Method and apparatus for providing diluted gas to exhaust emission analyzer

• US 5,756,360 A
• Filed: 09/29/1995
• Issued: 05/26/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Horiba Instruments Incorporated (Horiba Limited)
• Original Assignee: Horiba Instruments Incorporated (Horiba Limited)
• Inventors: Dageforde, Allen F., Harvey, R. Neal
• Primary Examiner(s): LUDLOW, JAN M
• Application Number:
  US08/536,401
• Time in Patent Office: 970 Days
• Field of Search: 422/94, 422/83, 436/134, 436/177, 436/179, 436/181, 73/23.31, 73/1 G, 73/31.02, 73/31.03, 73/863.02, 73/863.03, 73/863.11, 73/863.83, 73/864.34, 73/864.81, 73/863.61
• US Class Current: 436/179
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 1/2252 in a vehicle exhaust
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2001/2264 with dilution
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2001/244 using critical flow orifices
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/0006 Calibrating gas analysers
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/0018 by diluting a gas
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/205831 Carbon monoxide only
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/25625 Dilution
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/25875 Gaseous sample or with change of physical state

Abstract

An apparatus and method are adapted for analyzing exhaust emissions by using a small fraction of a continuously-extracted exhaust sample combined with a pollutant-free diluent through a system of critical flow orifices at a predetermined and precisely controlled flow ratio. A small quantity of gas is extracted from the diluted exhaust gas available which is diluted with the contaminant-free air or nitrogen to produce a mixture having a dew point below ambient air temperature and satisfying the flow requirements of the analysis system.

Claims

1. An apparatus for controlling the dilution of an exhaust gas sample from the exhaust system of an engine for analysis by an exhaust emission analyzer, the apparatus comprising:

an exhaust gas sampling line having first and second ends, said first end being fluidly connected to the exhaust system of the engine;

an exhaust gas sampling line orifice fitted to said exhaust gas sampling line, said exhaust gas sampling line orifice having an inlet;

a source of substantially pollutant-free diluent gas;

a diluent line having first and second ends, said first end being connected to said source of substantially pollutant-free diluent gas;

a diluent line orifice fitted to said diluent line, said diluent line orifice having an inlet, and said exhaust gas sampling line orifice and said diluent line orifice being configured so as to produce equal pressure drops thereacross;

a diluent pressure regulator fitted to said diluent line and connected to said exhaust gas sampling line for controlling pressure such that pressure at said diluent line orifice inlet is equal to pressure at said exhaust gas sampling line orifice inlet;

a diluted gas outlet line having first and second ends, said first end being connected to the exhaust emission analyzer;

a fluid junction, said second ends of said exhaust gas sampling line, said diluent line, and said diluted gas outlet line being connected to said fluid junction; and

means for drawing diluted gas through said diluted gas outlet line.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein each of said orifices is a critical flow orifice.

3. The apparatus claim 1, wherein each of said orifices is a critical flow venturi.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein each of said orifices is a subsonic venturi.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein each of said orifices is a subsonic orifice.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said means for drawing diluted gas comprises a vacuum pump.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, further including a heating oven at least partially enclosing said exhaust gas sampling line, said diluent line, said fluid junction, said exhaust gas sampling line orifice and said diluent line orifice.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said exhaust gas sampling line further includes a prefilter.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said diluted gas outlet line further includes a filter.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, further including a calibration line fitted to said exhaust gas sampling line for establishing the operating-dilution ratio of said diluent gas to the exhaust gas sample established by said diluent line orifice and said exhaust gas sampling line orifice.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, further including a source of calibrating gas and wherein said calibration line includes first line connecting said source of calibrating gas to said exhaust gas sampling line and a second line connecting said source of calibrating gas to the exhaust gas analyzer.

12. A method for preparing a sample of exhaust gas from the exhaust system of an engine for analysis by an exhaust emission analyzer, said method including the steps of:

extracting an exhaust gas sample from the exhaust system of an engine and passing said exhaust gas sample through an inlet of an exhaust gas sampling line orifice fitted to an exhaust gas sampling line;

extracting a diluent gas from a diluent gas source and passing said diluent gas through an inlet of a diluent line orifice fitted to a diluent line having a pressure regulator;

maintaining the volumetric ratio of said exhaust gas sample and said diluent gas at a substantially constant rate with said pressure regulator by controlling pressure such that pressure at said diluent line orifice inlet is equal to pressure at said exhaust gas sampling line orifice inlet;

introducing said diluent gas into said exhaust gas sample to create a diluted exhaust gas sample; and

directing said diluted exhaust gas sample to the exhaust emission analyzer.

