Dynamic Fuel Blending System for Warranty-Compliant Bio-Diesel
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing fueling systems lack the flexibility to provide optimal fuel blends for new advanced combustion engines while ensuring warranty compliance and accommodating customer preferences, particularly with varying biodiesel and ethanol blends that differ from conventional fuels.
Innovation Solution
A custom fuel blending system at fueling stations that includes a processor and fuel dispenser capable of blending fuels from multiple tanks, using input data to determine in-warranty biodiesel blends and customer preferences, ensuring the dispensing of fuel blends that meet manufacturer specifications and customer preferences.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a fueling system provides fixed conventional fuel blends, then compatibility with conventional engines is ensured, but flexibility to provide optimal fuel for advanced combustion engines is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The fueling system dynamically adjusts fuel blend composition based on real-time inputs including vehicle type detection, customer preferences, and environmental parameters. The system transitions from static fixed blends to dynamic customizable blends, allowing the same fueling station to serve both conventional and advanced combustion engines with optimal formulations.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes multiple fuel blend parameters simultaneously including biodiesel content, ethanol content, and additive concentrations. By varying these parameters based on detected vehicle requirements and customer preferences, the system provides tailored fuel formulations without requiring separate fueling infrastructure.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If maximum biodiesel blend is used to meet environmental goals, then environmental sustainability is improved, but engine warranty compliance may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The system incorporates feedback loops that continuously monitor vehicle type, engine specifications, and warranty requirements. Based on this feedback, the system automatically adjusts biodiesel blend concentrations to remain within warranty-compliant ranges while maximizing environmental benefits. The system can detect when a vehicle accepts higher biodiesel blends and adjust accordingly.
Solution Approach 2:
The system applies different biodiesel blend concentrations to different vehicle types and customers. Rather than using a uniform maximum blend for all vehicles, the system tailors the biodiesel content to each specific vehicle's capabilities and warranty requirements, allowing maximum sustainability benefit where applicable while ensuring compliance where required.
3Ease of operation
If fuel blend is customized for each customer preference, then customer satisfaction is improved, but processing time and system complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by pre-configuring fuel blend options based on detected vehicle type and storing customer preferences in advance. When a customer initiates fueling, the system quickly retrieves pre-calculated blend recommendations rather than computing them in real-time, significantly reducing the time added to the fueling process while still providing customized options.
4Object-generated harmful factors
If biodiesel blend ratio is increased to reduce emissions, then environmental performance is improved, but fuel viscosity and freezing point issues arise
Solution Approach 1:
The system creates composite fuel formulations by blending biodiesel with petroleum-derived diesel and adding specific additives. This composite approach allows the system to achieve the emissions reduction benefits of high biodiesel content while using additives and optimization algorithms to counteract the negative effects of increased viscosity and freezing point, maintaining stable fuel physical properties across varying blend ratios.
Data Source
AI summary
A system for custom fueling a motor vehicle including: a fuel dispenser configured and adapted to blend fuels from two or more tanks while dispensing; a processor in communication with the fuel dispenser and configured and adapted to receive a set of fuel blend information for a motor vehicle, wherein the set of fuel blend information includes in-warranty bio-diesel blend ranges and customer fuel blend preferences; a fuel blend selection module operably connected to the processor for receiving the set of fuel blend information, processing the set of fuel blend information, and returning fuel blend instructions which are then provided to the fuel dispenser for dispensing fuel per the fuel blend instructions.