Patent ID: 6179163
Filing Date: 2001-01-30
Classification: B01D,B67D

Abstract:
A fuel dispensing system for drawing liquid-state fuel from a storage tank to a nozzle, said dispensing system including:a pump adapted to be connected to the storage tank for drawing fuel from the storage tank and for producing a fuel stream;an air separator for receiving the fuel stream from said pump, said air separator configured to remove gaseous fluids from the fuel stream so as to produce a gas-removed fuel stream and a gas stream containing air and/or fuel;an air eliminator having an air elimination chamber for receiving the gas stream from said air separator, said air elimination chamber having a first port through which liquid state fuel in the air elimination chamber is flowed to said pump and a second port through which air in the air elimination chamber is vented to an ambient environment;a discharge conduit through which the gas-removed fuel stream from said air separator is flowed to the nozzle for discharge;a transducer connected to the air elimination chamber for monitoring the rate of air flow through the second port of the air elimination chamber into the ambient environment; anda fuel shut-off assembly connected to said transducer for regulating fuel flow through said discharge conduit, wherein, when said transducer indicates that the air flow through the second port of the air elimination chamber exceeds a given rate, said fuel shut-off assembly prevents fluid flow from said discharge conduit to the nozzle.