Sensor for measuring alcohol content of alcohol/gasoline fuel mixtures

Patent · Tue Aug 31 00:00:00 EDT 1993

OSTI ID:6117806

Harris, S J; Swarin, S J; Sultan, M F; Lambert, D K; Jack, M D

A sensing device is described for determining the alcohol content of an alcohol/gasoline mixture comprising: a light source emitting a light beam containing at least a first and a second wavelengths within the near-infrared spectrum, said light beam being transmitted through the alcohol/gasoline fuel mixture; means for switching the current through said light source between at least two fixed values, so as to correspondingly switch the light intensity at said first and second wavelengths which is emitted by said light source; first and second detectors which are disposed so as to receive said emitted light beam after its transmission through the alcohol/gasoline fuel mixture, said first detector determines a first amount of absorption by the alcohol/gasoline fuel mixture at said first wavelength for each of said fixed values of current, and said second detector determines a second amount of absorption by the alcohol/gasoline fuel mixture at said second wavelength for each of said fixed values of current; means for separately measuring the output voltage from said first and second detectors for each of said power settings; and computational means for determining, from said output voltages, the ratio of said first and second absorbances by the alcohol/gasoline fuel mixture at said first and said second wavelengths for each of said fixed values of current such that said ratio of absorbances provide an output indicative of the alcohol content within the alcohol/gasoline mixture.

• Assignee: General Motors Corp., Detroit, MI (United States); Santa Barbara Research Center, Goleta, CA (United States)
• Patent Number(s): US 5239860; A
• Application Number: PPN: US 7-699018
• OSTI ID: 6117806
• Resource Relation: Patent File Date: 13 May 1991
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

10 SYNTHETIC FUELS
02 PETROLEUM
ALCOHOLS
QUANTITATIVE CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
GASOHOL
CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
ABSORPTION
CALCULATION METHODS
DESIGN
ELECTRIC CURRENTS
LIGHT SOURCES
LIGHT TRANSMISSION
MONITORS
NEAR INFRARED RADIATION
CURRENTS
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
FUELS
HYDROXY COMPOUNDS
INFRARED RADIATION
LIQUID FUELS
MEASURING INSTRUMENTS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
RADIATION SOURCES
RADIATIONS
SORPTION
100300* - Synthetic Fuels- Properties & Composition- (1990-)
023000 - Petroleum- Properties & Composition