Method of dissolving a gaseous hydrocarbon into a liquid hydrocarbon

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a method of dissolving a gaseous hydrocarbon into a liquid hydrocarbon to re-circulate gaseous components, which have separated from the liquid fuel mixture, back into the liquid fuel mixture, as well as, a method for making batch or continuous process amounts of mixed hydrocarbon fuels. The mixed hydrocarbon fuel is produced by introducing a volume of a liquid hydrocarbon into a vessel, and introducing a volume of a gaseous hydrocarbon into the vessel by bubbling the gaseous hydrocarbon into the liquid hydrocarbon at a gravitational low point of the vessel such that the bubbled gaseous hydrocarbon is dissolved into the liquid hydrocarbon to produce a liquid fuel solution. The vessel may be a mixing tank from which the liquid fuel is pumped into a vehicle fuel tank, or the vessel may be the vehicle fuel tank.

1 . A method of mixing a two phase fuel mixture comprising a vapor component and a liquid component in a vessel to reduce stratification of the fuel mixture, the method comprising: 
 withdrawing at least a portion of the vapor component of the mixture from the vessel; and    re-introducing the withdrawn vapor component into the vessel by bubbling the withdrawn vapor component into the liquid component of the fuel mixture at a gravitational low point of the vessel such that the bubbled vapor component is dissolved into the liquid component and the fuel mixture is sufficiently agitated to effectively mix the two phase fuel mixture.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the vapor component is bubbled into the liquid component of the fuel mixture at a downward angle of from about 5 degrees to about 45 degrees relative to a vertical axis of the vessel.  
     
     
         3 . A method of mixing a two phase fuel mixture comprising a vapor component and a liquid component in a vessel to reduce stratification of the fuel mixture, the method comprising the steps of: 
 withdrawing at least a portion of the vapor component of the mixture from the vessel; and    re-introducing the withdrawn vapor component into the vessel by bubbling the withdrawn vapor component into the liquid component of the fuel mixture in a downward direction such that the bubbled vapor component is dissolved into the liquid component and the fuel mixture is sufficiently agitated to effectively mix the two phase fuel mixture.    
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3  wherein the vapor component is bubbled into the liquid component of the fuel mixture at a downward angle of from about 5 degrees to about 45 degrees relative to a vertical axis of the vessel.  
     
     
         5 . A method of producing a liquid fuel solution, the method comprising: 
 introducing a volume of a liquid hydrocarbon into a fuel storage tank mounted on a vehicle to provide fuel to the vehicle; and    introducing a volume of a gaseous hydrocarbon into the vessel by bubbling the gaseous hydrocarbon into the liquid hydrocarbon at a gravitational low point of the vessel such that the bubbled gaseous hydrocarbon is dissolved into the liquid hydrocarbon to produce a liquid fuel solution.    
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5  wherein the gaseous hydrocarbon is bubbled into the liquid hydrocarbon at a downward angle of from about 5 degrees to about 45 degrees relative to a vertical axis of the fuel storage tank.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5  wherein the liquid hydrocarbon is propane and wherein the gaseous hydrocarbon is methane.  
     
     
         8 . A method of fueling a vehicle, the method comprising: 
 introducing a volume of a liquid hydrocarbon into a mixing tank; and    (a) introducing a volume of a gaseous hydrocarbon into the mixing tank by bubbling the gaseous hydrocarbon into the liquid hydrocarbon at a gravitational low point of the vessel such that the bubbled gaseous hydrocarbon is dissolved into the liquid hydrocarbon to produce a liquid fuel solution;    (b) introducing a second volume of the gaseous hydrocarbon into a fuel storage tank mounted on a vehicle to provide fuel to the vehicle; and    (c) passing a volume of the liquid fuel solution from the mixing tank and introducing the liquid fuel solution into the fuel storage tank.    
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8  wherein the gaseous hydrocarbon is bubbled into the liquid hydrocarbon at a downward angle of from about 5 degrees to about 45 degrees relative to a vertical axis of the mixing tank.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8  wherein the second volume of gaseous hydrocarbon introduced into the fuel storage tank is sufficient to pressurize the fuel storage tank to prevent flash vaporization of the liquid fuel solution upon the liquid fuel solution being introduced into the fuel storage tank.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10  wherein the fuel storage tank is pressurized to about 1,000 psig by the second volume of gaseous hydrocarbon.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 8  wherein the liquid hydrocarbon is propane and wherein the gaseous hydrocarbon is methane.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 8  wherein the mixing tank includes an open loop connecting a top of the mixing tank with a bottom of the mixing tank and wherein the method further comprises: 
 sensing the level of the liquid hydrocarbon in the open loop to determine the level of liquid hydrocarbon in the mixing tank.    
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 8  wherein steps (a)-(c) are performed automatically.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14  further comprising using a ladder logic algorithm.  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 8  wherein the liquid hydrocarbon and the liquid fuel solution are conveyed with a hydraulically driven piston pump.  
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16  wherein the hydraulically driven piston pump is controlled by a programmable logic controller.  
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 8  further comprising: 
 determining the amount of liquid fuel solution in the vehicle fuel tank prior to passing liquid fuel solution into the vehicle fuel tank.    
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18  wherein the step of determining the amount of liquid fuel solution further comprises: 
 venting a fixed volume of vapor from the vehicle fuel tank; and    measuring the pressure of the vented vapor.