Gasoline Blending Control Minimizing Excess Octane

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing gasoline blending processes struggle to accurately and efficiently produce finished gasoline that meets minimum octane specifications without excess octane, leading to significant profit losses for refineries.

Innovation Solution

A process that involves flowing premium and regular octane gasoline, butane, and ethanol through regulated pipes, with periodic sampling to obtain octane and volatility measurements, and using a programmable logic controller to calculate and implement a volumetric blend ratio based on pre-set octane and volatility estimates for ethanol and butane.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If traditional gasoline blending processes are used to meet minimum octane specifications, then the finished gasoline meets government-mandated octane requirements, but excess fuel octane is generated resulting in significant profit losses

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveoctane specification complianceVSAvoidprofit loss from excess octane

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary action by obtaining real-time octane values for gasoline streams before blending occurs. The programmable logic controller uses these preliminary measurements along with pre-set octane number estimates for ethanol and butane to calculate the precise volumetric blend ratio needed to achieve target octane specifications, thereby preventing excess octane formation from the outset rather than correcting it after blending.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements feedback by continuously monitoring real-time octane values of incoming gasoline streams and using this information to dynamically adjust the volumetric blend ratio. The programmable logic controller receives feedback from octane measurements and adjusts the blending proportions of ethanol and butane accordingly, ensuring the finished gasoline meets specifications without generating excess octane that would reduce profitability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

2Productivity

If real-time octane measurements and rapid blending are implemented, then blending speed and accuracy are improved, but system complexity increases due to additional equipment and control mechanisms

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveblending speedVSAvoidsystem complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system applies self-service by automatically obtaining real-time octane values, calculating the appropriate volumetric blend ratio, and adjusting the blending process without requiring manual intervention. The programmable logic controller autonomously processes octane measurements and controls the blending operation, reducing the need for complex manual monitoring and adjustment mechanisms while maintaining high blending speed and accuracy.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentUS20250154421A1Decreasing excess octane during gasoline blending

Publication Date: 2025.05.15 PHILLIPS 66 CO

AI summary

Systems and methods that blend at least one finished gasoline from a refined petroleum product comprising at least one neat gasoline with ethanol and optionally butane utilizing a blend model that calculates a volumetric blend ratio comprising at least one neat gasoline, ethanol and optionally, butane. The blend model utilizes estimated values for the octane number and the volatility of the ethanol and butane when calculating the volumetric blend ratio.