Fuel Additive Dosing With Sensor Feedback for Consistent Refueling
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Solution Overview
Problem
The inconsistent quality of fuel for aircraft refueling due to segregation and absorption of substances during transport and storage, leading to issues like water enrichment, inadequate antifreeze, thermal instability, and deviations in lubricity and electrical conductivity.
Innovation Solution
A fuel additive device with a sensor system and dosing mechanism that measures fuel properties and automatically adjusts the additive feed to maintain consistent fuel quality by directing calculated quantities of additives into the delivery line, ensuring high-quality fuel is consistently provided, adaptable to different specifications.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If fuel is transported and stored in intermediate facilities, then fuel can be supplied to multiple aircraft, but fuel quality deteriorates due to segregation and absorption of substances
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary measurement of fuel properties at the point of dispensing and adds additives in real-time before the fuel reaches the aircraft. This prevents quality deterioration by addressing contamination issues at the final stage rather than relying on long-term storage stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary treatment system between the fuel storage and the aircraft that actively manages fuel quality. The sensor system and additive dosing system act as intermediaries that detect and correct quality issues, preventing the direct transmission of degraded fuel to the aircraft.
2Reliability
If additives are added to improve fuel properties, then fuel quality can be adjusted, but human error and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system employs a closed-loop feedback mechanism where sensor systems continuously measure fuel properties, the control unit processes this data, and additive dosing is automatically adjusted accordingly. This eliminates human error in determining additive quantities while maintaining simple operation through automation.
Solution Approach 2:
The fuel treatment system is self-regulating, automatically measuring fuel properties and dosing additives without human intervention. The system serves itself by using sensor data to control the additive injection process, reducing both human error and operational complexity.
3Ease of operation
If standard fuel dispensing is used, then process is simple, but fuel quality varies due to environmental contamination
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual quality control processes with automated sensor systems and electronic control. Instead of human operators manually checking and adjusting fuel properties, the system uses electronic sensors and automated dosing mechanisms, maintaining simplicity while improving reliability.
Data Source
Figure 1
AI summary
The invention relates to a fuel additising device (1) having a fuel container (10) and a feed line (20) which is connected by its first end (21) to the fuel container (10) and via which fuel (F) can be conducted from the fuel container (10) to an outlet opening (23) at the second end (22) of the feed line (20). A first sensor system (30), which has a data connection (31) to a metering device (40), is arranged in or on the feed line (20). A property of the fuel (F) which flows through the feed line (20) can be measured with the first sensor system (30) and the metering device (40). The metering device (40) is connected to the feed line (20) via a metering interface (41) between the first sensor system (30) and the outlet opening (23). Furthermore, the metering device (40) has at least one additive container (42, 43) and is configured to conduct a calculated feed quantity of additive (A1, A2) into the feed line (20) from the additive container or containers (42, 43) via the metering interface (41) as a function of the measured properties. Furthermore, the invention relates to an additising method and to the use of the fuel additising device and of the additising method.