Portable on-board system for measuring vehicle exhaust particulate emissions

• US 6,435,019 B1
• Filed: 04/18/2000
• Issued: 08/20/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/18/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Global GSC, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Clean Air Technologies International, Inc.
• Inventors: Vojtisek-Lom, Michal
• Primary Examiner(s): Fuller, Benjamin R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): STEVENS, MAURICE E
• Application Number:
  US09/551,067
• Time in Patent Office: 854 Days
• Field of Search: 731/181, 73/233.1, 731/16, 731/173
• US Class Current: 73/114.69
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 15/108 using optical methods

Abstract

The invention is directed to an improved mass emissions measuring system (15) for an internal combustion engine (17). In the preferred embodiment, the system is comprised of a particulate monitor (16), four sensor (18, 22, 23 or 29) which may be temporarily attached to the engine for sensing operating parameters of the engine, an engine-control interface (21), a processor (19) programmed to collect and manipulate data from the monitor and the sensors and/or engine-control interface, a display (20) for displaying the particulate emissions of the engine, an exhaust sampling system (31) which is adapted to be temporarily connected between the exhaust system of the engine and the particulate monitor, and an opacity meter (56 or 58). The particulate monitor may comprise a first photometer (46), a second photometer (48), an impactor (45) located upstream from the second photometer, whereby the impactor limits the size of particulates in the exhaust of the engine communicating with the second photometer, and a microbalance (59) adapted to measure the mass of the particulate matter in the exhaust communicating with the photometer. The system is adapted for use on-board a moving vehicle.

Claims

1. A portable mass emissions measuring system for an internal combustion engine, comprising:

a particulate monitor;

a sensor array which is temporarily attachable directly to said engine for sensing operating parameters of said engine;

said sensor array comprising a first sensor which senses engine rpm, a second sensor which senses intake air temperature or a parameter for determining intake air temperature, and a third sensor which senses manifold pressure; and

a processor programmed to collect and manipulate data from said monitor and said sensor array,

whereby particulate emissions of said engine are calculated.

2. The emissions measuring system as set forth in claim 1, and further comprising a display for displaying the particulate emissions of said engine.

3. The emissions measuring system as set forth in claim 1, and further comprising an exhaust sampling system which is temporarily connectable between the exhaust system of said engine and said particulate monitor.

4. The emissions measuring system as set forth in claim 1, and further comprising an opacity meter which measures the opacity of the exhaust of said engine.

5. The emissions measuring system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said particulate monitor comprises a photometer.

6. The emissions measuring system as set forth in claim 5, wherein said particulate monitor comprises a second photometer.

7. The emissions measuring system as set forth in claim 6, wherein said particulate monitor comprises an impactor, said second photometer and said impactor are arranged in series, and said impactor is positioned upstream from said second photometer, whereby said impactor limits the size of the particulates in the exhaust of said engine which communicate with said second photometer.

8. The emissions measuring system as set forth in claim 5, and further comprising a microbalance which measures the mass of the particulate matter in the exhaust communicating with said photometer.

9. The emissions measuring system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said engine includes an intake air manifold and said third sensor senses manifold absolute pressure of said manifold.

10. The emissions measuring system set forth in claim 1, wherein said second sensor senses intake air temperature of said engine.

11. The emissions measuring system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said second sensor senses engine oil temperature.

12. The emissions measuring system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said monitor measures concentrations of particulate matter in said engine emissions.

13. The emissions measuring system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said monitor measures the real-time count of particulate matter in said engine emissions.

14. The emissions measuring system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said monitor measures the real-time mass of particulate matter in said engine emissions.

15. The emissions measuring system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said monitor measures the real-time total particulate surface area of particulates in said engine emissions.

16. The emissions measuring system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said monitor measures the opacity of said engine emissions.

17. The emissions measuring system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said monitor, said sensor array and said processor are configured and arranged for use on-board a moving vehicle.

18. The emissions measuring system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said second sensor senses engine coolant temperature.

19. The emissions measuring system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said second sensor senses ambient air temperature.

23. The emissions measuring system as set forth in claim 19, wherein said particulate monitor comprises a second photometer.

24. The emissions measuring system as set forth in claim 23, wherein said particulate monitor comprises an impactor, said second photometer and said impactor are arranged in series, and said impactor is positioned upstream from said second photometer, whereby said impactor limits the size of the particulates in the exhaust of said engine which communicate with said second photometer.

25. The emissions measuring system as set forth in claim 19, and further comprising a microbalance which measures the mass of the particulate matter in the exhaust communicating with said photometer.

20. A portable mass emissions measuring system for an internal combustion engine, comprising:

a particulate monitor;

said particulate monitor comprising a photometer;

said photometer having a sample chamber, a light source directed into said sample chamber and a light detector which measures light scattering caused by particulates;

an engine-control interface; and

a processor programmed to collect and manipulate data from said monitor and said engine-control interface.

21. The emissions measuring system as set forth in claim 20, and further comprising an exhaust sampling system which is temporarily connetable between the exhaust system of said engine and said particulate monitor.

22. The emissions measuring system as set forth in claim 20, and further comprising an opacity meter which to measures the opacity of the exhaust of said engine.

26. A method of calculating the mass emissions of an internal combustion engine, comprising the steps of:

providing a sensor array;

connecting said sensor array directly to said engine;

providing a particulate monitor;

connecting said particulate monitor to the exhaust of said engine;

providing a processor;

programming said processor to;

read data from said sensor array and said particulate monitor;

determine intake air temperature;

determine intake air mass flow;

determine exhaust mass flow;

determine mass emissions.

27. The method as set forth in claim 26, and further comprising the steps of:

determining engine oil temperature;

determining ambient air temperature;

wherein said intake air temperature is determined by averaging said engine oil temperature and said ambient air temperature.

28. The method as set forth in claim 26, and further comprising the steps of:

determining engine coolant temperature;

determining ambient air temperature;

wherein said intake air temperature is determined by averaging said engine coolant temperature and said ambient air temperature.

29. The method as set forth in claim 26, wherein said processor is programmed to read particulate data from said particulate monitor and said exhaust mass flow is determined from said intake air mass flow and said particulate data.

30. The method as set forth in claim 29, wherein said mass emissions are determined from said exhaust mass flow and said particulate data.

31. The method set forth in claim 26, and further comprising the step of calibrating said data based on the predetermined delay time of said sensor array and said particulate monitor.

32. The method set forth in claim 26, wherein said particulate monitor comprises a photometer.

33. A particulate monitor comprising:

a first photometer;

a second photometer;

said first and second photometer each having a sample chamber, a light source directed into said chamber, and a detector;

said detector configured and arranged to measure intensity of light scattered by particulate matter in said chamber;

an impactor;

said second photometer and said impactor being arranged in series;

said impactor positioned upstream of said second photometer such that said impactor limits the size of the particulate matter in exhaust of said engine communicating with said sample chamber of said second photometer.

34. The particulate monitor set forth in claim 33, and further comprising a microbalance which measures the mass of the particulate matter in the exhaust of said engine communicating with said first photometer.