Fluid transfer systems are generally used for transferring fluid, e.g., gas or liquid, from a fluid source, e.g., a delivery truck, to a fluid destination, e.g., a storage tank. These fluid transfer systems often use conventional valve assemblies and conduits to communicate and manage fluid flow. Typically, a transfer device includes a valve assembly that opens to release the flow of fluid from the delivery truck. The storage tank often includes a receiver or connector to which the transfer device is releasably coupled. Once the transfer device is mounted to the receiver on the storage tank, the valve assembly is opened and fluid moves from the delivery truck to the storage tank.
When the delivery is complete, the transfer device is de-coupled from the receiver. As this occurs, fluid often escapes or vaporizes into the atmosphere due to the volume of space inside the transfer device that opens to atmosphere and the volume of space inside the receiver that opens to atmosphere. This waste can be costly when added across hundreds to thousands of deliveries. Emissions from some fluids can also be hazardous or damaging to the environment. In addition to the emissions associated with de-coupling the transfer device and receiver, inadvertent emissions can also occur by accidentally opening the valve assembly prior to being ready for transfer.
Many prior art transfer devices use levers or hand wheels for opening and closing valve assemblies to manage the fluid flow between the fluid source and the fluid destination. Some levers or hand wheels require an excessive amount of torque to close the valve assembly and stop fluid flow during an inadvertent emission. Some levers or actuators also require a high degree of rotation, e.g., 90 degrees of rotation or more, to close the valve assemblies. The extra effort and time to close the valve assemblies can result in large amounts of unnecessary fluid emissions.
The interconnection of the transfer device and the receiver in prior art systems can often be difficult for an operator. For example, the transfer device typically must be elevated and lined up accurately to the receiver to couple the two together. The equipment is normally very heavy for an operator to carry and couple to the receiver simultaneously. In this situation, it is desired to provide an effective coupling technique to avoid any body strain to the operator from carrying and installing the equipment.
Therefore, there is a need in the art to provide a fluid transfer system that controls fluid communication in a way that helps reduce fluid emissions. Furthermore, there is a need in the art to provide a transfer device that is more maneuverable and easy to operate.
USPTO Backgrounds
USPTO Backgrounds