Apparatus for remote analysis of vehicle emissions

• US 5,319,199 A
• Filed: 06/08/1992
• Issued: 06/07/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 12/26/1990
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Colorado Seminary
• Original Assignee: Colorado Seminary
• Inventors: Stedman, Donald H., Bishop, Gary A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hannaher, Constantine
• Assistant Examiner(s): Glick, Edward J.
• Application Number:
  US07/895,342
• Time in Patent Office: 729 Days
• Field of Search: 250/338.5, 250/339, 250/340, 250/341, 250/343, 250/347, 250/345, 250/349, 250/372, 250/373, 356/437, 356/438, 356/439
• US Class Current: 250/338.5
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2021/1793 Remote sensing
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/33 using ultraviolet light G01N21/39 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/3504 for analysing gases, e.g. multi-gas analysis

Abstract

A gas analysis device (10) for the remote detecting, measuring and recording of NO_x, CO, CO₂, HC and H₂ O levels from the exhaust (30) of moving motor vehicles (28) utilizes a source (11) of collimated infrared and ultraviolet radiation (15) and includes a detector unit (16) positioned on the opposite side of the roadway for receiving and measuring the infrared and ultraviolet radiation from the source (11) tranmitted through the vehicle exhaust. The detector unit splits the combined infrared and ultraviolet radiation into separate infrared and ultraviolet beams (42) and (40). An ultraviolet sensor (44) receives the separate ultraviolet beam and generates a signal indicative of NO_x. A rotating reflector (27) time-multiplexes the infrared beam to a plurality of infrared sensors that generate electrical signals indicative of, for example, CO, CO₂, HC and H₂ O in the vehicle exhaust. A computer (17) then computes the relative concentrations of CO, CO₂, HC, NO_x, and H₂ O in the path of the infrared and ultraviolet radiation from the source, thereby measuring vehicle emissions.

Claims

1. A gas analysis system for detecting and measuring relative concentrations of gases in the exhaust of a motor vehicle comprising:

a source for producing and transmitting a beam of infrared radiation through at least a portion of said motor vehicle exhaust; and

a detector for receiving said infrared beam having;

(a) a plurality of sensors, each sensor generating an electrical signal indicative of the absorption of said infrared beam in a wavelength band indicative of a corresponding one of the gases in said exhaust;

(b) means for time-multiplexing said infrared beam to each of said sensors; and

(c) means responsive to said electrical signals from said sensors for computing the relative concentrations of said gases in the path of said infrared beam through said exhaust.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said time-multiplexing means comprises a rotating reflector directing said infrared beam to each of said sensors in sequence.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said time-multiplexing means comprises a rotating polygonal structure having reflective surfaces along the edges of said polygon to direct said infrared beam to each of said sensors in sequence.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of said sensors comprise a photodetector with a filter passing a wavelength indicative of the gas to be detected by said sensor.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein said source and said detector are located on one side of a roadway, and said system further comprises at least one reflector located on the opposite side of said roadway to reflect said infrared beam from said source to said detector.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein one of said sensors generates an electrical signal indicative of the absorption of said infrared beam by carbon dioxide in said exhaust.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein one of said sensors generates an electrical signal indicative of the absorption of said infrared beam by carbon monoxide in said exhaust.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein one of said sensors generates an electrical signal indicative of the absorption of said infrared beam by hydrocarbons in said exhaust.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein one of said sensors generates an electrical signal indicative of the absorption of said infrared beam by water in said exhaust.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein one of said sensors generates a reference electrical signal indicative of the total absorption of said infrared beam by said exhaust.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein said source further comprises means to produce and transmit a beam of ultraviolet radiation that is substantially collimated with said infrared beam, and wherein said detector further comprises an ultraviolet sensor generating an electrical signal indicative of the absorption of said ultraviolet beam by nitrogen oxides in said exhaust.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein said detector further comprises a beamsplitter to split said ultraviolet radiation from said infrared radiation and to direct at least a portion of said ultraviolet radiation onto said ultraviolet sensor.

13. The system of claim 1, further comprising a calibration cell containing a known mixture of at least two of said gases measured by said sensors, said calibration cell being removably insertable across the path of said beam between said source and said sensors with the optical length of said beam path through said gases in said calibration cell varying as said calibration cell is inserted across said beam path.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein said calibration cell is substantially wedge shaped.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the cross-section of said calibration cell has a series of steps.

