Method and apparatus for determining differential density

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10138836-B2
Application number	US-201415506996-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 18, 2014
Priority date	Sep 18, 2014
Publication date	Nov 27, 2018
Grant date	Nov 27, 2018

Abstract

A method for operating an engine system 200 comprising an engine 208 configured to consume a fuel, having at least a two flowmeters 214, 216, is provided. The method includes the step of operating an engine 208 disposed between a supply flowmeter 214 of the at least two flowmeters and a return flowmeter 216 of the at least two flowmeters. A first fuel density in the supply flowmeter 214 and a second fuel density in the return flowmeter 216 are measured. The fuel density measurements 317 between the supply flowmeter 214 and return flowmeter 216 are compared and a differential density measurement value, Δρ 319, based on a difference in the second fuel density and the first fuel density is determined. The Δρ 319 is compared to a range of theoretical differential fuel density values, Δρt, and potential fuel contamination is indicated if the Δρ lies outside a range of Δρt values by a predetermined threshold.

First claim

We claim:

1. A method for operating an engine system comprising an engine configured to consume a fuel and having at least two flowmeters, comprising the steps of:
operating an engine disposed between a supply flowmeter of the at least two flowmeters and a return flowmeter of the at least two flowmeters;
measuring a first fuel density in the supply flowmeter and a second fuel density in the return flowmeter;
comparing fuel density measurements between the supply flowmeter and return flowmeter;
determining a differential density measurement value, Δρ, based on a difference between the second fuel density and the first fuel density;
comparing the Δρ with a range of theoretical differential fuel density values, Δρ t ; and
indicating potential fuel contamination if the Δρ lies outside a range of Δρ t values by a predetermined threshold.

2. The method for operating the engine system of claim 1 , comprising the step of storing the Δρ in a meter electronics.

3. The method for operating the engine system of claim 1 , wherein the step indicating potential fuel contamination if the Δρ lies outside a Δρ t range by a predetermined threshold comprises indicating water contamination of the fuel if the Δρ exceeds the Δρ t range by a predetermined threshold.

4. The method for operating the engine system of claim 1 , comprising the steps of:
receiving a temperature sensor signal value from the supply flowmeter;
receiving a temperature sensor signal value from the return flowmeter; and
adjusting the first fuel density measurement and the second fuel density measurement to compensate for a temperature of the supply flowmeter and the return flowmeter, respectively.

5. The method for operating the engine system of claim 1 , comprising the steps of:
receiving a temperature sensor signal value from a temperature sensor external to the supply flowmeter and the return flowmeter; and
adjusting the first fuel density measurement and the second fuel density measurement to compensate for the temperature sensor signal value.

6. The method for operating the engine system of claim 1 , comprising the step of:
triggering an alarm if the Δρ lies outside a Δρ t range by a predetermined threshold.

7. The method for operating the engine system of claim 1 , comprising the steps of:
measuring a fuel flow in the supply flowmeter and a fuel flow in the return flowmeter while the engine is operating;
calculating engine fuel consumption by comparing fuel flow in the return flowmeter with fuel flow in the supply flowmeter; and
indicating a fuel consumption measurement.

8. A meter electronics ( 20 ) for flowmeters ( 214 , 216 ), including a processing system ( 303 ), connected to a system ( 200 ) having an engine ( 208 ) configured to:
receive sensor signals ( 310 ) from both a supply flowmeter ( 214 ) and return flowmeter ( 216 );
determine a differential density measurement value, Δρ, between the supply flowmeter ( 214 ) and the return flowmeter ( 216 ) based on the received sensor signals ( 310 );
compare the Δρ with a range of theoretical differential fuel density values, Δρ t ; and
store a comparison of the Δρ with the range of Δρ t values in meter electronics ( 20 ).

9. The meter electronics ( 20 ) for flowmeters ( 214 , 216 ) of claim 8 , wherein the processing system ( 303 ) is configured to indicate potential contamination if the Δρ lies outside the range of Δρ t values by a predetermined threshold.

10. The meter electronics ( 20 ) for flowmeters ( 214 , 216 ) of claim 8 , wherein the processing system ( 303 ) is configured to indicate potential water contamination if the Δρ exceeds the range of Δρ t values by a predetermined threshold.

11. The meter electronics ( 20 ) for flowmeters ( 214 , 216 ) of claim 8 , wherein the flowmeters ( 214 , 216 ) are in fluid communication with a water emulsion system ( 224 ).

12. The meter electronics ( 20 ) for flowmeters ( 214 , 216 ) of claim 8 , wherein the processing system ( 303 ) is configured to:
determine the temperature of the supply flowmeter ( 214 );
determine the temperature of the return flowmeter ( 216 ); and
output an adjusted fluid consumption measurement that is corrected for the operating temperature.

13. The meter electronics ( 20 ) for flowmeters ( 214 , 216 ) of claim 8 , wherein the processing system ( 303 ) is configured to:
determine a temperature external to the supply flowmeter ( 214 ) and the return flowmeter ( 216 ); and
output an adjusted fluid consumption measurement that is corrected for the temperature external to the supply flowmeter ( 214 ) and the return flowmeter ( 216 ).

Assignees

• Micro Motion Inc
• Micro Motion Inc

Inventors

• Zimmer Patrick John
• Houghton John Ansdell

Classifications

• G01N2009/006

  vibrating tube, tuning fork · CPC title

• G01F1/8436

  signal processing · CPC title

• F02D2200/0625

  Fuel consumption, e.g. measured in fuel liters per 100 kms or miles per gallon · CPC title

• F02D41/22 Primary

  Safety or indicating devices for abnormal conditions {(in air/fuel ratio feedback systems F02D41/1495, in electric control linkage F02D11/107, in purge control systems F02M25/0809)} · CPC title

• F02M37/0064 Primary

  for engines being fed with multiple fuels or fuels having special properties, e.g. bio-fuels; varying the fuel composition (controlling engines working with pluralities of fuels F02D19/06) · CPC title