispenser may include an ice dispensing station with an ice auger and a weight sensor, a beverage dispensing station, and a control device. The control device instructs the ice auger to fill the cup with a predetermined amount of ice and instructs the beverage dispensing station to fill the cup with a predetermined amount of the beverage in response to a weight of the cup as determined by the weight sensor.