Abstract: A method of controlling the hydrocarbon content of a possible explosive mixture of air/hydrocarbon vapor circulating from an intake point into an installation fitted with a vapor intake system comprising a vapor intake circuit incorporating a suction pump enabling vapor to be circulated at a vapor flow rate QV. A device is connected to the vapor intake circuit to determine the hydrocarbon content of the aspirated vapor comprising a combination of a flow meter on the one hand and a sensor for measuring relative pressure by reference to atmospheric pressure PA on the other. The hydrocarbon content of the vapor circulating in the vapor intake circuit is determined by taking account of the density and the viscosity of this vapor, which is derived on the basis of a characteristic linked to the loss in air pressure previously stored in memory.

Abstract: A dispensing installation for fuel or other volatile liquids comprises a storage tank, a pipe and a pump for dispensing fuel, a vapor recovery pipe and pump for recovering vapor and delivering it back to the tank, and a controller maintaining the vapor delivery rate approximately equal to the liquid delivery rate. In order to check that the vapor recovery system is operating correctly, the vapor delivery rate is constantly detected and compared with a value of the liquid delivery rate. If the result of the comparison is outside a predetermined range, an alarm is triggered in order to indicate a malfunction. The predetermined range may be adjustable.

Abstract: The invention concerns a sensor for detecting leaks in a liquid hydrocarbon dispenser, said sensor comprising a sealed plate arranged at the dispenser base and provided with a collecting container for receiving said liquid hydrocarbons collected by said sealed plate and coming from leaks in the dispenser, said collecting container comprising a sensor at the level of said hydrocarbons, capable of stopping the operation of the dispenser when the hydrocarbon level sensed reaches a predetermined level (N). The invention is useful for protecting the environment against hydrocarbon pollution.

Abstract: A system for dispensing liquid hydrocarbons includes a vapour recovery circuit having a vapour/liquid separator and a vapour flow controller. The vapour/liquid separator has a receiving chamber in which liquid is collected and is mounted in the vapour recovery circuit upstream of the vapour flow controller. The recovery chamber is connected to a bleeding pipe having an inlet fitted with a non-return valve.

Abstract: A meter for measuring the volume of a flowing fluid includes a viscosensitive unit through which the fluid flows under laminar flow conditions, a first fluidic oscillator in series with the viscosensitive unit, and a second fluidic oscillator shunting at least the viscosensitive unit. The viscosensitive unit and the fluidic oscillators are adapted to determine the viscosity of the fluid so as to apply to the fluid volume measured by the fluidic oscillators a correction dependent on the Reynolds number.

Abstract: A method of recovering vapor emitted in a liquid dispensing installation comprising: liquid dispensing means (P.sub.L) adapted to cause said liquid to flow with a liquid flowrate Q.sub.L ; vapor recovery means (P.sub.V) adapted to cause said vapor to flow with a vapor flowrate Q.sub.V along a pipe (120), said vapor flowrate Q.sub.V being controlled by a parameter G. According to the invention, the method includes the following steps: establishing an equation G=F (Q.sub.V, {p.sub.i }) relating the parameter G to the vapor flowrate Q.sub.V and to parameters p.sub.i characteristic of the recovery means and said pipe (120); determining an initial value {p.sub.i }.sub.o of the parameters p.sub.i ; on each dispensing k of liquid: measuring the liquid flowrate Q.sub.Lk and determining a value G.sub.k of the parameter G from the equation:G.sub.k =F (Q.sub.Lk, {p.sub.i }.sub.k-1);determining a new value {p.sub.i }.sub.k of the parameters p.sub.i to be used for the next dispensing k+1 of liquid.