Method and apparatus for limiting acidic corrosion in fuel delivery systems

Abstract

A method and apparatus are provided for monitoring a fuel delivery system to limit acidic corrosion. An exemplary monitoring system includes a controller, at least one monitor, and an output. The monitoring system may collect and analyze data indicative of a corrosive environment in the fuel delivery system. The monitoring system may also automatically warn an operator of the fueling station of the corrosive environment so that the operator can take preventative or corrective action.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A fuel delivery system comprising:
 a storage tank containing a fuel product; 
 a fuel delivery line in communication with the storage tank and with a fuel dispenser for dispensing the fuel product to a consumer; 
 at least one monitor that collects data indicative of a corrosive environment in the fuel delivery system, wherein the at least one monitor is an electrical monitor comprising: 
 a target material configured to be exposed to a sample from the fuel delivery system; 
 an energy source directing an electrical current through the target material; and 
 a sensor configured to detect a decrease in the electrical current through the target material, the decrease in electrical current indicating the presence of a corrosive environment in the fuel delivery system; and 
 a controller in communication with the at least one monitor to receive collected data from the at least one monitor, the controller being programmed to issue a warning based on the collected data from the at least one monitor, wherein the controller is programmed to issue the warning based on a decrease in the electrical current through the target material. 
 
     
     
       2. The fuel delivery system of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one underground sump that houses a portion of the fuel delivery line, wherein the at least one monitor is positioned in the at least one underground sump to collect data regarding at least one of a liquid or a vapor sample present in the at least one underground sump. 
     
     
       3. The fuel delivery system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one monitor is positioned in the storage tank to collect data regarding at least one of the fuel product or a vapor present in the storage tank. 
     
     
       4. The fuel delivery system of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is programmed to issue: a first warning when the at least one monitor measures a relatively low corrosion level; and a second warning more severe than the first warning when the at least one monitor measures a relatively high corrosion level. 
     
     
       5. The fuel delivery system of  claim 1 , wherein the target material comprises at least one material susceptible to acidic corrosion selected from the group consisting of copper and low carbon steel. 
     
     
       6. A method of monitoring the fuel delivery system of  claim 1 , the method comprising the steps of: directing the fuel product from the storage tank to the fuel dispenser via the fuel delivery line collecting data indicative of a corrosive environment in the fuel delivery system with the monitor; and issuing the warning based on the collected data. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 6 , wherein said collecting step further comprises: drawing the sample from the fuel the delivery system; and testing the drawn sample to measure a property indicative of the presence of a corrosive environment. 
     
     
       8. A fuel delivery system comprising:
 a storage tank containing a fuel product; 
 a fuel delivery line in communication with the storage tank and with a fuel dispenser for dispensing the fuel product to a consumer; 
 at least one monitor that collects positioned in a vapor space of the fuel delivery system, the at least one monitor configured to collect data indicative of a corrosive environment in a vapor sample from the vapor space of the fuel delivery system, wherein the at least one monitor is an electrical monitor comprising:
 at least two opposing, charged metal plates; and 
 a sensor operatively connected to the two opposing, charged metal plates configured to determine a measured value of an electrical property of a the vapor sample from the vapor space of the fuel delivery system positioned between the at least two opposing, charged metal plates, the electrical property having a predetermined value indicating the presence of a corrosive environment in the vapor space of the fuel delivery system; and 
 
 a controller in communication with the at least one monitor to receive collected data from the at least one monitor, the controller being programmed to issue a warning indicating the presence of the corrosive environment in the vapor space of the fuel delivery system based on the collected data from the at least one monitor, wherein the controller is programmed to issue the warning based on a comparison of the predetermined value and the measured value of the electrical property. 
 
     
     
       9. The fuel delivery system of  claim 8 , further comprising at least one underground sump that houses a portion of the fuel delivery line, wherein the at least one monitor is positioned in the vapor space of the at least one underground sump to collect data regarding at least one of a liquid or a vapor sample present in the at least one underground sump. 
     
     
       10. The fuel delivery system of  claim 8 , wherein the at least one monitor is positioned in the vapor space of the storage tank to collect data regarding at least one of the fuel product or a vapor present in the storage tank. 
     
