Method for determining the heating value and the relative density of a hydrocarbon fuel and apparatus for the same
AssigneeAnu-Biz Bvba
InventorsJohan Bats, Floris J. J. Huijsmans
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
There is disclosed a method for determining the heating value of a fuel, the fuel comprising at least one hydrocarbon including a first hydrocarbon present in the highest molar concentration, the method comprising: measuring the stoichiometric oxidation molar flow ratio of the fuel; determining the ideal molar heating value (HVm,i) from the measured stoichiometric oxidation molar flow ratio; measuring the molar concentration of the first hydrocarbon; and determining the real molar heating value (HVm,r) from the ideal molar heating value (HVm,i) and the molar concentration of the first hydrocarbon. An apparatus is also disclosed.
Claims32
A method for determining die heating value of a fuel, the fuel comprising at least one hydrocarbon including a first hydrocarbon present in the highest molar concentration, the method comprising:
- measuring the stoichiometric oxidation molar flow ratio of the fuel;
- determining the ideal molar heating value (HVm,i) from the measured stoichiometric oxidation molar flow ratio;
- measuring the molar concentration of the first hydrocarbon;
- and determining the real molar heating value (HVm,r) from the ideal molar heating value (HVm,i) and the molar concentration of the first hydrocarbon.
An apparatus for determining the heating value of a fuel, the fuel comprising at least one hydrocarbon including a first hydrocarbon present in the highest molar concentration, the apparatus comprising:
- means for measuring the stoichiometric oxidation molar flow ratio of the fuel;
- means for determining the ideal molar heating value (HVm,i) from the measured stoichiometric oxidation molar flow ratio;
- means for measuring the molar concentration of the first hydrocarbon;
- and
- means for determining the real molar heating value (HVm,r) from the ideal molar heating value (HVm,i) and the molar concentration of the first hydrocarbon.
An apparatus for determining the relative density of a fuel comprising at least one hydrocarbon component, the apparatus comprising:
- means for determining the real heating value of the fuel;
- means for measuring the velocity of sound within the fuel;
- means for measuring the concentration of carbon dioxide in the fuel;
- and
- means for determining the relative density of the fuel from the real heating value, the velocity of sound and the concentration of carbon dioxide.
An apparatus for determining the stoichiometric molar ratio of oxygen (or air)/fuel for a hydrocarbon fuel, the apparatus comprising a substrate of inert material having formed therein:
- a cavity to serve as an oxidation reactor;
- a conduit for the passage of the fuel from an inlet to the cavity;
- and a conduit for the passage of oxygen (or air) from an inlet to the cavity.
A method of determining the stoichiometric oxidation ratio for a fuel, the method comprising the steps of:
- providing a reactor for conducting the oxidation of the fuel with oxygen (or air);
- supplying oxygen (or air) to the reactor;
- supplying the fuel to the reactor;
- maintaining the flow rate of one of the fuel and oxygen (or air) to the reactor constant;
- varying the flow rate of the other of the fuel and oxygen (or air) to the reactor, in order to vary the molar ratio of the fuel and oxygen (or air) being reacted;
- measuring the temperature of the oxidation reaction or the oxygen (or air) concentration at the outlet of the combustion cavity over a range of molar ratios;
- and
- determining the stoichiometric oxidation ratio from the peak temperature or the oxygen (or air) concentration at the outlet of the combustion cavity.
An apparatus for determining the stoichiometric molar flow ratio for oxidation of a fuel, comprising a substrate of inert material the substrate having formed therein:
- a first inlet for the fuel;
- a second inlet for oxygen (or air);
- an outlet for reacted fluid;
- and
- a plurality of reactor assembles, each reaction assembly comprising:
- a cavity;
- a first conduit extending between the cavity and the first inlet for passage of the fuel to the cavity;
- a second conduit extending between the cavity and the second inlet for passage of oxygen (or air) to the cavity;
- an outlet conduit extending between the cavity and the outlet;
- and
- a temperature sensor for measuring the temperature of fluids reacting within the oxidation cavity, or a sensor to measure the oxygen (or air) concentration at the outlet of the oxidation cavity;
- wherein each reactor assembly is arranged to provide the fuel and oxygen (or air) to the cavity in a different predetermined molar ratio, wherein the stoichiometric oxidation molar flow ratio is determined from the measured temperatures and the predetermined molar ratios.
A method for determining the stoichiometric molar flow ratio for oxidation of a fuel, the method comprising:
- providing a plurality of reactor assemblies, each reaction assembly comprising:
- an oxidation cavity;
- a first conduit for passage of the fuel to the cavity;
- and
- a second conduit for passage of oxygen (or air) to the cavity;
- wherein each reactor assembly is arranged to provide the fuel and oxygen (or air) to the cavity in a different predetermined molar ratio;
- supplying fuel to the first conduit of each reactor assembly;
- supplying oxygen (or air) to the second conduit of each reactor assembly;
- controlling the molar flowrate of fluid in each conduit with an internal orifice;
- allowing oxidation of the fuel to occur in each cavity;
- measuring the temperature of oxidation in each cavity, or the oxygen (or air) concentration at the outlet of the cavity;
- and
- determining the stoichiometric oxidation molar flow ratio from the measured temperatures and the predetermined molar flow ratios.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.