Means and method for measuring and controlling smoke from an internal combustion engine
AssigneeBarrack Technology Limited
InventorsPeter G. Hartman, Steven L. Plee
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A means and method for measuring and controlling smoke emissions from an internal combustion engine using a luminosity probe which measures the luminosity of soot in a combustion chamber of the engine. The luminosity signals generated by the probe are then used to measure smoke emissions based on an equation developed by the inventors which correlates the actual smoke being emitted from the exhaust with a predicted smoke emission value resulting from the luminosity signals. This smoke emission measurement can, in turn, be used in an engine control loop to control smoke emissions.
Claims28
A means for measuring smoke emissions from an internal combustion engine having at least one combustion chamber, comprising means for delivering fuel into the combustion chamber, means for delivering air to the combustion chamber, means for causing combustion to occur within the combustion chamber, means for detecting the luminosity including at least a portion of the soot radiation spectrum in the combustion chamber, and means electrically connected to said luminosity detecting means for generating a luminosity signal indicative of the detected luminosity including at least a portion of the soot radiation spectrum in eh combustion chamber and for measuring exhaust soot emissions from the engine on the basis of at least one parameter of the luminosity signal.
A method for measuring smoke emissions from an internal combustion engine having at least one combustion chamber, comprising the steps of delivering fuel into the combustion chamber, delivering air to the combustion chamber, causing combustion to occur within the combustion chamber, detecting the luminosity of soot in the combustion chamber, generating a curve indicative of the detected luminosity including at least a portion of the soot radiation spectrum in the combustion chamber and measuring exhaust soot emission from the engine on the basis of at least one parameter of the luminosity curve.
A means for measuring particulate emissions from an internal combustion engine having at least one combustion chamber, comprising means for delivering fuel into the combustion chamber, means for delivering air to the combustion chamber, means for causing combustion to occur within the combustion chamber, means for detecting the luminosity including at least a portion of the particulate matter radiation spectrum in the combustion chamber, and means electrically connected to said luminosity detecting means for generating a luminosity signal based on the detected luminosity including at least a portion of the particulate matter radiation spectrum in the combustion chamber and for measuring particulate emissions from the engine on the basis of at least one parameter of the luminosity signal.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.