Fuel dispenser (100) comprising: a fluid inlet (105IN) for receiving fuel from a fuel source, a fluid outlet (105OUT) and a conduit (110) disposed therebetween; inspection means (152) for inspecting the fuel within the conduit (110), the inspection means (152) being configured to provide an output indicative of a type of fuel in the conduit (110); valve means (120) operable selectively to prevent or allow flow of fluid through the conduit (110) from the fluid inlet (105IN) to the fluid outlet (105OUT); and control means (150) configured automatically to cause the valve means (120) to prevent or allow flow of fuel through the conduit (110) in dependence on the output of the fuel inspection means (152) and permitted fluid information, the permitted fluid information being information indicative of a type of fuel that is to be permitted to flow through the conduit (110), the apparatus (100) comprising an electrical generator (140) configured to generate electrical power to charge a charge storage device in response to flow of fluid through the apparatus (100) during an operation in which fluid flows from the fluid inlet (105IN) to the fluid outlet (105OUT) via the conduit (110), the charge storage device being arranged to provide a supply of electrical power for the apparatus.

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.

Fuel dispenser (100) comprising: a fluid inlet (105IN) for receiving fuel from a fuel source, a fluid outlet (105OUT) and a conduit (110) disposed therebetween; inspection means (152) for inspecting the fuel within the conduit (110), the inspection means (152) being configured to provide an output indicative of a type of fuel in the conduit (110); valve means (120) operable selectively to prevent or allow flow of fluid through the conduit (110) from the fluid inlet (105IN) to the fluid outlet (105OUT); and control means (150) configured automatically to cause the valve means (120) to prevent or allow flow of fuel through the conduit (110) in dependence on the output of the fuel inspection means (152) and permitted fluid information, the permitted fluid information being information indicative of a type of fuel that is to be permitted to flow through the conduit (110), the apparatus (100) comprising an electrical generator (140) configured to generate electrical power to charge a charge storage device in response to flow of fluid through the apparatus (100) during an operation in which fluid flows from the fluid inlet (105IN) to the fluid outlet (105OUT) via the conduit (110), the charge storage device being arranged to provide a supply of electrical power for the apparatus.

A system for tracking fuel in a fuel distribution network is provided. The system includes a plurality of tracking devices disposed at a plurality of fuel transport locations including a supplier fuel storage location, a mobile fuel storage location, a stationary fuel storage location and a vehicle fuel location, wherein each tracking device is configured to read in real time the digital tag by receiving a radiation emission spectrum associated with the fuel identification information as the fuel is transported through the plurality of fuel transfer locations. The digital tag includes information about the fuel.

An optical fluid sensor (OFS) is disclosed that includes a body defining a chamber and having one or more apertures to allow a fluid to enter the chamber, a light source optically coupled to the chamber and configured to emit light into the chamber, and a detector optically coupled to the chamber and configured to receive light from the chamber. The light source may emit IR, visible, and UV light into the chamber, and the detector may measure an intensity of one or more wavelengths of IR or visible light received by the detector. When fluid is disposed within the chamber, the light emitted by the light source may pass into and through the fluid disposed in the chamber before being received by the detector. A crossover protection system is also disclosed that includes an OFS for determining a transported liquid type.

A product delivery vehicle system includes a product delivery vehicle with at least one tank compartment. The system includes an internal valve fluidly coupled to the tank compartment, a control valve, and an air system comprising a main air valve and a solenoid valve fluidly coupled to the main air valve and to the internal valve. The solenoid valve is operable to open and close the internal valve. The system includes an electronic control unit communicatively coupled to the control valve, the main air valve, and the solenoid valve. The system includes a tank tag reader operable to read a tank tag and transmit a tank tag indicator associated with the tank tag, the tank tag indicator indicative of a stored liquid type in a distribution tank. The electronic control unit may maintain the internal valve closed and the control valve locked when a product type mismatch is detected.

A product delivery vehicle system includes a product delivery vehicle with at least one tank compartment. The system includes an internal valve fluidly coupled to the tank compartment, a control valve, and an air system comprising a main air valve and a solenoid valve fluidly coupled to the main air valve and to the internal valve. The solenoid valve is operable to open and close the internal valve. The system includes an electronic control unit communicatively coupled to the control valve, the main air valve, and the solenoid valve. The system includes a tank tag reader operable to read a tank tag and transmit a tank tag indicator associated with the tank tag, the tank tag indicator indicative of a stored liquid type in a distribution tank. The electronic control unit may maintain the internal valve closed and the control valve locked when a product type mismatch is detected.

A product delivery vehicle system includes a product delivery vehicle with at least one tank compartment. The system includes an internal valve fluidly coupled to the tank compartment, a control valve, and an air system comprising a main air valve and a solenoid valve fluidly coupled to the main air valve and to the internal valve. The solenoid valve is operable to open and close the internal valve. The system includes an electronic control unit communicatively coupled to the control valve, the main air valve, and the solenoid valve. The system includes a tank tag reader operable to read a tank tag and transmit a tank tag indicator associated with the tank tag, the tank tag indicator indicative of a stored liquid type in a distribution tank. The electronic control unit may maintain the internal valve closed and the control valve locked when a product type mismatch is detected.

A fuel analyzer for a fuel dispensing environment is provided including an ultrasonic transmitter configured to transmit an ultrasonic signal through a volume of fuel, an ultrasonic receiver configured to receive the ultrasonic signal, and processing circuitry. The processing circuitry is configured to receive an indication of transmission of the ultrasonic signal from the ultrasonic transmitter, receive an indication of receipt of the ultrasonic signal from the ultrasonic receiver, determine a time of flight of the ultrasonic signal, and determine a fuel purity based on the time of flight of the ultrasonic signal.

The invention includes a device (205) which prevents situations of fueling incorrect or poor-quality fuels to the tanks during fueling to the storage tanks (210) at fueling stations (200), by analyzing fuel quality and fuel type considering many physical parameters with the help of a sensor (504) that is consist of mechanical resonators, and a smart fueling elbow which has mobile characteristics making possible for the user to carry the elbow to the usage field.