Exhaust opacity measuring device
First Claim
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1. A method for determining an opacity value of an emission plume the method comprising the steps of:
- directing a beam comprising at least two different wavelengths of electromagnetic radiation through an emission plume;
detecting the beam after the beam has passed through the emission plume;
determining a change in intensity of the beam for each of the at least two different wavelengths of electromagnetic radiation;
comparing the change in intensity for a predetermined number of measurements of the at least two different wavelengths of electromagnetic radiation, and, if the change in intensity for the predetermined number of measurements of the at least two different wavelengths of electromagnetic radiation is substantially equivalent, determining an opacity value related to the change in intensity for the predetermined number of measurements of the at least two different wavelengths of electromagnetic radiation.
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Abstract
A remote emissions sensing system and method for sensing exhaust emissions from motor vehicles is provided where the system determines the opacity of an exhaust plume. The system comprises a radiation source that emits radiation which is passed through the exhaust plume of a motor vehicle to one or more detectors arranged to receive the radiation. Multiple wavelength opacity measuring embodiments and monochromatic wavelength opacity measuring embodiments are disclosed.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method for determining an opacity value of an emission plume the method comprising the steps of:
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directing a beam comprising at least two different wavelengths of electromagnetic radiation through an emission plume;
detecting the beam after the beam has passed through the emission plume;
determining a change in intensity of the beam for each of the at least two different wavelengths of electromagnetic radiation;
comparing the change in intensity for a predetermined number of measurements of the at least two different wavelengths of electromagnetic radiation, and, if the change in intensity for the predetermined number of measurements of the at least two different wavelengths of electromagnetic radiation is substantially equivalent, determining an opacity value related to the change in intensity for the predetermined number of measurements of the at least two different wavelengths of electromagnetic radiation. - View Dependent Claims (2)
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3. A method for measuring opacity using a remote emission sensing system that measures on-road vehicle exhaust emissions, the method comprising:
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directing at least two different wavelengths of electromagnetic radiation through an exhaust emission plume;
detecting the at least two wavelengths of electromagnetic radiation after they pass through the exhaust emission plume;
determining the relative concentration of a vehicle exhaust constituent present in the exhaust emission plume;
determining a change in intensity for each of the at least two different wavelengths of electromagnetic radiation;
correlating the change in intensity for each of the at least two different wavelengths of electromagnetic radiation to the determined relative concentration of the vehicle exhaust constituent;
registering a valid opacity value for each of the at least two different wavelengths of electromagnetic radiation that substantially correlate to the determined relative concentration of the vehicle exhaust constituent;
comparing the change in intensity for a predetermined number of the at least two different wavelengths of electromagnetic radiation and, if the change in intensity for the predetermined number of the at least two different wavelengths of electromagnetic radiation is substantially equivalent, calculating a reported opacity value proportional to an average of the valid opacity values. - View Dependent Claims (4, 5)
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6. A system for measuring an opacity value for an exhaust emission plume, the system comprising:
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a source of electromagnetic radiation that is directed through an exhaust emission plume;
a detector that detects the electromagnetic radiation and outputs a detector signal proportional to the detected electromagnetic radiation; and
a processor that receives the detector signal and calculates an opacity value for the exhaust plume based, at least in part, upon the detector signal. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A remote sensing system for measuring opacity of a vehicle exhaust plume the system comprising:
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a source that directs at least two different wavelengths of electromagnetic radiation through an exhaust emission plume;
a detector that detects the at least two different wavelengths of electromagnetic radiation and produces an output signal; and
a processor comprising;
a relative concentration module that determines a relative concentration of a vehicle exhaust constituent present in the exhaust emission plume;
a change in intensity module that determines a change in intensity for the at least two different wavelengths based, at least in part, upon the output signal;
a correlation module that correlates the change in intensity for the at least two different wavelengths to the relative concentration of the vehicle exhaust constituent and registers a valid opacity value for each of the at least two different wavelengths that substantially correlate to the determined relative concentration of the vehicle exhaust constituent; and
a calculation module that compares the change in intensity for a predetermined number of the at least two different wavelengths of electromagnetic radiation and, if the change in intensity for the predetermined number of the at least two different wavelengths is substantially equivalent, calculates a reported opacity value proportional to the average of the valid opacity values. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13)
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14. A method for calculating an opacity value for an exhaust emission plume, the method comprising:
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obtaining an measurement of an exhaust constituent amount (n) in a spatial volume of an exhaust emission plume;
directing a beam of substantially monochromatic electromagnetic radiation substantially through the spatial volume of an exhaust emission plume;
measuring a transmittance (T) of the beam of substantially monochromatic electromagnetic radiation;
calculating an opacity value (Ks) proportional to the relation - View Dependent Claims (15, 16)
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17. A system for determining an opacity value for an exhaust emission plume, the system comprising:
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an exhaust constituent amount measuring system that measures an exhaust constituent amount (n) in a spatial volume of an exhaust emission plume;
a source of substantially monochromatic radiation capable of forming a beam of radiation;
a transmittance measuring system that measures a transmittance (T) of the beam of radiation; and
a processor further comprising;
an opacity calculation module that calculates an opacity value (Ks) according to the relation - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
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Specification