Real-Time Fluid Species Mass Flowmeter

• US 20170234707A1
• Filed: 02/12/2017
• Published: 08/17/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 02/12/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Leo Breton
• Original Assignee: Leo Breton
• Inventors: Breton, Leo
• Granted Patent: US 10,578,468 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 11/00 Monitoring or diagnostic devices for exhaust-gas treatment apparatus , e.g. for catalytic activity safety, indicating or supervising devices for internal combustion engines F02B77/08; testing of machines G01M13/00
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 13/008 Mounting or arrangement of exhaust sensors in or on exhaust apparatus sensor arrangements for engine control F02D41/1439
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 2560/02 the means being an exhaust gas sensor
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 2560/022 for measuring or detecting CO or CO2
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 2560/023 for measuring or detecting HC
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 2560/05 the means being a particulate sensor
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 2560/07 the means being an exhaust gas flow rate or velocity meter or sensor, intake flow meters only when exclusively used to determine exhaust gas parameters
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 2900/08 said parameters being related to the engine
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 2900/10 said parameters being related to the vehicle or its components
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 2900/1411 Exhaust gas flow rate, e.g. mass flow rate or volumetric flow rate
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 1/46 Pitot tubes
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 15/10 by monitoring exhaust gases or combustion flame
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/3504 for analysing gases, e.g. multi-gas analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/8507 Probe photometers, i.e. with optical measuring part dipped into fluid sample
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/0036 Specially adapted to detect a particular component all the other sub-groups of G01N33/0004 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/40 Engine management systems

Abstract

A chemical species mass flow meter measurement system for use in fluid mixture streams includes a chemical species concentration detection analyzer physically located within a fluid volume flow rate sensing probe along with bulk temperature and pressure sensing devices for relating to standard conditions. The system uses concentration detection analyzers specifically suited to the intended application. Applications include the measurement of exhaust mass emissions from vehicles, the fuel economy of vehicles, as well as the measurement of the mass flow rate of chemical species of interest in general industrial processes.

Claims

1. A real-time chemical species mass flow rate measurement system comprising:

Means for determining bulk flow rate of a flowing fluid;

An analyzer for detecting concentration of at least one chemical species within said flowing fluid, said analyzer sampling location located within the physical boundaries of said means for determining bulk flow rate;

Calculating means for calculating and reporting mass flow rates of at least one chemical species.

2. A chemical species mass flow rate measurement system according to claim 1 wherein said analyzer for detecting concentration of at least one chemical species within said flowing fluid employs at least one laser.

3. A chemical species mass flow rate measurement system according to claim 1 wherein said analyzer for detecting concentration of at least one chemical species within said flowing fluid is not open to fluid flow.

4. A chemical species mass flow rate measurement system according to claim 1 wherein said analyzer for detecting concentration of at least one chemical species within said flowing fluid further comprises a fluid sampling port at said sampling location.

5. A chemical species mass flow rate measurement system according to claim 1 wherein said means for determining bulk flow rate of a flowing fluid senses at least one fluid pressure.

6. A chemical species mass flow rate measurement system according to claim 1 wherein said means for determining bulk flow rate of a flowing fluid is an averaging pitot tube.

7. A chemical species mass flow rate measurement system according to claim 6 wherein said analyzer for detecting concentration of at least one chemical species within said flowing fluid employs at least one laser.

8. A chemical species mass flow rate measurement system according to claim 6 wherein said analyzer for detecting concentration of at least one chemical species within said flowing fluid is not open to fluid flow.

9. A chemical species mass flow rate measurement system according to claim 6 wherein said analyzer for detecting concentration of at least one chemical species within said flowing fluid further comprises a fluid sampling port at said sampling location.

10. An on-road vehicle emissions reporting system comprising:

Means, mounted for travel with a vehicle and operative during actual road travel, for determining flow rate of exhaust gas from an engine powering the vehicle;

An analyzer for detecting concentration of at least one chemical species within said exhaust gas, said analyzer sampling location located within the physical boundaries of said means for determining bulk flow rate;

Calculating means for calculating and reporting mass flow rates for at least one chemical species in real-time based on the detected concentrations.

11. A real-time, on-road vehicle emissions reporting system according to claim 10 wherein said analyzer employs at least one laser.

12. A real-time, on-road vehicle emissions reporting system according to claim 10 wherein said analyzer is not open to fluid flow.

13. A real-time, on-road vehicle emissions reporting system according to claim 10 wherein said analyzer further comprises a fluid sampling port at said sampling location.

14. A real-time, on-road vehicle emissions reporting system according to claim 10 wherein said calculating means also calculates fuel economy in real time.

15. A real-time, on-road vehicle emissions reporting system according to claim 10 wherein said calculating means further compares at least one calculated parameter to at least one other parameter for sensing undesirable states of said vehicle operation.