Datatronic's BlueTank Controls Diesel Fuel Losses

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Austrian company Datatronic has developed an RFID fueling security system that helps avoid loss of diesel fuel at companies' fueling stations. Authorized vehicles are identified by a transponder close to the fuel neck, replacing a system that reads from a driver's badge or fuel card.

With BlueTank's continuous monitoring of fuel use, a company's fuel savings program can lower costs by up to 30 percent, primarily by blocking unauthorized use of fuel, Datatronics said.

The system includes a BlueTank reader attached to each fuel nozzle, and a transponder placed on the refueling neck of each vehicle. The fuel pump is activated only if the transponder is on an authorized-user list. If a vehicle's transponder ID is not indentified, no fuel will flow.

The BlueTank reader detects the unique identification number on the transponder using an RFID system. The ID number is transferred by Bluetooth to a controller connected to the pump switch and the fuel-flow meter. The controller communicates by GSM/GPRS, Ethernet IP or RS232/485 and sends transaction data to a server. The transponder memory can be programmed with any other data with a desktop RFID reader/writer, the company said.

Datatronic's software is a web-based interface that registers all refueling, and can manage vehicles and vehicle IDs, drivers and dispensers. The system can import, export or generate reports. Its data is stored directly in the controller, allowing the system to work off-line without connection to a server, if needed.

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