13. The method of claim 12, further including the step of controlling the temperature of said diluent gas and said exhaust gas sample prior to and during the step of introducing said diluent gas into said exhaust gas sample.

14. The method of claim 12, further including the step of controlling the pressure of said diluent gas so that it is substantially at the same pressure as said exhaust gas sample.

15. The method of claim 12, further including the step of establishing a dilution ratio between said diluent gas and said exhaust gas sample.

16. The method of claim 15, further including the step of calibrating the exhaust emission analyzer in response to said dilution ratio.

17. An apparatus for controlling the dilution of an exhaust gas sample from the exhaust system of an engine for analysis by an exhaust emission analyzer, the apparatus comprising:

an exhaust gas sampling line having first and second ends, said first end being fluidly connected to the exhaust system of the engine;

an exhaust gas sampling line flow control valve fitted to said exhaust gas sampling line, said exhaust gas sampling line flow control valve having an inlet;

a source of substantially pollutant-free diluent gas;

a diluent line having first and second ends, said first end being connected to said source of substantially pollutant-free diluent gas;

a diluent line flow control valve fitted to said diluent line, said diluent line flow control valve having an inlet and said exhaust gas sampling line flow control valve and said diluent line flow control valve being configured so as to produce equal pressure drops thereacross;

a diluent pressure regulator fitted to said diluent line and connected to said exhaust gas sampling line for controlling pressure such that pressure at the diluent line flow control valve inlet is equal to pressure at the exhaust gas flow control valve inlet;

a diluted gas outlet line having first and second ends, said first end being connected to the exhaust emission analyzer;

a fluid junction, said second ends of said exhaust gas sampling line, said diluent line, and said diluted gas outlet line being connected to said fluid junction; and

means for drawing diluted gas through said exhaust gas sampling line, said diluent line, and said diluted gas outlet line.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, further including a pressure reference line between said pressure regulator and said exhaust gas sampling line.

19. The apparatus of claim 17, further including a heating oven at least partially enclosing said exhaust gas sampling line, said diluent line, said bulkstream line, said diluent connecting line, said diluent line orifice and said exhaust gas sampling line orifice, said heating oven set at a temperature sufficient to prevent condensation.

20. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein each of said orifices is a critical flow orifice.

21. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein each of said orifices is a critical flow venturi.

22. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein each of said orifices is a subsonic flow orifice.

23. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein each of said orifices is a subsonic flow venturi.

24. An apparatus for controlling the dilution of an exhaust gas sample from the exhaust system of an engine for analysis by an exhaust emission analyzer, comprising:

an exhaust gas sampling line having first and second ends, said first end being fluidly connected to the exhaust system of the engine;

an exhaust gas sampling line orifice fitted to said second end of said exhaust gas sampling line, said exhaust gas sampling line orifice having an inlet and an outlet;

a source of substantially pollutant-free gas;

a diluent line having first and second ends, said first end being connected to said source of substantially pollutant-free diluent gas;

a diluent line orifice fitted to said second end of said diluent line, said diluent line orifice having an inlet and an outlet and said diluent line orifice and said exhaust gas sampling line orifice being configured so as to produce equal pressure drops thereacross;

a diluent pressure regulator fitted to said diluent line and connected to said exhaust gas sampling line orifice inlet for controlling pressure such that pressure at said diluent line orifice inlet is equal to pressure at said exhaust gas sampling line inlet;

a bulkstream line having first and second ends, said first end being fluidly connected to said outlet of said exhaust gas sampling line orifice;

a diluent connecting line having first and second ends, said first end being fluidly connected to said outlet of said diluent line orifice;

a fluid junction connected to said second end of said diluent connecting line and said second end of said bulkstream line, such that the exhaust gas sample is diluted at a constant ratio with said substantially pollutant-free diluent gas to produce a diluted exhaust gas sample;

a diluted gas sampling line having first and second ends, said first end being fluidly connected to said fluid junction and said second end being fluidly connected to the exhaust emission analyzer; and

means for drawing said diluted exhaust gas sample through said exhaust gas sampling line.