Patent ID: 7597115
Filing Date: 2009-10-06
Classification: B63B,B67D,F17C,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A method for reducing evaporation of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) or other gases during filling of a storage or transport tank with liquid petroleum product, the method comprising the steps of: providing a feed pipe having a discharge end and a selected cross sectional area; providing an elongated loading column having an open interior that provides an unobstructed flow path for the liquid petroleum product, the loading column having a lower end portion that discharges to the inside of the tank, an upper end portion that is connected to the discharge end of the feed pipe, and a middle portion having a selected cross sectional area; selecting the cross sectional area of the middle portion such that the value F in the formula  is less than 0.45 at the middle portion, wherein V is the velocity in meters per second filling the tank by discharging petroleum product from the feed pipe to the upper end portion of the loading column; wherein the discharge end of the feed pipe is tangentially connected to the upper end portion of the loading column and comprising the step of leading the petroleum product tangentially into the middle portion of the loading column to produce a helical flow pattern for the petroleum product as it travels through the loading column; wherein the interior of the loading column is isolated from the atmosphere outside of the tank to prevent the pressure inside the loading column from falling below the boiling pressure of the discharged petroleum product; wherein the lower end portion of the loading column has an internal diameter that is less than the internal diameter of the middle portion of the loading column; wherein the lower end portion of the loading column has an outlet configured to ensure a substantially laminar flow of petroleum product into the tank.