Patent ID: 7832434

Claim:
An automated system for conducting a filling operation to fill a bulk liquid transport vehicle with a bulk liquid comprising: a pressure transducer for generating a pressure signal referable to pressure within a fill line providing flow communication with a source of the bulk liquid to the bulk liquid transport vehicle; a fill valve operable to be set in an open position and a closed position to control the flow of bulk liquid in the fill line; a pump to pump liquid through the fill line; a gas analyzer connected to the bulk liquid transport vehicle by an instrument line to analyze vapor evolved from the bulk liquid within the bulk liquid transport vehicle; and a programmable logic controller responsive to the pressure signal and controlling operation of the fill valve and the gas analyzer, thereby to control the filling operation, the programmable logic controller programmed such that: the filling operation is terminated if the pressure is below a first pressure indicative of a lack of flow integrity between the source of the bulk liquid and the bulk liquid transport vehicle; pressurization of the bulk liquid transport vehicle is initiated if the pressure is above the first pressure but below a second pressure necessary for the gas analyzer to properly function by setting the fill valve in the open position and thereafter, closing the fill valve after an elapse of a preset time interval, thereby to introduce an amount of the bulk liquid into the bulk liquid transport vehicle through the fill line; measurement of purity of the vapor with the gas analyzer is initiated if the pressure is above the second pressure and the filling operation is terminated if the purity of the vapor is below a predetermined purity; and the filling of the bulk liquid transport vehicle with the bulk liquid is initiated by setting the pump in the on condition if the purity of the vapor is at least at the predetermined purity.