Automated Butane Gasoline Blending Volatility Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for blending butane with gasoline lack automation and precision in achieving pre-defined volatility limits, especially during summer months, and fail to adapt to regional volatility requirements, relying on manual testing and inadequate monitoring.
Innovation Solution
An automated method that continuously monitors and adjusts the blending of butane with gasoline to maintain a narrow volatility range, using automated devices to measure and record volatility, ensuring compliance with pre-defined limits through a sequence of steps involving sample withdrawal, calculation, blending, and certification.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If manual monitoring and testing methods are used for blending butane with gasoline, then operational simplicity is maintained, but manufacturing precision and reliability of meeting volatility limits deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback control system where Reid vapor pressure is continuously measured downstream of the blending operation, and this measurement is fed back to automatically adjust the butane addition rate. This closed-loop feedback mechanism ensures manufacturing precision by dynamically correcting deviations from target volatility limits without requiring complex manual intervention.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual monitoring and testing with automated electronic sensing and control systems. Continuous electronic measurement of Reid vapor pressure substitutes for manual sampling and laboratory testing, while automated control valves replace manual blending adjustments, thereby improving precision while managing system complexity through automation.
2Reliability
If continuous monitoring and automated adjustment systems are implemented, then manufacturing precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system employs continuous feedback monitoring of Reid vapor pressure with automatic adjustment of butane addition rates. This feedback loop ensures reliability by continuously verifying compliance with volatility limits and automatically correcting deviations, providing assurance without requiring complex manual oversight procedures.
Solution Approach 2:
The blending system is designed to be self-regulating through automated control. The system monitors its own output (Reid vapor pressure) and automatically adjusts its own operation (butane addition rate) to maintain compliance, thereby ensuring reliability while minimizing the need for complex external monitoring and manual intervention systems.
3Productivity
If automated blending systems with continuous monitoring are used, then productivity is improved, but device complexity and initial investment increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements continuous monitoring and blending operations rather than batch processing. The automated system continuously measures Reid vapor pressure and adjusts butane addition in real-time, eliminating downtime associated with manual sampling and laboratory testing. This continuous operation significantly improves productivity by keeping the blending process constantly optimized and running without interruptions.
Solution Approach 2:
The system replaces manual operations with automated electronic control, enabling continuous unattended operation. Electronic sensors and automated valves substitute for manual sampling, testing, and adjustment procedures, allowing the blending operation to run continuously with improved efficiency while requiring minimal human intervention.
4Adaptability or versatility
If upstream volatility monitoring and calculation methods are used, then adaptability to regional requirements is improved, but measurement precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary monitoring of upstream gasoline volatility before blending occurs. By measuring and calculating the required butane addition based on upstream characteristics, the system can proactively adjust the blending process to meet specific regional volatility requirements, demonstrating adaptability while managing measurement precision requirements through preliminary assessment.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses downstream Reid vapor pressure measurements as feedback to verify and adjust the effectiveness of the blending process. This feedback mechanism allows the system to adapt to different regional requirements by comparing actual downstream results with target specifications and automatically adjusting upstream blending parameters to achieve compliance.
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed are automated methods and systems for certifying the volatility of butane-enriched gasoline downstream of a butane blending operation. Such automated methods and systems provide significant advantages to comply with volatility requirements imposed by EPA or state regulations.