This invention relates generally to a refueling system and receiver, and more specifically to a dual valve receiver designed to support automatic shutoff fast fill refueling of vehicles without pressurizing the fuel tank.
Large vehicles are depended on in such industries as mining and heavy construction, and need to be refueled as quickly as possible in order to keep work productivity high. These large construction vehicles need and have large fuel tanks ranging up to 1200 gallons and larger, which require fast fill systems to quickly pump a large volume of fuel into these large tanks. Currently, refueling receivers work in conjunction with fast fill automatic shutoff nozzles that require tank back pressure build up in order for them to shutoff. In order to use a pressurized refueling system, the fuel tanks have to be structurally designed to withstand internal pressures of up to 10 psi. This current system can therefore not be utilized in lighter machinery, with lighter constructed fuel tanks, that can benefit from fast fill refueling. Another current method of refueling involves filling a fuel tank with a release or spill valve which allows excess fuel to spill out of the tank when it is full, indicating to an operator to shut the fuel flow off.
Recent environmental laws and the necessity to avoid the chance of large amounts of fuel being collected around a refueling station, makes such approaches increasingly undesirable, apart from the wasted fuel, which is, of course, undesirable as well. Thus, it would be highly desirable to provide an automated fuel delivery system for large vehicles which is capable of tapping off fuel tanks while avoiding over-pressurization of the tanks and fuel spills. The present invention addresses these and other concerns.
USPTO Backgrounds
USPTO Backgrounds