Motor vehicle emission analysis system

• US 5,918,256 A
• Filed: 10/27/1997
• Issued: 06/29/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 10/27/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: East West Bank (East West Bancorp Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: William O. Delaney
• Inventors: Delaney, William O.
• Primary Examiner(s): DOMBROSKE, GEORGE M
• Application Number:
  US08/958,181
• Time in Patent Office: 610 Days
• Field of Search: 73/23.31, 73/23.32, 73/118.1, 73/116, 73/117.2, 73/117.3, 73/864.15, 73/864.21, 73/864.35, 73/864.81, 60/276, 60/277
• US Class Current: 73/23.31
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 15/102 by monitoring exhaust gases

Abstract

A vehicle emission analysis interface system for supplying a sample of a test vehicle'"'"'s exhaust gases to the inlet of an analyzer for providing a quantitative measurement of selected pollutants includes an exhaust sample inlet port for receiving a sample of the exhaust gases. A high pressure inlet port is adapted to be connected to a high pressure source at the test facility. A chiller for lowering the temperature of incoming gas sample stream has an inlet connected to the sample inlet port and an outlet. The system further includes a zero air generator having an inlet and an outlet for supplying purified air for analyzer calibration purposes. A reverse purge valve is arranged to selectively connect the high pressure inlet port to the zero air generator inlet and the chiller outlet in series with the analyzer inlet or to connect the high pressure inlet port to the chiller outlet to purge the chiller and components which feed the exhaust gas sample to the chiller of pollutants in the gas sample of the last vehicle tested. Valving is also provided to direct air from the zero air generator to a fuel cap adaptor with the flow rate being measured to check the integrity of the fuel cap with respect to the leakage of pollutant fumes.

Claims

1. In a vehicle emission analysis interface system for supplying a sample of a test vehicle'"'"'s engine exhaust gases to an inlet of an analyzer for providing a quantitative measurement of selected pollutants, the combination comprising:

an exhaust gas sample inlet port adapted to be connected to an exhaust gas probe through a hose for receiving a sample of the vehicle'"'"'s exhaust gases;

a high pressure air inlet port adapted to be connected to a high pressure air source;

a chiller having an inlet and an outlet for lowering the temperature of the exhaust gases passing therethrough, the chiller inlet being connected to the exhaust gas sample inlet port;

a zero air generator having an inlet and an outlet for providing substantially purified air under a predetermined pressure in the outlet thereof; and

a reverse purge valve connected in series relationship with the high pressure inlet port, the zero air generator inlet, the chiller outlet and the analyzer inlet, the purge valve being arranged to selectively connect the high pressure inlet port to the zero air generator inlet and the chiller outlet in series with the analyzer inlet or to connect the high pressure inlet port to the chiller outlet.

2. The invention of claim 1 further including an ambient air inlet port and an ambient air valve connected in series relationship with the analyzer inlet, the chiller outlet and the ambient air inlet port for selectively directing the exhaust gas sample from the chiller outlet to the analyzer for analysis of the same or directing ambient air to the analyzer for calibration purposes.

3. The invention of claim 1 wherein the test vehicle includes a fuel cap for providing access to the vehicles fuel tank and further including:

a fuel cap integrity test port adapted to be connected to a fuel cap adaptor through a conduit;

a flow sensor connected to the fuel cap integrity test port for measuring fluid flow through the test port;

a source of low pressure gas; and

a fuel cap integrity test valve connected in series relationship with the low pressure gas source, the flow sensor and the fuel cap test port for selectively directing air flow from the low pressure air source through the flow sensor, the fuel cap test port, and the conduit to the fuel cap adaptor.

4. The invention of claim 3 wherein the zero air generator includes a pressure regulator for providing a low pressure air stream in the outlet and wherein the fuel cap test valve is connected between the zero air generator outlet and the flow sensor.

5. The invention of claim 1 further including a pneumatic pump connected in series relationship between the gas sample inlet port and the analyzer inlet.

6. The invention of claim 1 further including a condensed moisture removing filter having an inlet and an outlet, the moisture removing filter being connected in series relationship between the chiller outlet and the analyzer inlet.

