Biogas Fuel Sensing Assembly for Engine Impurity Protection
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Solution Overview
Problem
The variability in the composition of biogas, particularly the concentration of non-hydrocarbon impurities, poses a risk of inefficient running and damage to vehicles' combustion engines, especially in agricultural vehicles that operate under prolonged and harsh conditions.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle sensing and control assembly equipped with infrared sensors to determine non-hydrocarbon impurity concentrations in biogas, coupled with a control system to adjust engine configuration or communicate warnings to users, minimizing engine damage and inefficiencies.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If biogas is used as fuel for the combustion engine, then sustainability and cost benefits are achieved, but variability in biogas composition and non-hydrocarbon impurities pose risks of inefficient running and engine damage
Solution Approach 1:
The infrared sensor analyzes biogas composition before it enters the combustion engine, allowing the control system to take preliminary protective actions by adjusting engine configuration or alerting the user before harmful impurities can cause damage
Solution Approach 2:
The system continuously monitors biogas composition using infrared sensors and provides real-time feedback to the control system, which then adjusts engine parameters or communicates with the user based on the measured impurity levels, creating a closed-loop protection mechanism
2Measurement precision
If infrared sensors are arranged upstream of the combustion engine to analyze biogas, then direct determination of non-hydrocarbon impurity concentration is achieved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The infrared sensor acts as an intermediary device placed in the biogas delivery system, analyzing the gas composition without requiring direct intervention in the engine operation, thus achieving precise measurement while maintaining relatively simple system integration
3Reliability
If the control system adjusts combustion engine configuration based on non-hydrocarbon impurity concentration, then engine protection and efficiency are improved, but control system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The control system automatically adjusts engine configuration based on infrared sensor data without requiring manual intervention, allowing the system to self-regulate and protect itself from harmful impurity levels while maintaining optimal efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
The control system modifies engine operating parameters such as air-fuel ratio, injection timing, or valve timing based on measured non-hydrocarbon impurity concentrations, dynamically adapting engine performance to varying biogas quality
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system effectively manages non-hydrocarbon impurity levels, protecting the combustion engine from damage and maintaining efficiency by adjusting engine configuration or notifying users to take remedial actions, thereby extending engine life and reducing maintenance needs.
Implementation Method 1
a sensing system comprising at least one infrared sensor, the sensing system being configured to determine, using data from the at least one infrared sensor, a measure of a concentration of at least one non-hydrocarbon impurity in the biogas
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicle sensing and control assembly includes a sensing system with at least one infrared sensor. The sensing system determines, using data from the at least one infrared sensor, a measure of a concentration of at least one non-hydrocarbon impurity in the biogas. The assembly further includes a control system configured to control a user communication system, based on said measure, to communicate information relevant to the at least one non-hydrocarbon impurity in the biogas to a user of the vehicle; and/or to generate a control signal for adjusting a configuration of the engine. Additionally provided is a fueling assembly with fueling equipment for delivering biogas into a vehicle storage tank assembly of a vehicle, and the vehicle sensing and control assembly. Further provided is a method and a related computer program for operating a vehicle having a combustion engine configured to enable biogas to be used as fuel.