Apparatus, system, and method for detecting engine fluid constituents
First Claim
1. A method comprising:
- interrogating a working engine fluid in-situ on the engine with electromagnetic (EM) radiation through a first conduit at a wavelength of interest;
selecting the wavelength of interest as a wavelength near a responsive wavelength for a constituent of the working engine fluid, but having reduced extinction relative to the responsive wavelength;
detecting a response of the working engine fluid to the radiation through a second conduit, wherein the first conduit and the second conduit are structured convey the EM radiation to and from the working fluid by internally reflecting the EM radiation through the first conduit and the second conduit; and
generating a composition indicator signal representative of an amount of the constituent of the working engine fluid in response to the detecting.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system for detecting engine fluid constituents includes an engine having a sample channel having a conduit for a working engine fluid. The system includes an electromagnetic (EM) source that emits EM radiation through a first metal tube, where the EM radiation is EM energy at a wavelength of interest. The system further includes an EM detector that receives a remainder radiation through a second metal tube, the remainder radiation including the remaining EM radiation after passing through the sample channel. The system includes a controller that determines a composition indicator signal representative of an amount of a constituent in the working engine fluid in response to a strength of the remainder radiation, and determines a concentration of a component of interest according to the composition indicator signal.
65 Citations
34 Claims
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1. A method comprising:
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interrogating a working engine fluid in-situ on the engine with electromagnetic (EM) radiation through a first conduit at a wavelength of interest; selecting the wavelength of interest as a wavelength near a responsive wavelength for a constituent of the working engine fluid, but having reduced extinction relative to the responsive wavelength; detecting a response of the working engine fluid to the radiation through a second conduit, wherein the first conduit and the second conduit are structured convey the EM radiation to and from the working fluid by internally reflecting the EM radiation through the first conduit and the second conduit; and generating a composition indicator signal representative of an amount of the constituent of the working engine fluid in response to the detecting. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A system, comprising:
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an engine having a sample channel comprising a conduit for a working engine fluid; an electromagnetic (EM) source structured to emit EM radiation through a first conduit comprising a metal tube, the EM radiation comprising EM energy at a wavelength of interest, wherein the wavelength of interest is a wavelength near a responsive wavelength for a component of interest of the working engine fluid, but having reduced extinction relative to the responsive wavelength; an EM detector structured to receive a remainder radiation through a second conduit comprising a metal tube, the remainder radiation comprising the remaining EM radiation after passing through the sample channel, wherein the first conduit and the second conduit are structured convey the EM radiation to and from the sample channel by internally reflecting the EM radiation through the first conduit and the second conduit; a controller structured to; determine a composition indicator signal representative of an amount of a component of interest in the working engine fluid in response to a strength of the remainder radiation; and determine a concentration of the component of interest according to the composition indicator signal. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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32. An apparatus, comprising:
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an electromagnetic (EM) source control module structured to provide an EM radiation signal; an EM source structured to emit EM radiation through a first conduit comprising a sample channel in response to the EM radiation signal, wherein the EM radiation comprises energy at a wavelength of interest, and wherein the sample channel contains a working engine fluid, wherein the wavelength of interest is a wavelength near a responsive wavelength for a component of interest of the working engine fluid, but having reduced extinction relative to the responsive wavelength; an EM detector structured to receive the EM radiation from the sample channel through a second conduit, and further structured to provide a composition indicator signal in response to a remaining radiation strength at the wavelength of interest, wherein the first conduit and the second conduit are structured convey the EM radiation to and from the sample channel by internally reflecting the EM radiation through the first conduit and the second conduit; and a composition determination module structured to determine a concentration of the component of interest in response to the composition indicator signal. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34)
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Specification