US 4,044,604 AGranted

Portable contaminated fuel detector with tiered deck

AssigneeTelectro-Mek, Inc.

InventorDaniel G. Russ

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Abstract

A portable compact contaminated fuel detector is used with a standard batch sampling technique. The sample is passed through two series filters in a filter holder into a vacuum receptacle. The differential filter opacity is checked in a photocell fixture using a light whose intensity is first adjusted by a potentiometer to a standard level using a milliammeter which is also read to determine each filter opacity. The operating structure is carried on a tiered deck providing different horizontal levels for greater ease and facility in performing tests. The device is combinable with a free water detector, preferably within the enclosure provided by the deck and having an auxiliary movable closure through which the test procedure may be viewed. The free water detector includes a sample holder for filter sample in close proximity to a plurality of comparison standards representative of different water content levels against which the sample may be compared. An ultraviolet light source is positioned to illuminate a filter in the sample holder and comparison standards, the light being such as to cause chemicals in the filter subject to reaction with free water in a fuel sample passed therethrough, as well as the comparison standards, to fluoresce. The intensity of the sample fluorescence is a function of the amount of free water in a sample of standard size and the intensity of the comparison standards is fixed to represent that fluorescence which occurs with known concentrations of free water in a sample of that size.

A combination contaminated fuel detector, comprising at least sample holder means, fuel filter means in a filter retainer, a vacuum receptacle arranged in series with means causing said parts to seal together upon drawing a vacuum to accelerate flow of fuel through the filter means into the vacuum receptacle and vacuum pump means for said purpose connected by a vacuum line to said vacuum receptacle, and a free water detector, comprising a sample holder for a filter sample in close proximity to a plurality of comparison standards representative of different water content levels against which the sample may be compared and a light source positioned to illuminate the sample holder and comparison standards and providing an ultraviolet light to cause chemicals in a treated filter pad subject to free water from a fuel sample passed therethrough and the comparison standards to fluoresce, the intensity of sample fluorescence being a function of the amount of free water, the improvement comprising combining the two detectors in a single unit and providing

a box enclosure including a top and bottom, a tiered deck supported on said bottom for supporting, in turn, a photosenor filter examination system, including at least a light source, a filter holder and a photosensor and a meter means coupled to said photosensor, an entrance to the vacuum receptacle including a removable filter retainer, the top cover enclosing parts projecting above the deck tiers and the tiers serving to provide a better view of all parts on display, a slide element being insertable into the enclosure beneath, spaced from, and generally parallel to one of the tiered decks supported on a slide support to be positionable in sequence beside standards located proximate to the slide between the slide and the deck, a source of ultraviolet light being positioned beneath the deck and spaced above the sample holder and standards and a viewing opening being provided in a vertical connecting wall between the tiered deck region beneath which the slide is located and the lower deck element so as to be enclosed within the top cover.

Abstract

Claims7