Fuel storage and supply arrangement having fuel conditioning assembly

1. A fuel storage and supply arrangement serving as a source of fuel to be dispensed via at least one fuel dispenser in a fuel dispensing environment, comprising:

a storage tank for containing a quantity of the fuel;

a pump assembly for drawing the fuel from the storage tank and providing the fuel under pressure;

a fuel supply line configured to convey the fuel under pressure from the pump assembly;

a fuel conditioning assembly including:

a housing having a storage volume, said housing having a housing inlet receiving the fuel under pressure created by the pump assembly, a housing outlet through which fuel exits the housing, and a housing port through which fuel can be drawn into the housing;

an inlet valve situated to allow flow into said housing inlet if opened and prevent flow into the housing inlet if closed;

a vacuum source in fluid communication with the housing outlet, said vacuum source operative to selectively apply a vacuum to the housing outlet so that liquid can be drawn into the housing via the housing port at a time when the inlet valve is closed; and

a water intake device in fluid communication with the housing port, the water intake device having at least one inlet situated adjacent to a bottom of the fuel storage tank.

2. A fuel storage and supply arrangement as set forth in claim 1 , further comprising an outlet valve situated to allow flow from said housing outlet.

3. A fuel storage and supply arrangement as set forth in claim 2 , wherein said vacuum source comprises a siphon element through which pressurized fuel flows to create a vacuum at a vacuum port thereof, said vacuum port being in selective fluid communication with said housing outlet via said outlet valve.

4. A fuel storage and supply arrangement as set forth in claim 3 , wherein said siphon element comprises a siphon cartridge attached to a packer manifold of said pump assembly.

5. A fuel storage and supply arrangement as set forth in claim 3 , wherein the pressurized fuel that flows through said siphon element is a diverted quantity of the fuel under pressure provided by the pump assembly.

6. A fuel storage and supply arrangement as set forth in claim 2 , wherein fuel is selectively returned to said storage tank through said housing port via said water intake device.

7. A fuel storage and supply arrangement as set forth in claim 1 , wherein said housing further has filter media for removal of particulates.

8. A fuel storage and supply arrangement as set forth in claim 7 , wherein said housing has a water separation portion that removes water in fuel supplied to said housing via said housing inlet.

9. A fuel storage and supply arrangement as set forth in claim 8 , wherein said filter is located above said water separation portion.

10. A fuel storage and supply arrangement as set forth in claim 1 , wherein said port is located above a maximum allowable level of water in the housing.

11. A fuel storage and supply arrangement as set forth in claim 1 , wherein said fuel conditioning assembly further has a level indicator that is operative to indicate a level of water in said housing.

12. A fuel storage and supply arrangement as set forth in claim 1 , wherein said water intake device has an elongate flow structure including a plurality of parallel tubes located along a bottom of the tank, the parallel tubes terminating at respective spaced apart locations along a length of said elongate flow structure.

13. A fuel storage and supply arrangement as set forth in claim 12 , wherein each of said parallel tubes provides inflow and outflow depending on a manner of operation of said fuel conditioning assembly.

14. A fuel storage and supply arrangement as set forth 1 , wherein at least a portion of said water intake device is located inside of a guide tube extending into the fuel storage tank.