Infrared Natural Gas Quality Sensor for Engine Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Natural gas fueled engines face challenges due to varying combustion characteristics caused by the wide variability in natural gas composition, leading to issues like cyclic combustion variability, misfire, low performance, and engine knock, which existing technologies have not adequately addressed through real-time quality determination and adjustment.
Innovation Solution
A fuel system and method utilizing an infrared light source and detector within the fuel line to determine the quality of natural gas by measuring the absorption of infrared light by methane, with a feed-forward control loop to adjust engine operating parameters in real-time, ensuring optimal engine performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If real-time quality determination of natural gas is implemented, then engine performance and reliability are improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces complex mechanical and chemical analysis systems with an optical measurement system. An infrared light source and detector are used to measure methane concentration in real-time, eliminating the need for complex sampling, laboratory analysis, or multiple sensor types. This optical substitution significantly reduces device complexity while enabling real-time quality determination.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts only the essential measurement function from the complex natural gas analysis process. By using selective infrared absorption at specific wavelengths (7.7-7.8 micrometers), the system isolates and measures only the methane component, ignoring other gas constituents. This extraction of the critical measurement function simplifies the overall system while maintaining reliability.
2Stability of the object's composition
If real-time adjustment of engine operating parameters is implemented, then cyclic combustion variability is reduced, but control system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback control system where the infrared sensor continuously monitors natural gas quality and the control module adjusts engine operating parameters accordingly. The system receives real-time methane concentration data and automatically modifies parameters such as fuel injection timing, air-fuel ratio, and ignition timing to maintain optimal combustion stability, thereby reducing cyclic variability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary measurement of natural gas quality before the fuel is injected into the engine. By measuring methane concentration upstream and using this information to pre-adjust operating parameters, the system prevents combustion instability before it occurs, rather than reacting after misfires or knock events happen.
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 real-time adjustment of engine parameters to match the quality of natural gas, reducing cyclic combustion variability, misfire, and engine knock, thereby improving the performance and reliability of natural gas engines.
Implementation Method 1
The infrared light source includes at least one light emitting diode that emits a beam of infrared light having a wavelength ranging between and including 6 micrometers and 10 micrometers. The sensor assembly further includes a natural gas quality module for receiving the transmission value from the infrared light detector to determine a quality value of the natural gas based on an amount of the beam of infrared light absorbed by methane in the natural gas.
Data Source
AI summary
A system and method for determining the quality of natural gas is provided. The system includes a fuel line for communicating natural gas to an engine. An infrared light source is disposed along the fuel line and is configured to emit a beam of infrared light into the fuel line having a wavelength of 6 to 10 micrometers. An infrared light detector detects a transmission value of the natural gas as the beam of infrared light passes through the fuel line. A natural gas quality module receives the transmission value from the infrared light detector and determines a quality value of the natural gas based on an amount of infrared light absorbed by methane in the natural gas. An engine control module, including a feed-forward control loop, receives the quality value from the natural gas quality module and alters an operating parameter of the engine in response thereto.