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THE MODERN WAY OF STORING AND .
Page 112
Page 113
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DELIVERING PETROL.
The Economy of Underground Storage, by Which Wastage, Time and Labour are Saved.
By D. 0. Bremner, A.M.I.Mech.E.
COMMERCIAL fleet owners, large and small, realize in these keenly competitive times the vital necessity for handling their petrol supplies in an expeditious, cleanly and economical manner; the latter term being used in its broadest sense to include reliable and accurate means for controlling and checking supplies. The old can-storage system, with its higher cost per gallon, greater fire and explosion risk, valuable space occupied, petrol contaminated with paint particles and water, and waste in splash filling, are all too well known to call for detailed reference. With these facts fully realized, the fleet owner's thoughts naturally turn.to what is the most suitable form of plant to meet his particular requirements. The first step is all-important, because the future must also be taken into consideration. • When the day arrives for extensions, it is most undesirable—perhaps impossible—to introduce a different System, and if a mistake be niade in the first place it may lead to considerable expense to put matters straight.
• The Coming of the Bulk-storage System.
The growth of the bulk-storage system has been phenomenal in recent years. Several materially different systems are on the market, and it is not always an easy matter for a business man to decide which system will prove the most satisfactory. in the first place, it is as well to bear in mind that two entirely different methods of underground storage exist:— (1) Storage in a tank, from which the petrol is raised and delivered by means of a self-measuring and recording pump, or by means of any suitable type of suction pump which delivers the petrol through a measuring and recording device.
(2) Storage in a tank with water occupying all the space not occupied by petrol, and so arranged that the -water Pressure causes the petrol to be forced up and through ameasuring and recording device to the reception tank.
Selection of either•system will be governed by individual requirements, with particular regard to the following :— (1) The local regulations governing underground and surface storage, and the regulations likely to be applied to unusual proposals.
Petrol is safer underground than above. An omnibus eta
tion with 50 30 gal. tank vehicles, all primed and aggregating 1,500 gals., is obviously a greater source of danger if a fire arises than the same number of vehicles with empty tanks. The trend of opinion among local authorities seems to be towards no overnight filling if the station be in the vicinity of other property.
• (2) The size of the fleet, type of vehicle, running condition;
hours of service, etc. If the fleet be large and consists of big vehicles, and it be desired to fill in rapid succession, a poweroperated plant is essential and will pay for itself in the time and labour saved alone. Twenty gallons of petrol weigh 150 lb. This quantity raised per minute, pins mechanical and frictional drags, equals a goodly amount of effort with a hand-operated pump and more than an operator can or will sustain for frequent fillings. At the outset, therefore, it must be decided whether, to meet with requirements, a poweroperated plant (which includes the hydraulic pumpless system) or a hand-operated plant shall be installed.
The Equipment for the, Small Fleet.
If the fleet be not large and it is not required to fill in rapid succession, hand-operated pumps may suit the needs of the case, and if the vehicles be " one-tonners" a battery of 1-gal. Pumps is often an admirable proposition. Pure gravity-type single-container apparatus should be avoided. It is cumbersome, too slow on the whole operation, and often too quick on the discharge for convenience.
The old wall-tank apparatus need not be considered. It is obsolete and banned in most quarters by the local authorities.
(3) The accommodation available for pltent and any special considerations relating to filling at different floor levels or at widely separated points from the same source.
(4) The question of adapting—in extension schemes— where new plant either supplements or replaces old plant. In considering alternative systems, such well-known names as Bowser, Hammond, Wayne, Gilbert and Barker and Bywater dash through one's mind. Certainly with all these one faelor is found to be common—the quality of material and the standard of workmanship are of the first order. Apart from the methods of storage referred to, the systems fall into three classes, which will be dealt with in turn, without preferential order in regard to any feature.
A representative example of the type of pump with simple storage tank is found in the Bowser 5-gal. hand-operated recording pump marketed by S. F. Bowser and Co., Ltd., Windsor House, Victoria Street, London, S.-W.1. It has some additional excellent features of its own, the principal of which are the centrifugally operated filter of aniple dimensions and the large-size sight glass situated at the weir point, which contains a spinning butterfly. The applicationof the centrifugal principle to filtration of various liquids is highly scientific and has made remarkable strides in recent years, and this well-known firm may be said to have anticipated this method of cleansing petrol. The sight glass readily indicates that the pump is primed and the butterfly that the liquid is flowing.
Compressed Air for Lifting the Fuel.
