A method and an unmanned aerial vehicle for determining emissions of a vessel
AssigneeExplicit Aps
InventorJon Knudsen
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method for determining emissions in an exhaust plume (11) produced by a combustion engine of a vessel (10) during cruise of the vessel (10), said emissions comprising the presence or concentration of carbon dioxide (CO2) and/or sulphur dioxide (SO2) and/or the count and size of particles. The position and distribution of the exhaust plume (11) is determined or estimated on the basis of the position, bearing and speed of the vessel (10) and further on the basis of meteorological data, such as wind direction and speed. An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) (12), i.e. a so-called drone, is controlled to fly through the 10 plume (11) to make measurements of exhaust emissions of the vessel (10).
Claims17
A method for determining emissions in an exhaust plume produced by a combustion engine of a vessel during cruise of the vessel, said emissions comprising the presence or concentration of at least one predetermined gas or the count and size of particles, the method comprising the steps of:
- identifying the vessel, its position, bearing and speed;
- determining meteorological conditions in an area cruised by the vessel;
- providing an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) comprising:
- an electronic control system for controlling the vehicle's flight;
- at least one sensor for determining emissions in the atmosphere surrounding the vehicle;
- a data interface of passing signals to an external data collecting unit, said signals comprising at least one of:
- (a) an output signal of the at least one sensor and (b) data obtained from the output signal of the at least one sensor;
- determining a position and distribution of the exhaust plume on the basis of the position, bearing and speed of the vessel and further on the basis of said meteorological conditions;
- controlling the UAV to:
- fly through the exhaust plume;
- determine said emissions in the exhaust plume by means of the at least one sensor;
- and
- transmit said signals to an external data collecting unit for further processing thereof.
An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) for determining emissions comprising the presence or concentration of at least one predetermined gas or the count and size of particles, the UAV comprising:
- an electronic control system for controlling the vehicle's flight;
- at least one sensor for determining emissions in the atmosphere surrounding the vehicle;
- a data interface of passing signals to an external data collecting unit, said signals comprising at least one of:
- (a) an output signal of the at least one sensor and (b) data obtained from the output signal of the at least one sensor;
- the UAV being controllable to:
- fly through an area of interest;
- determine said emissions in the area of interest by means of the at least one sensor;
- transmit said signals to an external data collecting unit for further processing thereof.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.