7. The invention of claim 6 further including a calibration valve having a gas sample inlet and an outlet, the outlet being connected to the analyzer inlet, the gas sample inlet being connected in series with the moisture removing filter outlet, the calibration valve further having at least one calibration gas inlet adapted to be connected to a calibration gas source, the calibration valve being arranged to selectively connect the gas sample inlet or the calibration gas inlet to the outlet thereof.

8. The invention of claim 7 further including an ambient air inlet port and an ambient air valve, the ambient air valve having a gas sample inlet, an ambient air inlet and an outlet, the gas sample inlet of the ambient air valve being connected to the moisture removing filter outlet, the ambient air inlet port being connected in series with the ambient air inlet of the ambient air valve, the outlet of the ambient air valve being connected in series with the analyzer inlet, the ambient air valve being arranged to route fluid from the moisture removing filter outlet or ambient air to the analyzer.

9. The invention of claim 8 including a pneumatic pump connected between the gas sample inlet of the calibration valve and the ambient air valve outlet.

10. The invention of claim 1 further including means for measuring the degree of vacuum existing at the exhaust gas sample inlet port.

11. The invention of claim 7 wherein at least one calibration gas inlet comprises two inlets with one inlet being arranged to be connected to a high level pollutant source and the other inlet being arranged to be connected to a low level pollutant source.

12. The invention of claim 11 wherein the calibration valve further includes a purified air inlet and means for selectively connecting the zero air generator outlet to the purified air inlet.

13. In a vehicle emission analysis system for providing an analysis of selected pollutants emanating from an motor vehicle, the combination comprising:

a gas analyzer having an inlet for providing a quantitative measurement of the selected pollutants in a sample gas stream;

an exhaust gas sample inlet port adapted to be connected to an exhaust gas probe through a conduit for receiving a sample of the vehicle'"'"'s exhaust gases;

a dehumidifier connected in series relationship between the gas sample inlet port and the analyzer inlet;

a fuel cap integrity test port adapted to be connected through a conduit to a fuel cap adaptor, the adaptor being arranged to receive a fuel cap;

a flow sensor connected to the fuel cap integrity test port for measuring the fluid flow therethrough;

a source of low pressure gas; and

a fuel cap integrity test valve connected in series relationship with the low pressure gas source, the flow sensor and the fuel cap test port for selectively directing air flow from the low pressure air source through the fuel cap test port.

14. The invention of claim 13 further including:

a zero air generator having an outlet for providing substantially pure air at low pressure;

a source of at least one calibration gas;

a calibration valve having an exhaust gas sample inlet connected in series with the dehumidifier to receive the dehumidified gas sample, at least one calibration gas inlet connected to the calibration gas source, a pure air inlet in series with the outlet of the zero air generator and an outlet connected to the analyzer inlet, the calibration valve being arranged to selectively connect the gas sample inlet, the calibration gas inlet or the pure air inlet to the outlet thereof.

15. The invention of claim 14 wherein the dehumidifier includes a thermal electric chiller and a moisture removing filter, the chiller having an inlet and an outlet, the moisturizing filter being connected to the chiller outlet.

16. The invention of claim 15 wherein the zero air generator has an inlet and further including a high pressure inlet port adapted to be connected to a high pressure air source and a reverse purge valve connected to the exhaust gas sample inlet port, the high pressure air inlet port, the chiller inlet and the zero air generator inlet, the purge valve being arranged to connect the gas sample inlet port to the chiller inlet and the high pressure air inlet port to the zero air generator inlet or to connect the high pressure air inlet port to the chiller outlet.

17. The invention of claim 16 wherein the dehumidifier has an outlet and further including an ambient air inlet port, a pneumatic pump having an inlet and outlet and an ambient air valve having an inlet and an outlet, the outlet of the pneumatic pump being connected to the gas sample inlet of the calibration valve, the ambient air valve being connected to dehumidifier outlet, the ambient air inlet port and the pump inlet, the ambient air valve being arranged to connect the dehumidifier outlet or the ambient air inlet port to the pump inlet.

18. The invention of claim 17 wherein the zero air generator comprises the source of low pressure gas.