Cloud point monitoring device
AssigneePhase Technology
InventorsCharles Y. Tsang, Gordon S. Y. Chiu
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A cloud point monitoring device which includes thermal conductive surface, cooler, temperature sensor, detection volume, detection wall unit, fiber optic cables for transmitting light, lighter emitter, light detector, and a data acquisition and control unit. The cloud point monitoring device provides an instrument to accurately measure the cloud point of diesel fuel indicate the approximate level of crystallization in diesel fuel that has been chilled beyond its cloud point and indicate the approximate energy content of diesel fuel. The cloud point monitoring device design allows it to be made small enough to be mounted in a fuel system of a vehicle.
Claims36
A cloud point monitoring device for installation in a fuel flow system of a vehicle, for determining formation of wax crystals in diesel fuel in the vehicle, comprising:
- a thermal conductive surface;
- a thermal device to change thermal conditions of said thermal conductive surface;
- a detection volume in close proximity to said thermal conductive surface, said detection volume being open to the fuel flow system of the vehicle to allow fuel to flow through said detection volume;
- a temperature sensor to sense temperature of the diesel fuel in said detection volume;
- a light source which produces and directs light into said detection volume;
- a light detector to detect a change in light level from said light source in said detection volume, said change in light level being relative to the positioning of said light source in relation to said light detector;
- and
- a data acquisition and control unit to monitor light level from said light detector and monitor diesel fuel temperature from said temperature sensor.
A cloud point monitoring device, for determining formation of wax crystals in diesel fuel, comprising:
- a thermal conductive surface;
- a thermal device to change thermal conditions of said thermal conductive surface;
- a detection volume in close proximity to said thermal conductive surface;
- a temperature sensor to sense temperature of the diesel fuel in said detection volume;
- a light source which directs light into said detection volume;
- a light detector to detect a change in light level from said light source in said detection volume, said change in light level being relative to the positioning of said light source in relation to said light detector;
- a data acquisition and control unit to monitor light level from said light detector and monitor diesel fuel temperature from said temperature sensor;
- and
- a ramp in said detection volume which leads from an upper surface of said thermal conductive surface down to a bottom of said detection volume.
A method of monitoring cloud point of diesel fuel in a veicle, using a cloud point monitoring device which includes a thermal conductive surface, a thermal device to change thermal conditions of the thermal conductive surface, a detection volume in close proximity to the thermal conductive surface, a temperature sensor to sense temperature of the diesel fuel in the detection volume;
- a light source which directs light into the detection volume, a light detector to detect a change in light level from the light source in the detection volume, the change in light level being relative to the positioning of the light source in relation to the light detector, and a data acquisition and control unit to monitor light level change from the light detector and monitor diesel fuel temperature from the temperature sensor, comprising:
- inputting fuel into the detection volume from a fuel flow system of the vehicle;
- directing light from the light source into the detection volume;
- detecting the light level at the light detector
- monitoring the light level change at the light detector;
- sensing and monitoring the temperature of the diesel fuel in the detection volume;
- cooling the diesel fuel in detection volume until wax crystals are formed, so that the light level monitored is changed;
- and
- recording temperature of the diesel fuel in the detection volume at a value point where the light level changes, the recorded temperature at the value point where the light level changes being the cloud point of the diesel fuel.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.