Fuel Additive Concentration Measurement via Spectral Extraction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for measuring fuel additive concentrations in fuels using infrared spectroscopy face challenges due to small spectral signatures and significant background interference, making it difficult to detect additives at or below detection thresholds.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus that involves creating reference mixtures with known additive concentrations, removing the additive from a sample, and measuring absorption spectra ratios to calculate the additive concentration in the mixture, using a system that integrates an additive concentration device, an additive removal device, a transmission spectrometer, and a fluid transport system, optionally concentrating the additive for improved detection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If infrared spectroscopy is used to measure fuel additive concentration, then the measurement can be performed on liquid mixtures, but the spectral signature of the additive is extremely small and may be at or below the detection threshold
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the additive from the fuel mixture using a removal device, isolating it from the background fuel components. This allows the additive to be detected at much lower concentrations than would be possible in the original mixture, as the spectral interference from the fuel is eliminated.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary substance or medium that facilitates the separation and detection process. The removal device acts as an intermediary mechanism that enables the additive to be isolated and measured independently from the fuel matrix, overcoming the detection threshold problem.
2Measurement precision
If infrared spectroscopy is used to measure fuel additive concentration, then analysis can be performed, but the background spectral variation of the fuel mixture is large compared to the spectral signature of the additive, leading to interference
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the additive from the fuel mixture, separating it from the background spectral interference. By isolating the additive, the measurement no longer suffers from the large background spectral variations that would otherwise mask the small additive signal.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates reference mixtures with known additive concentrations that replicate the spectral characteristics of the sample. These references allow for background correction and spectral normalization, enabling accurate measurement despite the complex fuel matrix.
3Measurement precision
If the additive concentration in the mixture is substantially small, then the measurement challenges increase, but concentrating the additive prior to measurement may be required to achieve detection
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a removal device that can concentrate or isolate the additive from the fuel mixture. This extraction process increases the additive concentration to levels detectable by the spectrometer, enabling measurement of originally trace-level concentrations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the concentration parameter of the additive through the removal and concentration process. By increasing the additive concentration in the sample presented to the spectrometer, the measurement becomes feasible even when the original mixture contained only trace amounts of the additive.
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
This approach allows for accurate determination of fuel additive concentrations by minimizing interference and enhancing detection capabilities, enabling precise measurement even at low concentrations.
Implementation Method 1
the absorption spectrum of the first sample, the mixture, each of the first reference samples and each of the second reference samples is measured
Implementation Method 2
A first sample of the mixture is transmitted by a first beam of light transmitted by a transmission spectrometer
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus and method for determining a concentration of an additive in a mixture is provided. The apparatus for determining the concentration of an additive in a mixture comprises a distillation system, a filtration system, a detection system and a fluid transportation system. An alternative apparatus is a portable apparatus comprising a distillation system, a filtration system, a detection system and a fluid transportation system removably coupled to a portable container. A method for determining the concentration of the additive in the mixture includes concentrating the additive in the mixture, removing the additive from a fraction of the mixture and measuring a spectral signature of both the non-additive fraction of the mixture and the mixture. A spectral signature value of the non-additive fraction of the mixture to the mixture is determined and then compared to spectral signatures of a plurality of reference mixtures containing known concentrations of the additive.