Butane Blending Control for Gasoline Volatility Compliance
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Solution Overview
Problem
The blending of butane and ethanol with gasoline in the petroleum supply poses challenges due to unpredictable volatility reactions, making it difficult to optimize butane blending without exceeding predetermined volatility limits, especially when ethanol is added post-butane blending, which complicates air quality control and pipeline transportation issues.
Innovation Solution
A method involving preparing a sample of gasoline and ethanol at a fixed ratio, analyzing its volatility, and calculating the butane addition to ensure the blend meets specific volatility limits, allowing for precise butane blending before ethanol addition, thereby maximizing butane content within set volatility constraints.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If butane is blended into gasoline supply to improve combustibility and decrease cost, then the combustibility and cost-effectiveness are improved, but the volatility control becomes unpredictable and may exceed air quality specifications
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by measuring the volatility of the gasoline supply before blending butane, and using this measurement to calculate the maximum amount of butane that can be added while remaining within volatility specifications. This pre-measurement and calculation step allows for precise control of the blending process, ensuring that combustibility is improved without exceeding volatility limits.
2Adaptability or versatility
If ethanol is blended with gasoline after butane blending, then the ethanol blending flexibility is maintained, but the butane blending optimization becomes impossible due to unpredictable volatility reactions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies feedback by measuring the actual volatility of the gasoline supply and using this measurement to adjust and determine the appropriate amount of butane to blend. This feedback loop ensures that subsequent ethanol blending will not cause the final mixture to exceed volatility specifications, as the butane amount is calculated based on real-world measurements rather than theoretical predictions.
3Loss of time
If butane blending is performed upstream far from ethanol blending point, then transportation efficiency is improved, but the volatility limit compliance becomes difficult to ensure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables upstream butane blending by performing preliminary volatility measurements and calculations at the blending location, determining the exact amount of butane that can be added while ensuring future compliance with volatility limits after ethanol addition. This preliminary action at the upstream location allows for both transportation efficiency and reliability of compliance.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to systems and methods for modifying the volatility of petroleum prior to ethanol addition. The methods can include (a) providing (i) a supply of gasoline, (ii) an ethanol standard, and (iii) a supply of butane; (b) analyzing the volatility of a sample formed by mixing the gasoline and ethanol standard; (c) calculating from the volatility a ratio of butane that can be blended into the sample without causing the sample to pass the one or more fixed volatility limits; and (d) blending butane from the butane supply with gasoline from the gasoline supply at or below the ratio calculated in step (c).