Hirt Combustion Engineers, Inc.

John H Hirt

A rotary heat wheel structure for a rotary heat exchanger in which a rotating wheel is provided with heat exchange material and rotates within a wheel housing to continuously cross an inlet path of low pressure cooler gas and an outlet path of high pressure hotter gasses for pre-heating the gas in the inlet path for utilizing the heat in the burned gasses before discharge to atmosphere. The wheel housing encloses the periphery of the wheel and is also provided with housing pillars defining an inlet path opening and an outlet path opening through which the rotary wheel rotates. Interior surfaces of the housing pillars are provided with radially extending grooves which co-act with opposite side faces of the rotary wheel to provide turbulence between the wheel side faces and the pillar surfaces so that leakage of gasses from the outlet path to the inlet path in the wheel housing is reduced.

Rotary heat wheel structure and method

A method and apparatus for abatement of gasoline vapor emissions from a vent pipe at a gasoline service station in which a vapor piping system interconnects the vent pipe with gasoline storage tanks and gasoline dispensing nozzles in the service station, the apparatus including a pilot burner with a pilot ignitor, a main burner with a main burner ignitor, first and second vapor pressure switches in the vent pipe for sensing and controlling pressure of vapor in the vapor piping system to maintain the pressure of vapor slightly below atmospheric pressure, a regenerative small turbine located downstream from the first and second pressure switches for moving vapor in the vapor piping system; a sensor for the pressure of vapor downstream from said turbine for causing at a selected downstream pressure of vapor admission of vapor to the pilot burner, and a sensor for the pilot flame at the pilot burner for causing admission of vapor to the main burner for ignition by the pilot flame.

Method and apparatus for controlling gasoline vapor emissions

A method and apparatus for installing, controlling and operating a vapor control system for abating gasoline vapor emissions which occur at a gasoline service station during transfer of liquid gasoline from a gasoline supply tank truck to underground storage containers at the station and also during transfer of liquid gasoline from the underground storage containers to the gasoline tank of a vehicle through a service station gasoline pump. Each gasoline pump includes a dispensing nozzle having vapor return means communicating with the underground storage containers and also the vehicle tank. The underground storage containers have a vent means in communication with vapor collected in said storage container, with the vapor return means and with a vapor conducting line and vent line leading to a disposal means. The disposal means comprises a single burner and pilot means therefor. The service station is provided with a source of pressure air for directing gasoline vapors to the disposal means as by a suction pumping means, without use of electrical power in proximity to vapors, and to actuate valve means in the vapor conducting line to permit flow of vapors to the disposal means. Gaseous pressure in the vent means or vapor conducting line is sensed by two pressure sensing switches which, when pressure air is available, control said valve means for directing flow of vapors to the disposal means under gasoline pump-on conditions and also under diurnal conditions which affect pressure of gaseous vapors. An apparatus and method providing control of gasoline vapor emissions and providing inherent safety features, simplicity, efficiency, and long life.

Method and apparatus for abatement of gasoline vapor emissions

An apparatus and method of controlling and abating gasoline vapor emissions which occur at a gasoline service station during transfer of liquid gasoline from a gasoline supply tank truck to underground storage tanks at the station and also during transfer of liquid gasoline from the underground storage tanks to the gasoline tank of an automobile through a service station gasoline pump. Vent outlet pipes of the underground storage tanks are manifolded to a common vent pipe where vapor pressure is sensed by a plurality of preset pressure sensing means to direct vapors from the vent pipe to a burner means under predetermined below atmospheric pressure or vacuum conditions. A compressed air source provides pressure air for directing the gasoline vapors to the burner means as by suction pumping and to also actuate valve means in the gas vapor line to permit flow of vapors to the burner means. A pilot system for the burner means is also provided which includes the use of gasoline vapors from the vent line and an air actuated valve for causing the vapors to move to the pilot burner. The burner means is a multistage burner in which one or both of the burners are operable depending upon the pressure vacuum condition in the vent line as sensed by the plurality of pressure sensing devices. An apparatus and method in which safety features are provided; for example, failure or absense of pressure air will prevent flow of vapors to an air booster means and to the burner means.

Apparatus and method of controlling gasoline vapor emissions

A method and apparatus for abatement of excess gasoline vapor emissions which occur during transfer of service station liquid gasoline from one storage tank to another storage tank, such as the transfer of gasoline at a gasoline service station from a gasoline storage tank truck to underground gasoline storage tanks and also from underground gasoline storage tanks to an automobile or vehicle storage tank through a gasoline pump station. Vent outlet pipes of the underground storage tanks are manifolded to a common vent pipe, where the vapor pressure is sensed and upon reaching a predetermined vapor pressure, (normally slightly below atmospheric) vapors are directed along a path from the vent pipe to a burner means. Gasoline vapors are directed to the burner by means of suction produced by an ejector using compressed air and an air-fume mixer so that substantially complete combustion of the resulting vapor air mixture will occur in the burner means. The burner is automatically ignited and burns the vapor-air mixture whenever preselected vapor pressure conditions occur in the common vent pipe during transfer of liquid gasoline between such tanks. An apparatus including pressure-vacuum valves, a fume-fresh air mixer, and solenoid actuated valves so arranged and interconnected that a burner associated therewith will receive a combustible mixture of air and gasoline vapor and burn such vapor mixture to destroy hydrocarbon emissions in the vapor-air mixture.

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Fullerton, CA, United States of America

John H Hirt