Additive feedback monitoring system

• US 4,568,248 A
• Filed: 04/26/1984
• Issued: 02/04/1986
• Est. Priority Date: 04/26/1984
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mark R. Harders
• Original Assignee: Mark R. Harders
• Inventors: Harders, Mark R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Look, Edward K.
• Application Number:
  US06/604,237
• Time in Patent Office: 649 Days
• Field of Search: 417/44, 417/43, 222/14-22, 137/487.5, 137/565, 123/1 A, 123/198 A, 123/25 E, 123/575, 123/576, 123/577, 307/116, 307/118
• US Class Current: 417/43
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 19/12 peculiar to engines working with non-fuel substances or with anti-knock agents, e.g. with anti-knock fuel
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/0025 Controlling engines characterised by use of non-liquid fuels, pluralities of fuels, or non-fuel substances added to the combustible mixtures

Abstract

In accordance with the present invention, the actual volume of a liquid chemical additive used to treat fuel is measured by an additive flow transducer so that a desired mix ratio can be maintained. In a first preferred embodiment, the amount of additive measured is converted to an equivalent volume treated fuel, and displayed. The user watches the display and stops adding additive when the display indicates that he has already added sufficient additive to treat the actual amount of fuel to be added to the fuel tank. In a second preferred embodiment, the user sets in the desired mix ratio and the volume of fuel that is to be added to the tank, and an electrically driven pump adds additive to the tank until a desired mix ratio obtains. In a third preferred embodiment, both the cumulative fuel flow and cumulative additive flow are sensed and the rate of additive flow is controlled by an automatic control system seeks to maintain a desired mix ratio.

Claims

1. A method of achieving in a fuel tank a desired mix ration of additive to fuel comprising the steps of:

(a) adding a quantity of fuel to the fuel tank;

(b) starting to transfer additive to the fuel tank and continually measuring the rate of flow of the additive to the fuel tank;

(c) determining at each instant the cumulative amount of additive added to the fuel tank;

(d) converting the cumulative amount of additive added to an equalivalent amount of fuel treated, taking into consideration the desired mix ratio;

(e) terminating the transfer of additive to the fuel tank when the equivalent amount of fuel treated equals the quantity of fuel added to the fuel tank.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein step (d) further comprises multiplying the cumulative amount of additive added by the desired mix ratio of fuel to additive to obtain the equivalent amount of fuel treated.

3. Apparatus for transferring from an additive reservoir to a fuel tank the correct amount of an additive when fuel is added to the fuel tank by an opertor to achieve a desired mix ration of additive to fuel, said apparatus comprising in combination:

a pump, electrically powered for transferring additive from the additive reservoir to the fuel tank;

a conduit connecting said pump to the fuel tank;

first means located along said conduit for determining at each instant the cumulative quantity of additive added to the fuel tank and for producing a first signal representing the cumulative quantity of additive added to the fuel tank;

input means controlled by the operator for generating a mix ratio signal;

second means connected to said first means and to said input means, responsive to said first signal and to said mix ratio signal to produce a second signal representing an equivalent quantity of fuel treated;

fuel added input means set by the operator for producing a fuel added signal representative of the quantity of fuel added to the fuel tank;

comparator means connected to said second means and to said fuel added input means, for producing an output signal that represents the difference between the fuel added and the equivalent quantity of fuel treated;

pump control means connected to said comparator means and to said pump, for applying electrical power to the pump when the fuel added exceeds the equivalent quantity of fuel treated and for interrupting the eletrical power to the pump to the pump when the equivalent quantity of fuel treated exceeds the fuel added.