Disclosed is a valve apparatus of a urea tank for a vehicle, the valve apparatus configured such that a urea solution injection pipe is flexibly bent and has a float so that a urea injection valve provided at the urea solution injection pipe is prevented from being immersed in the urea solution in the urea tank. Thus, the urea solution can be prevented from being damaged upon freezing in a winter season. Further, when a urea solution is injected, the urea solution injection pipe is straightened by flow pressure of the urea solution such that the float is forced to be immersed in the urea solution in the urea tank, and accordingly the urea solution injection valve is immersed therein. Thus, the urea solution can be efficiently injected into the urea tank.

A multiply-redundant system that prevents a driver from starting and/or moving a vehicle if a compressed natural gas fill system is not correctly and completely disconnected from the vehicle. One or more sensors in combination with one or more optional microswitches combine to lock-out the vehicle's ignition or otherwise prevent it from starting and/or moving. For different levels of safety, different combinations of sensors can be used with the lowest level having a single proximity sensor sensing the presence or absence of a high-pressure fill hose. The highest level of safety being achieved by having separate proximity sensors on the fuel fill hose fitting, the gas cap cover and a manual safety valve along with a redundant microswitch. An optional override that may be restricted as to the number of times it can be used can allow starting with a faulty sensor in order to allow maintenance.

In one aspect, the invention relates to a system for monitoring a fluid dispensing system having a storage tank and a piping system having a maximum output flow rate threshold. The system includes a dispenser configured to dispense fluid from the fluid dispensing system during a dispensing time interval, a metering device in fluid communication with piping system, the metering device configured to measure a plurality of sample flow rates over time in response to fluid passing through the metering device, a gauge for measuring a volume of fluid dispensed from the storage tank during the dispensing time interval and a processor for executing a monitoring application which generates an alert within a substantially real-time period in response to an event of interest, the monitoring application comparing the maximum output flow rate threshold to the plurality of sample flow rates over time to generate the alert when one of the sample flow rates exceeds the maximum output flow rate threshold.

An apparatus, including a monitor system which includes a microphone, a first power supply, and a transmitter which transmits a first audible sound, indicative of a normal flow of fluid into a tank, or transmits a second audible sound, indicative of a need to cease a flow of the fluid into the tank; an attachment device to which the monitor system or the microphone is attached and which is attached to a ventilation pipe or an object in a vicinity of the ventilation pipe; and a receiver system which includes a receiver, which receives the first audible sound or the second audible sound, a second power supply, and a speaker which provides a first audio output, indicative of the first audible sound, or a second audio output indicative of the second audible sound. The speaker outputs the first audio output or outputs the second audio output.

An apparatus, including a monitor system including a microphone, first power supply; and transmitter which transmits a first sound indicative of a normal flow of a fluid into a tank and a second sound indicative of a need to cease the flow of the fluid; an attachment device, wherein the monitor system or microphone is attached to the attachment device, and the attachment device is attached to, or attached to an object in a vicinity of, a ventilation pipe; and a receiver system which is headset, earpiece, wearable device, or handheld device, which includes a housing; receiver which receives the first sound or second sound; second power supply; and speaker. The speaker outputs the first audio output indicative of the normal flow of the fluid into the tank and outputs the second audible sound indicative of the need to cease the flow of the fluid.

A hydrogen gas supply system comprises a storing unit that stores hydrogen, a communication unit that receives at least either of burden information indicative of an environmental burden exerted during manufacturing of hydrogen externally received by the storing unit and quality information indicative of quality with respect to the hydrogen externally received by the storing unit, a user interface unit that provides an output in accordance with the at least either of the burden information and the quality information with respect to the hydrogen supplied from the storing unit to the user, and a controller that controls the user interface unit based on an amount of the hydrogen received by the storing unit and the at least either of the burden information and the quality information, which is received by the communication unit.

Disclosed herein is a system and method for reporting fuel quality or fuel equipment status, more specifically, systems and methods for detecting and reporting quality, contaminates, cleanliness, and/or free or emulsified water in fuel, as well as the status of a fuel dispenser or dispensing fuel filter. The fuel quality or fuel equipment status may be reported in real time, or near real time, to a remote device or system for further analysis.

A system for managing beverage sales and inventory, and for enabling customers to pour their own beverages while preventing shrinkage is disclosed. The system enables a user to access a beverage from a beverage dispenser by presenting a beverage-pour tracking device. The beverage dispenser can prevent a user from accessing the beverage without the beverage-pour tracking device. Further, the system can confirm whether the user is permitted to access the beverage dispenser before enabling the user to access the dispenser.

A fuel filling apparatus and method for a bi-fuel vehicle using both gasoline and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) as a fuel are provided to. The fuel filling apparatus and method are capable of temporarily burning a portion of LPG fuel after collecting the fuel portion, using a gasoline fuel tank and a canister, when the internal pressure of an LPG fuel tank in the bi-fuel vehicle is equal to or greater than an LPG filling pressure of a filling gun. Additionally, the internal pressure of the LPG fuel tank is decreased to a level below the LPG filling pressure of the filling gun, thereby achieving smoother LPG fuel filling of the LPG fuel tank by the filling gun.

A multiply-redundant system that prevents a driver from starting and/or moving a vehicle if a compressed natural gas fill system is not correctly and completely disconnected from the vehicle. One or more sensors in combination with one or more optional microswitches combine to lock-out the vehicle's ignition or otherwise prevent it from starting and/or moving. For different levels of safety, different combinations of sensors can be used with the lowest level having a single proximity sensor sensing the presence or absence of a high-pressure fill hose. The highest level of safety being achieved by having separate proximity sensors on the fuel fill hose fitting, the gas cap cover and a manual safety valve along with a redundant microswitch. An optional override that may be restricted as to the number of times it can be used can allow starting with a faulty sensor in order to allow maintenance.