Quality sensor apparatus

• US 9,151,736 B2
• Filed: 12/21/2010
• Issued: 10/06/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Wema System AS (TE Connectivity Ltd. (United Kingdom))
• Original Assignee: Wema System AS (TE Connectivity Ltd. (United Kingdom))
• Inventors: Frivik, Bjrn
• Primary Examiner(s): Williams, Hezron E
• Assistant Examiner(s): Frank, Rodney T
• Application Number:
  US13/517,955
• Publication Number:
  US 20130167622A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,750 Days
• Field of Search: 73/10.1
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 2610/14 Arrangements for the supply of substances, e.g. conduits
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 2610/148 Arrangement of sensors
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 2900/1818 Concentration of the reducing agent
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 3/208 Control of selective catalytic reduction [SCR], e.g. dosing of reducing agent
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 25/00 Investigating or analyzing materials by the use of thermal means G01N3/00 - G01N23/00 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/00 Investigating or analysing materials by the use of electric, electrochemical, or magnetic means G01N3/00 – G01N25/00 take precedence; measurement or testing of electric or magnetic variables or of electric or magnetic properties of materials G01R
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 29/02 Analysing fluids using acoustic emission techniques G01N29/14 ; constructional or flow details for analysing fluids G01N29/222; optoacoustic fluid cells G01N29/2425
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/00 Investigating or analysing materials by specific methods not covered by groups G01N1/00 - G01N31/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 50/20 Air quality improvement or preservation, e.g. vehicle emission control or emission reduction by using catalytic converters
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/12 Improving ICE efficiencies

Abstract

An apparatus (100) for measuring quality of a urea solution is operated with at least a portion of the apparatus inserted into the urea solution. The apparatus (100) includes a configuration of sensors (180, 190, 200) for measuring mechanical and electrical properties within a volume of the urea solution, the measurements of mechanical and electrical properties being mutually differently influenced by components present in the urea solution. A data processing arrangement (230) of the apparatus (100) is operable to process the measurements of mechanical and electrical properties for generating output data (120) indicative of a quality of the urea solution. The apparatus (100) is also capable of being adapted to measure qualities of other types of solution.

Claims

1. An apparatus (100) for measuring the quality of a urea solution in a tank, wherein at least a portion of said apparatus is inserted in said tank, the apparatus comprising,

a configuration of sensors (180, 190, 200), wherein said sensors (180, 190, 200) are spatially distributed for measuring mechanical and electrical properties within a volume of said urea solution, said measurements of mechanical and electrical properties being influenced by components present in the urea solution which influence the quality of the urea solution, and

a data processing arrangement (230) for processing said measurements of said mechanical and electrical properties for generating output data (120) indicative of the quality of said urea solution.

2. An apparatus (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein said configuration of sensors (180, 190, 200) includes acoustic and conductivity sensors (190, 200) for measuring mechanical and electrical properties respectively, said sensors (190, 200) being spatially deployed spaced apart within said apparatus (100).

3. An apparatus (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein said sensors (180,190, 200) include a thermometer for measuring a temperature (T) of said urea solution, and for providing said data processing arrangement (230) data corresponding to said temperature (T) for use in computing said quality of said urea solution.

4. An apparatus (100) as claimed in claim 2, wherein said sensors (180,190, 200) include a thermometer for measuring a temperature (T) of said urea solution, and for providing said data processing arrangement (230) data corresponding to said temperature (T) for use in computing said quality of said urea solution.

11. An apparatus (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein said data processing arrangement (230) is operable to apply at least one of alternating (a.c.) signals and static (d.c.) signals to said configuration of electrodes (720) when in operation for determining at least one of static conductivity and complex conductivity of said urea solution for use in determining its quality.

12. An apparatus (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein said configuration of sensors (180,190, 200) includes an acoustic sensor (180) including an acoustic transducer arrangement (530) disposed in a spaced apart manner from a corresponding acoustic reflector (510), wherein the transducer arrangement (530) is operable to generate one or more acoustic pulses which propagate through the urea solution, are reflected from the reflector (510) and are subsequently received back at the transducer arrangement (530) for generating a received signal for the data processing arrangement (230) to process for determining a density of the urea solution.

13. An apparatus (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein said apparatus (100) further includes a mounting flange (110) for mounting said apparatus (100) to a urea solution tank, a heater arrangement (130,140) for heating said urea solution, and a urea solution level sensing arrangement (150, 160) for sensing a surface height of the urea solution relative to said apparatus (100).

5. An apparatus (100) for measuring the quality of a urea solution in a tank, wherein at least a portion of said apparatus is inserted in said tank the apparatus comprising,

a configuration of sensors (180, 190, 200), wherein said sensors (180, 190, 200) are spatially distributed for measuring mechanical and electrical properties within a volume of said urea solution, said measurements of mechanical and electrical properties being influenced by components present in the urea solution which influence the quality of the urea solution, and

wherein said configuration of sensors (180, 190, 200) includes an electrical conductivity sensor for measuring an electrical conductivity of the urea solution, said conductivity sensor including a configuration of electrodes (720) disposed in a flow tunnel (700, 710) for receiving the urea solution, said flow tunnel (700, 710) being operable to electrically screen said configuration of electrodes from external influences spatially outside said tunnel (700, 710), and

a data processing arrangement (230) for processing said measurements of said mechanical and electrical properties for generating output data (120) indicative of the quality of said urea solution.

6. An apparatus (100) as claimed in claim 5, wherein said configuration of electrodes (720) includes electrodes disposed in a linear arrangement along said flow tunnel (700, 710).

7. An apparatus (100) as claimed in claim 6, wherein an outer set of electrodes (P1) near ends of the flow tunnel (700, 710) are operable to be excited to generate an interrogating electric field within said tunnel (700, 710) and an inner set of electrodes (P2) near a central region of the flow tunnel (700, 710) are operable to generate a received signal for conveying to the data processing arrangement (230).

8. An apparatus (100) as claimed in claim 5, wherein said configuration of electrodes (P1, P2) includes at least one of:

stainless steel electrodes, carbon electrodes, silver electrodes.

9. An apparatus (100) as claimed in claim 6, wherein said configuration of electrodes (P1, P2) includes at least one of stainless steel electrodes, carbon electrodes, silver electrodes.

10. An apparatus (100) as claimed in claim 7, wherein said configuration of electrodes (P1, P2) includes at least one of:

stainless steel electrodes, carbon electrodes, silver electrodes.

14. A method of measuring the quality of a urea solution by using an apparatus (100), said method comprising:

(a) inserting at least a portion of said apparatus into said urea solution;

(b) measuring using a configuration of sensors (180, 190, 200) of said apparatus (100), wherein said sensors (180, 190, 200) are spatially distributed for measuring mechanical and electrical properties within a volume of said urea solution, said measurements of mechanical and electrical properties being influenced by components present in the urea solution which influence the quality of the urea solution; and

(c) processing using a data processing arrangement (230) said measurements of said mechanical and electrical properties for generating output data (120) indicative of the quality of said urea solution.