     
       11. The fuel delivery system of  claim 8 , wherein the controller is programmed to issue: a first warning when the at least one monitor measures a relatively low corrosion level; and a second warning more severe than the first warning when the at least one monitor measures a relatively high corrosion level. 
     
     
       12. A method of monitoring the fuel delivery system of  claim 8 , the method comprising the steps of:
 directing the fuel product from the storage tank to the fuel dispenser via the fuel delivery line; 
 collecting data indicative of a the corrosive environment in the vapor space of the fuel delivery system with the monitor; and 
 issuing the warning based on the collected data. 
 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 12 , wherein said collecting step further comprises:
 drawing the vapor sample from the vapor space of the fuel delivery system; and 
 testing the drawn vapor sample to measure a property indicative of the presence of a the corrosive environment. 
 
     
     
       14. A fuel delivery system comprising:
 a storage tank containing a fuel product;   a fuel delivery line in communication with the storage tank and with a fuel dispenser for dispensing the fuel product to a consumer;   at least one monitor that collects data indicative of a corrosive environment in the fuel delivery system, wherein the at least one monitor is a microbial monitor comprising:   a microbial detector configured to expose a sample from the fuel delivery system to a flurogenic enzyme substrate and measure a concentration of fluorescence produced from bacteria cleaved to the flurogenic enzyme substrate, where the concentration of fluorescence having a predetermined value indicating the presence of a corrosive environment in the fuel delivery system; and   a controller in communication with the at least one monitor to receive collected data from the at least one monitor, the controller being programmed to issue a warning based on the collected data from the at least one monitor, wherein the controller is programmed to issue the warning based on the measured concentration of fluorescence.   
     
     
       15. The fuel delivery system of  claim 14 , further comprising at least one underground sump that houses a portion of the fuel delivery line, wherein the at least one monitor is positioned in the at least one underground sump to collect data regarding at least one of a liquid or a vapor sample present in the at least one underground sump. 
     
     
       16. The fuel delivery system of  claim 14 , wherein the at least one monitor is positioned in the storage tank to collect data regarding at least one of the fuel product or a vapor present in the storage tank. 
     
     
       17. The fuel delivery system of  claim 14 , wherein the controller is programmed to issue: a first warning when the at least one monitor measures a relatively low corrosion level; and a second warning more severe than the first warning when the at least one monitor measures a relatively high corrosion level. 
     
     
       18. A method of monitoring the fuel delivery system of  claim 14 , the method comprising the steps of: directing the fuel product from the storage tank to the fuel dispenser via the fuel delivery line; collecting data indicative of a corrosive environment in the fuel delivery system with the monitor; and issuing the warning based on the collected data. 
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 18 , wherein said collecting step further comprises: drawing the sample from the fuel the delivery system; and testing the drawn sample to measure a property indicative of the presence of a corrosive environment. 
     
     
       20. A fuel delivery system comprising:
 a storage tank containing a fuel product;   a fuel delivery line in communication with the storage tank and with a fuel dispenser for dispensing the fuel product to a consumer;   at least one monitor positioned in a vapor space of the fuel delivery system that collects data indicative of a corrosive environment including acetic acid in the vapor space of the fuel delivery system, wherein the at least one monitor comprises:
 a metallic target material configured to be exposed to a sample from the fuel delivery system, the metallic target material being susceptible to acidic corrosion such that the metallic target material corrodes when exposed to the acetic acid in the fuel delivery system before the fuel delivery system corrodes; and 
 a sensor configured to detect the corrosion of the target material; and 
   a controller in communication with the at least one monitor to receive collected data from the at least one monitor, the controller being programmed to issue a warning based on the collected data from the at least one monitor, wherein the controller is programmed to issue the warning based on the detected corrosion of the target material.   
     
     
       21. The fuel delivery system of claim 20, wherein the metallic target material comprises copper or low carbon steel. 
     
     
       22. The fuel delivery system of claim 20, wherein the metallic target material is a thin film or wire. 
     
     
       23. The fuel delivery system of claim 20, wherein the sensor is a camera. 
     
     
       24. The fuel delivery system of claim 20, wherein the at least one monitor is positioned in the vapor space of an underground sump or the vapor space of the storage tank. 
     
     
       25. The fuel delivery system of claim 20, further comprising an energy source that directs an electrical current through the target material, the sensor being configured to detect the electrical current traveling through the target material.