Integrated fuel composition and pressure sensor
AssigneeFord Global Technologies, LLC
InventorsArturo Sebastian Fernandez Lara, Manuel Iván Calderón Delgado, Enrique Lopez Hernandez, Diego Cabrera Padilla, Said Alan Sánchez Martínez
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Methods and systems are provided for an integrated fuel composition-pressure sensor. In one example, the integrated sensor may include a set of cylindrical capacitors and a set of plate capacitors with a common capacitor element shared between the sets. A composition of fuel may be determined from the set of cylindrical capacitors and a pressure of fuel may be determined from the set of plate capacitors.
Claims20
An integrated fuel composition and pressure sensor, comprising:
- a set of cylindrical capacitors concentrically arranged and spaced apart from one another, where the set of cylindrical capacitors are adapted to receive a flow of fluid axially through each capacitor of the set of cylindrical capacitors;
- and
- a set of plate capacitors spaced apart from one another, where a common capacitor element is shared between the set of cylindrical capacitors and set of plate capacitors.
A method, comprising;
- flowing a fuel through a fuel line and through a sensor arranged in the fuel line;
- estimating a fuel composition of the fuel from a first signal generated from a change in capacitance between a set of cylindrical capacitors of the sensor which are arranged concentrically with one another and positioned in a flow path of the fuel;
- and
- estimating a pressure of the fuel from a second signal generated from a change in capacitance between a set of plate capacitors of the sensor and based on the first signal.
The method of claim 13, further comprising correcting the estimated pressure for an effect of ring duct friction based on a fuel speed and length of the set of the cylindrical capacitors and a density of the fuel to determine a pressure of the fuel in the fuel line, downstream of the sensor and upstream of an engine.
A fuel system, comprising;
- a fuel line coupling a fuel tank to an engine;
- and
- an integrated sensing device arranged in the fuel line, in line with a path of fuel flow through the fuel line, the device including:
- a set of cylindrical capacitors formed by concentrically arranged, inner and outer cylindrical capacitors;
- and
- a set of plate capacitors formed by a portion of the outer cylindrical capacitor and a static plate arranged outside of the path of fuel flow.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.