In other respects piston pumps are too well known to call for any further description except in regard to a power attachment made by this firm and worked by compressed air, supplied from standard compressor gets, which enables the operator to maintain a constant rate of delivery up to maximum. This can be as much as 30 gals. in one minute, but, as practical considerations call for 15 to 20 gals. in one minute, the standard outfit is supplied to deliver at a maximum of 20. However, for users who desire the higher rate to meet special conditions a simple modification can be carried out ht any time at a low cost.
Liquid Measurements, Ltd., of Chase Estate, Park Royal, Willesden, London, N.W.10, which makes a variety of petrol-measuring and delivering apparatus, principally of the visible type, under the name of Hammond, after long and careful experimenting, has put on the market a very excellent and accurate flow-meter.The meter itself operates upon a continuous-flow principle in a new way, and must not be confused with the common conception of a flow meter, because petrol cannot slip past the operating piece if for any reason it stops working. In other respects, the apparatus is characterized by its striking and bold appearance. A•glassfaced drum contains the meter and is set upon a sheet-metal rectangular column. The drum carries an exceptionally large dial marked with an outer scale from 0 to 9 and an inner from 0 to 90. Centre spindles carry a large hand for the outer and a small hand for the inner scale. In operation when the large hand makes a complete revolution the small hand moves to 10, and so on for the rest of the operation. The hands are set back to zero by the movement of a small handle and a totalizer records all deliveries. The hose from
the apaaratus carries a snap-action nozzle. •
Two or More Meters from .0ne Power Pump.
The supply of liquid is produced either from a hand or a power-operated pump, and if the latter develops a fault the supply can be continued by hand without opening a special valve. With this plant two or more meters can be arranged to work from one power pump, control of the flow from each meter being simply by opening and closing the hose nozzle. With all nozzles closed, a by-pass valve on the pump passes the petrol back to the underground tank. Of course, the punip can be worked from line shafting or by a special electric motor. An advantage with this system is the smooth continuous flow into the vehicle tank. The rate of delivery
is 17 gals. per minute. The semi-rotary hand pump is housed inside the sheet-metal column and the main control valve is lockable. The apparatus is about shoulder high and los a quite pleasing appearance.
The Bywater storage and supply system is manufactured by Bywater and Co., 121, Kings-way, London, W.C.1. It is unique and haa much to commend it, being based on the fact that water is a good deal heavier than petrol and will not mix.with it. The association of petrol with water strikes one as odd, but, kept in its proper place, the water acts as a very effective filter, takes the place of a pump, and, by keeping the tank always completely full, obviates the blowing out of petrol vapour, which, in a large tank, may represent quite an appreciable quantity of petrol when the tank is replenished. If anybody has any doubts about the matter let him take a large bottle and half-fill it with an equal mixture, of petrol and water. If the bottle be shaken vigorously and set down the petrol will immediately separate out and rise to the top and, furthermore, if any foreign matter be introduced, it will immediately fall below the depth of the petrol.
The essentials of the system consist of a small watersupply tank situated at any desired height, replenished from the main supply and controlled by the familiar ball-cock device. The outlet from this tank is connected to a threeway water-control valve, which, in turn, is connected to the bottom of the storage tank. From the top of the storage tank two pipes are taken, one to a standard filler for the tank wagon and one up to a point a little above the small water-supply-tank level and thence down through a flow meter to the discharge hose. The end of the hose has an easily regulated supply valve. With the tank, say, halffull of petrol and half-full of water, if the hose valve be opened, the pressure of the water supply on the petrol causes the latter to rise up and over the top of the supply-pipe bend. When the last drop of petrol leaves the tank the water cannot follow it, became the bend in the supply line is higher than the water tank, it being understood that the petrol leaves because a given column of water will balance a higher column of petrol.
Distance of' Delivery Point Creates N Difficulty.
It will be readily understood that any number of outflow points with meters can be connected to the same tank without affecting the delivery in any way. These, too, may be situated at any distance from the tank and at any height above it. The system from this point of view should find a ready application where filling or draw-off points are required on two or more floor levels. The flow meter used works on a somewhat similar principle to the Hammond meter. Whilst it attains the same high standard of workmanship and finish inside and out and has the same degree of accuracy, the dial is of the single type and is of a conventional size.
A feature of the nozzle with this plant is an extension piece 18 ins, in length which, reaching well down into the tank, permits a high delivery speed without causing turbulence and frothing.
Raving dealt with the principal subject, some reference may be made to the small station with light vehicles where, for constructional or other reasons, underground plant cannot be employed. Liquid Measurements manufacture what is known as a "Chariot "-type dual-container one-gallon pump. This is mounted upon wheels and carries a 50gallon barrel. Being easily mobile, it can be moved to a convenient filling position periodically or each day according to the local regulations.