16. The system of claim 1, further comprising visual recording means aligned to record the end portion of said vehicle, including any vehicle identification material displayed on said vehicle.

17. The system of claim 1, wherein said computing means samples said electrical signals from said sensors for a predetermined period of time following resumption of beam reception by said detector after a moving vehicle interrupts said beam.

18. A gas analysis system for detecting and measuring relative concentrations of gases in the exhaust of a motor vehicle comprising:

a source for producing and transmitting a beam of infrared and ultraviolet radiation through at least a portion of said motor vehicle exhaust; and

a detector for receiving said beam having;

(a) means for splitting said infrared and ultraviolet beam received from said source into separate infrared and ultraviolet beams;

(b) a plurality of infrared sensors, each infrared sensor generating an electrical signal indicative of the absorption of said infrared beam by said exhaust in a corresponding wavelength band;

said infrared sensors including at least a first sensor for carbon monoxide, a second sensor for carbon dioxide, and a reference sensor indicative of total absorption of said infrared beam by said exhaust;

(c) an ultraviolet sensor generating an electrical signal indicative of the absorption of said ultraviolet beam by nitrogen oxides in said exhaust; and

(d) means responsive to said electrical signals from said infrared and ultraviolet sensors for computing the relative concentrations of said gases in the path of said beam through said exhaust.

19. The system of claim 18, further comprising means for time-multiplexing said infrared beam to each of said infrared sensors.

20. The system of claim 18, further comprising visual recording means aligned to record the end portion of said vehicle, including any vehicle identification material displayed on said vehicle.

21. The system of claim 18, wherein said source and said detector are located on one side of a roadway, and said system further comprises at least one reflector located on the opposite side of said roadway to reflect said infrared and ultraviolet beam from said source to said detector.

22. The system of claim 18, wherein one of said infrared sensors generates an electrical signal indicative of the absorption of said infrared beam by hydrocarbons in said exhaust.

23. The system of claim 18, wherein one of said infrared sensors generates an electrical signal indicative of the absorption of said infrared beam by water in said exhaust.

24. The system of claim 18, further comprising a calibration cell containing a known mixture of at least two of said gases measured by said sensors, said calibration cell being removably insertable across the path of said beam between said source and said sensors with the optical length of said beam path through said gases in said calibration cell varying as said calibration cell is inserted across said beam path.

25. The system of claim 18, wherein said computing means samples said electrical signals from said sensors for a predetermined period of time following resumption of beam reception by said detector after a moving vehicle interrupts said beam.

26. A gas analysis system for detecting and measuring relative concentrations of gases in the exhaust of a moving motor vehicle comprising:

a source for producing and transmitting a beam of infrared and ultraviolet radiation through at least a portion of said exhaust;

a detector for receiving said beam having;

(a) a beamsplitter for splitting said beam received from said source into separate infrared and ultraviolet beams;

(b) a plurality of infrared sensors, each infrared sensor generating an electrical signal indicative of the absorption of said infrared beam by said exhaust in a corresponding wavelength band;

said infrared sensors including at least a first sensor for carbon monoxide, a second sensor for carbon dioxide, a third sensor for hydrocarbons, a fourth sensor for water, and a reference sensor indicative of total absorption of said infrared beam by said exhaust;

(c) a rotating reflector for directing said infrared beam to each of said infrared sensors in sequence;

(d) an ultraviolet sensor generating an electrical signal indicative of the absorption of said ultraviolet beam by nitrogen oxides in said exhaust; and

(e) means responsive to said electrical signals from said infrared and ultraviolet sensors for computing the relative concentrations of said gases in the path of said beam through said exhaust for a predetermined period of time following resumption of beam reception by said detector after said moving vehicle interrupts said beam.

27. The system of claim 26, further comprising visual recording means aligned to record the end portion of said vehicle, including any vehicle identification material displayed on said vehicle.

28. The system of claim 26, wherein said source and said detector are located on one side of a roadway, and said system further comprises at least one reflector located on the opposite side of said roadway to reflect said infrared and ultraviolet beam from said source to said detector.

29. The system of claim 26, further comprising a calibration cell containing a known mixture of at least two of said gases measured by said sensors, said calibration cell being removably insertable across the path of said beam between said source and said sensors with the optical length of said beam path through said gases in said calibration cell varying as said calibration cell is inserted across said beam path.