Patent ID: 8475966

Claim:
An apparatus for recovering a hydrocarbon vapor emanating from a source, comprising: an input conduit having an input coupling for connecting to the source; a compressor having a compressor input and a compressor output for compressing the hydrocarbon vapor; an input manifold interconnecting said input conduit to said compressor input; an output manifold connected to said compressor output; a fuel cell for generating electrical power by processing the hydrocarbon vapor; an output conduit interconnecting said output manifold to said fuel cell for providing hydrocarbon vapor to fuel said fuel cell; an electrical connector for directing electrical power from said fuel cell to drive said compressor; a storage tank having a storage tank input and a storage tank liquid output; a second output conduit interconnecting said compressor output to said storage tank input for storing excess compressed vapor in said storage tank for subsequent use by said fuel cell; and a vaporizer interconnecting said storage tank liquid output to said fuel cell for vaporizing said hydrocarbon liquid into a hydrocarbon vapor for said fuel cell.