Imaging system for fuel tank analysis

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10041879-B2
Application number	US-201615015859-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 4, 2016
Priority date	Feb 4, 2016
Publication date	Aug 7, 2018
Grant date	Aug 7, 2018

Abstract

A method can include emitting, from a light source, directional light through fuel contained in a fuel tank, and determining a refraction angle of the directional light after the directional light passes through an interface with the fuel. The method can further include determining, by a processing device, an index of refraction of the fuel based on the determined refraction angle, and determining, by the processing device, a density of the fuel based on the determined index of refraction of the fuel.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
emitting, from a light source, directional light through fuel contained in a fuel tank;
determining a refraction angle of the directional light after the directional light passes through an interface with the fuel;
determining, by a processing device, an index of refraction of the fuel based on the determined refraction angle; and
determining, by the processing device, a density of the fuel based on the determined index of refraction of the fuel;
wherein determining the refraction angle of the directional light comprises:
identifying, using an image capturing device, a location of an interior of the fuel tank intersected by the directional light after the directional light passes through the interface with the fuel; and
determining a distance between the location of the interior of the fuel tank intersected by the directional light and a location of the interior of the fuel tank corresponding to non-refraction of the directional light.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
producing, by the processing device, a fuel measurement value representing an amount of fuel contained in the fuel tank based on the determined density of the fuel; and
outputting, by the processing device, an indication of the fuel measurement value.

3. The method of claim 2 ,
wherein producing the fuel measurement value representing the amount of fuel contained in the fuel tank based on the determined density of the fuel comprises determining a mass of the fuel contained in the fuel tank based on a determined volume of the fuel contained in the fuel tank and the determined density of the fuel.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
measuring, using a thermal imaging device, a temperature of the fuel;
wherein determining the density of the fuel based on the determined index of refraction of the fuel comprises determining the density of the fuel based on the determined index of refraction of the fuel and the measured temperature of the fuel.

5. The method of claim 1 ,
wherein the interface with the fuel comprises an interface between the fuel and ullage gas of the fuel tank.

6. A system comprising:
a light source configured to emit directional light;
an image capturing device located to include a field of view of an interior of a fuel tank;
at least one processor; and
computer-readable memory encoded with instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the system to:
emit the directional light from the light source through fuel contained in the fuel tank;
determine a refraction angle of the directional light after the directional light passes through an interface with the fuel by at least causing the system to:
generate image data of the interior of the fuel tank using the image capturing device;
identify, using the image data, a location of the interior of the fuel tank intersected by the directional light after the directional light passes through the interface with the fuel; and
determine, using the image data, a distance between the location of the interior of the fuel tank intersected by the directional light and a location of the interior of the fuel tank corresponding to non-refraction of the directional light;

determine an index of refraction of the fuel based on the measured refraction angle; and
determine a density of the fuel based on the determined index of refraction of the fuel.

7. The system of claim 6 ,
wherein the computer-readable memory is further encoded with instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the system to:
produce a fuel measurement value representing an amount of fuel contained in the fuel tank based on the determined density of the fuel; and
output an indication of the fuel measurement value.

8. The system of claim 7 ,
wherein the computer-readable memory is further encoded with instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the system to produce the fuel measurement value representing the amount of fuel contained in the fuel tank based on the determined density of the fuel by at least causing the system to determine a mass of the fuel contained in the fuel tank based on a determined volume of the fuel contained in the fuel tank and the determined density of the fuel.

9. The system of claim 6 , further comprising:
a thermal imaging device located to include a field of view of an interior of the fuel tank;
wherein the computer-readable memory is further encoded with instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the system to determine the density of the fuel based on the determined index of refraction of the fuel by at least causing the system to determine the density of the fuel based on the determined index of refraction of the fuel and a temperature of the fuel measured using the thermal imaging device.

10. The system of claim 6 ,
wherein the interface with the fuel comprises an interface between the fuel and ullage gas of the fuel tank.

11. A device comprising:
at least one processor; and
computer-readable memory encoded with instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the device to:
determine a refraction angle of directional light emitted from a light source through fuel contained in a fuel tank after the directional light passes through an interface with the fuel;
determine an index of refraction of the fuel based on the measured refraction angle by at least causing the device to:
identify, using the image data generated by an image capturing device located to include a field of view of the interior of the fuel tank, a location of the interior of the fuel tank intersected by the directional light after the directional light passes through the interface with the fuel; and
determine, using the image data, a distance between the location of the interior of the fuel tank intersected by the directional light and a location of the interior of the fuel tank corresponding to non-refraction of the directional light; and

determine a density of the fuel based on the determined index of refraction of the fuel.

12. The device of claim 11 ,
wherein the computer-readable memory is further encoded with instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the device to:
produce a fuel measurement value representing an amount of fuel contained in the fuel tank based on the determined density of the fuel; and
output an indication of the fuel measurement value.

13. The device of claim 12 ,
wherein the computer-readable memory is further encoded with instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the device to produce the fuel measurement value representing the amount of fuel contained in the fuel tank based on the determined density of the fuel by at least causing the system to determine a mass of the fuel contained in the fuel tank based on a determined volume of the fuel contained in the fuel tank and the determined density of the fuel.

14. The device of claim 11 ,
wherein the computer-readable memory is further encoded with instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the device to determine the density of the fuel based on the determined index of refraction of the fuel by at least causing the device to determine the density of the fuel based on the determined index of refraction of the fuel and a temperature of the fuel measured using a thermal imaging device.

Assignees

• Simmonds Precision Products
• Simmonds Prevision Products Inc

Inventors

• Zakrzewski Radoslaw
• Miller Mark Sherwood
• Lynch Michael A

Classifications

• G01N9/24

  by observing the transmission of wave or particle radiation through the material · CPC title

• B64D37/00

  Arrangements in connection with fuel supply for power plant (refuelling during flight B64D39/00) · CPC title

• G01F23/292

  Light {, e.g. infrared or ultraviolet} · CPC title

• B60K2015/03217

  Fuel level sensors · CPC title

• B60Y2200/51

  Aeroplanes · CPC title