DETECTION OF FUEL CONTAMINATION IN LUBRICATING OIL

• US 20110169512A1
• Filed: 08/17/2010
• Published: 07/14/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/17/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Voelker Sensors, Inc
• Original Assignee: Voelker Sensors, Inc
• Inventors: Hedges, Joe D.
• Granted Patent: US 8,643,388 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 324/698
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/2888 Lubricating oil characteristics, e.g. deterioration lubricating properties G01N33/30

Abstract

A method for measuring fuel contamination in oil that uses a material in contact with oil whereby fuel intrusion into the oil will change the electrical, mechanical, and/or chemical properties of the material as compared to the same electrical, mechanical, and/or chemical properties of the material when in contact only with mineral or synthetic oil only.

Claims

1. A method for measuring fuel contamination in oil, the method comprising:

measuring an electrical, mechanical, and/or chemical property of a material in contact with oil;

comparing the measured electrical, mechanical, and/or chemical property of the material in contact with the oil against a previously measured electrical, mechanical, and/or chemical property of the same material; and

identifying a change in the measured electrical, mechanical, and/or chemical property against the previously measured electrical, mechanical, and/or chemical property, wherein the change indicates fuel intrusion into and contamination of the oil.