Octane measuring process and device
AssigneeAshland Oil, Inc.
InventorSteven M. Maggard
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The near infrared absorbance of the methyne band measures octane (pump, RON, and MON) with excellent correlation and can be used for gasoline blending. The absorbance may be measured as the first, second, third, fourth or higher derivative or by other signal processing techniques. The signal can be used to control a multi-component gasoline blending system to produce a preset desired octane. Such continuous or frequent measurement of octane (research octane number, RON; motor octane number, MON; and pump octane number (research plus motor times 0.5)) permits constant or frequent optimization of gasoline blending to produce a target octane which is sufficient to meet motorists' needs, yet uses minimum amounts of the more expensive high octane blending stocks.
Claims18
In a process for the determining of octane number or other measure of knock avoidance of a fuel by near infrared range spectroscopy, the improvement comprising determining said octane number or other measure of knock avoidance by:
- a. measuring absorbance in the t-butylmethyne band;
- b. periodically or continuously outputting a periodic or continuous signal indicative of the intensity of said absorbance in said band or one mathematical function or a combination of mathematical functions thereof;
- and
- c. mathematically converting said signal to an output signal indicative of said octane number or other measure of knock avoidance of said fuel.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.