Controlling a viscosity of fuel in a fuel control system with a vibratory meter

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12169169-B2
Application number	US-201515577893-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 8, 2015
Priority date	Jun 8, 2015
Publication date	Dec 17, 2024
Grant date	Dec 17, 2024

Abstract

A method of controlling a viscosity of fuel in a fuel control system with a vibratory meter is provided. The method includes providing the fuel to the vibratory meter, measuring a property of the fuel with the vibratory meter, and generating a signal based on the measured property of the fuel. The method also includes providing the signal to a temperature control unit configured to control the temperature of the fuel provided to the vibratory meter.

First claim

We claim:

1. A Coriolis flow meter for controlling a viscosity in a fuel control system with the Coriolis flow meter, the Coriolis flow meter comprising:
a meter assembly fluidly coupled to a fuel line between a temperature control unit and an engine;
a meter electronics communicatively coupled to the meter assembly, wherein the meter electronics is configured to:
measure a density of the fuel with the meter assembly;
measure a temperature control unit viscosity of the fuel using a temperature control unit coupled to the fuel line;
determine a Coriolis flow meter viscosity of the fuel based on the density of the fuel using an empirically determined viscosity-density relationship of the fluid;
generate a signal based on the Coriolis flow meter viscosity of the fuel; and
provide the signal to the temperature control unit configured to control an engine viscosity of the fuel by controlling the temperature of the fuel provided to the Coriolis flow meter based on the Coriolis flow meter viscosity and the temperature control unit viscosity to compensate for heat loss between the Coriolis flow meter and the temperature control unit.

2. The Coriolis flow meter of claim 1 , wherein the meter electronics is further configured to provide the signal to a fuel injection controller configured to control an engine receiving the fuel from the Coriolis flow meter.

3. The Coriolis flow meter of claim 1 , wherein the meter electronics being configured to generate the signal based on the measured density comprises the meter electronics being configured to:
compare the value of the measured density with a reference value; and
generate a signal in proportion to the difference between the value of the measured density and the reference value.

4. The Coriolis flow meter of claim 1 , wherein the temperature control unit is comprised of a heater configured to heat the fuel to reduce a viscosity of the fuel.

5. The Coriolis flow meter of claim 1 , wherein the measured density comprises a density of the fuel.

6. A fuel control system configured to control a viscosity of fuel in the fuel control system with a Coriolis flow meter, comprising:
the Coriolis flow meter fluidly and communicatively coupled to a fuel line between a temperature control unit and an engine, and configured to measure the density of the fuel; and
the temperature control unit configured to receive fuel from a fuel source and communicatively and fluidly coupled to the Coriolis flow meter, wherein the temperature control unit is configured to:
measure a temperature control unit viscosity of the fuel;
receive a signal from the Coriolis flow meter; and
control the engine viscosity of the fuel by controlling the temperature of the fuel based on a Coriolis flow viscosity and the temperature control unit viscosity to compensate for heat loss between the Coriolis flow meter and the temperature control unit;
wherein the Coriolis flow meter viscosity of the fuel is based on the density of the fuel and an empirically determined viscosity-density relationship of the fluid, and the signal comprises at least one of the density of the fuel or the Coriolis flow meter viscosity of the fuel.

7. The fuel control system of claim 6 , wherein the Coriolis flow meter is configured to:
measure a density of the fuel; and
determine a viscosity of the fuel from the measured density.

8. The fuel control system of claim 6 , wherein the Coriolis flow meter is configured to:
determine a reference value and provide the reference value to the temperature control unit via the signal provided to the temperature control unit.

Assignees

• Micro Motion Inc

Inventors

• Zimmer Patrick John
• Jones Steven M
• Houghton John Ansdell
• Benedetti Paul

Classifications

• G01N2291/0226

  Oils, e.g. engine oils · CPC title

• G01N2291/022

  Liquids · CPC title

• F02D41/0025

  Controlling engines characterised by use of non-liquid fuels, pluralities of fuels, or non-fuel substances added to the combustible mixtures · CPC title

• G01F1/84

  Coriolis or gyroscopic mass flowmeters · CPC title

• F02D33/003 Primary

  Controlling the feeding of liquid fuel from storage containers to carburettors or fuel-injection apparatus (control of electrical fuel pumps F02D41/3082, controlling fuel flow to a common rail F02D41/3845); Failure or leakage prevention; Diagnosis or detection of failure; Arrangement of sensors in the fuel system; Electric wiring; Electrostatic discharge · CPC title