Fuel Taggant Sensor for Property Determination
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing fuel systems lack reliable methods to determine fuel properties such as energy density and lubricity, making it difficult to predict the performance of combustion engines and systems that use these fuels, especially when fuels are blended or contaminated.
Innovation Solution
A system utilizing taggants, detected by sensors and processed by a computing device, to determine physical fuel properties and their concentrations, allowing for accurate prediction of engine performance characteristics even in blended fuels.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If manual record keeping is used to track fuel properties, then information can be maintained, but reliability and accuracy of fuel property determination deteriorates due to potential errors and lack of real-time data
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces taggants as intermediary substances added to fuel that carry identifiable markers. These taggants serve as mediators between the fuel and detection systems, enabling automated identification and tracking of fuel properties without complex manual record-keeping systems. The taggants facilitate reliable determination of fuel properties through automated sensing.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual mechanical record-keeping systems with automated sensing and detection systems. Instead of relying on human operators to track fuel properties, the system uses automated detectors that sense taggant markers in the fuel, electronically recording and analyzing fuel property data in real-time, thereby improving reliability while reducing operational complexity.
2Measurement precision
If fuel properties are determined based on manufacturer information, then some data is available, but accuracy deteriorates when fuels are blended or contaminated in the supply chain
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback mechanisms where detection systems continuously monitor fuel properties in real-time. The system provides feedback about actual fuel composition and properties, allowing for verification and correction of any discrepancies between expected and actual fuel characteristics. This enables precise measurement even when fuels are blended or contaminated during the supply chain.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies preliminary action by adding taggants to fuel at known concentrations before the fuel enters the supply chain. This preliminary marking allows for subsequent detection and calculation of actual fuel properties, enabling the system to account for blending and contamination events that occur during transport and distribution.
3Productivity
If automated detection systems are implemented, then real-time fuel property determination is possible, but system complexity and initial costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the essential information needed for fuel property determination by using taggants that carry specific identifiers. Instead of requiring complex comprehensive sensing systems, the technology extracts key fuel property data through detection of these simplified taggant markers, achieving real-time determination with reduced system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the approach from direct complex measurement of fuel properties to detecting changes in taggant marker parameters. By monitoring the presence, concentration, and characteristics of taggant markers, the system infers fuel properties such as composition and contamination levels, simplifying the detection system while maintaining high productivity.
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
Enables direct and reliable detection of fuel properties, eliminating the need for manual record keeping and providing accurate performance predictions for combustion engines and systems, even in complex fuel blends.
Implementation Method 1
The taggant sensor is configured to detect one or more taggants in a fuel
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and systems for use in indicating and/or determining fuel properties. One or more physical properties of a fuel are determined and indicated using taggants that are added to the fuel, such as by encoding the properties in the taggants or by encoding an identifier in the taggants and associating the properties with the identifier. The taggants are detected by a taggant sensor, and the physical properties are determined based on the detected taggants. A concentration of the taggants in the fuel may also be determined.