The Long Road to Next-Generation Fuel Dispenser Nozzles
By Steve Stewart
As the saying goes, great things often come from humble beginnings, and that’s true even in gas station equipment.
Take the methods for fueling cars in the early 1900s, for example. In the early days of the automobile age, the customary tools used to fuel a car included a bucket of fuel, a funnel and a filtering cloth. To say this process was inexact is an understatement. Spillage was practically unavoidable. Fuel was wasted. Fire hazards were rampant. Environmental safety was about as top of mind at that time as sending a rocket to Mars.
Thanks to more than a century of continuous innovation in fuel dispensing equipment, though, the process of fueling vehicles has profoundly evolved. In conjunction with the development of gas pumps, incremental improvements in nozzle design played a critical role in this transformation.
OPW Retail Fueling, which helped usher in the transportation age with benchmark nozzle technology as early as 1933, has been at the forefront of nozzle innovation for decades and has witnessed the remarkable evolution. What began as basic mechanical tools has steadily evolved into the highly engineered solutions that define modern fueling today.
A Century of Nozzle Innovation Begins
For the first half of the 20th century, rudimentary nozzles (think glorified spouts) transitioned to manual nozzles with levers that offered some control of the flow of fuel but didn’t automatically shut off like they do today. Fueling vehicles required the experience of a skilled attendant with notable grip strength to minimize spills and overflows and to provide customers an exemplary service experience that matched their status as an automobile owner.
A breakthrough came in conjunction with the opening of the first self-service gas station in Los Angeles, California, in 1947. While Frank Urich’s self-serve gas station still had attendants who collected the customer’s payment and who reset the pump for the next motorist, drivers pumped their own gas to receive a discount on the price of the fuel. A new era of fueling had begun.
As self-serve fueling expanded across North America, the need for nozzles that helped prevent spills, splashes and overflows quickly escalated. In 1950, OPW filed for a patent for an automatic shut-off dispensing nozzle valve that leveraged Bernoulli’s principle to stop the flow of fuel. The patent, which was granted in 1952, marked the beginning of a new chapter in fueling.
The next 75 years brought systematic refinements that made self-serve fueling safer, more convenient, more ergonomic and more accurate. Hold-open racks were introduced. Highly accurate flow control technology ensured customers got what they paid for. Nozzles approved for extreme cold weather as low as -54°C (-65°F) entered the market. Enhanced automatic shut-off dispensing technology revolutionized fueling. No-pressure/no-flow technology not only ensured
convenient fueling without the possibility of an accidental spill if the hold-open rack was left engaged, but it also made prepay possible.
And yet, these breakthroughs were only the beginning.
A New Focus Emerges
Increasingly, today’s retail fuel operations that set themselves apart and position their business to grow long-term loyalty prioritize delivering excellence at every customer touchpoint. This is achieved through 360-degree engagement management, making the unassuming fuel dispenser nozzle a critical part of a strong brand identity.
Data suggests that one-third of convenience store customers purchase items in the c-store during a fuel stop. In most cases, consumers fuel their vehicle first and head into the c-store afterwards. When they lift the nozzle out of the nozzle boot, put it in their vehicle’s fuel fill inlet and squeeze the lever to initiate fueling, they are essentially shaking hands with the c-store brand. This engagement sets the tone for what to expect from the remainder of their experience on-site.
Unfortunately, there are several ways the customer experience can be undermined in this moment. Consider this:
While the time it takes to fuel a vehicle depends on pump speed, flow rates and the quantity of fuel needed to top off the tank, average fill times for popular 36-gallon light-duty trucks are five to seven minutes. In areas that don’t permit the use of hold-open racks, the motorist must stand there and continuously grip the lever for the duration of the fueling experience. The more force required from the hand to keep the nozzle lever engaged and the dispenser pumping fuel into a tank, the more taxing the experience is on the customer. Add extreme temperatures to the equation and a lack of protective hand insulators on the nozzle, and the experience becomes acutely uncomfortable and potentially unsafe.
The absence of hold-open racks presents another problem: Frustrated and/or impatient consumers sometimes take matters into their own hands and improvise unauthorized ways to jam the lever in the open position. This poses serious safety risks.
The Next Evolution in Nozzle Design: Feel the Difference
While safe fueling remains the top priority in dispensing equipment engineering, the newest automatic nozzles coming on the market feature refinements designed to enhance usability. They help ensure that even users with diminished grip strength or smaller hands can operate the nozzle comfortably and safely. Here’s what to look for in next-generation nozzles that deliver a smoother, more accessible customer experience:
- Force requirements: New patented easy-open technology in the most advanced nozzles reduces the opening force by more than 20 per cent.
- Lever operation: The smoother the lever operates, the faster and easier it is to begin fueling.
- Adjusting the flow rate: One-finger hold-open clips make it easy for customers to set the flow rate.
- Ergonomics: New ergonomic grip designs on the lever and barrel cover accentuate comfort and enhance the customer’s sense of control.
- Temperature protection: Levers that are comfortable to the touch in hot or cold weather and hand insulators that protect hands from hot or cold temperatures offer a safer, more pleasant fueling experience.
- Precise and easy shut-off: As the price of fuel continues to rise, the ability to easily stop and measure the flow of fuel to precise amounts is critical.
- Flow rates: The leading automatic nozzles support the highest flow rates in the industry.
Finding Additional Value
Just as all automatic fuel dispensing nozzles are not created equal, neither are fuel dispensing equipment manufacturers. The added value manufacturers bring to the market is a critical point of differentiation and a leading indicator of the benefits fuel retailers will realize from their products.
Manufacturers who continuously and consistently improve their fuel dispensing solutions to prioritize compatibility with the existing equipment on the market, demonstrate reliability and durability through rigorous lab cycle testing, and introduce product advancements without increasing the cost to the customer are setting the standard for a genuine commitment to quality. By partnering with a manufacturer whose legacy is rooted in nozzle innovation and whose vision is focused on the future, fuel retailers secure both the reliability their forecourts demand and the competitive edge today’s market requires.
Steve Stewart is the senior Canadian & Caribbean sales manager for OPW Retail Fueling, based in Smithfield, NC, USA. He can be reached at steve.stewart@opwglobal.com. For more information on OPW Retail Fueling, go to opwglobal.com/retail-fueling.
