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Microfabricated fuel heating value monitoring device

Patent ·
OSTI ID:985230

A microfabricated fuel heating value monitoring device comprises a microfabricated gas chromatography column in combination with a catalytic microcalorimeter. The microcalorimeter can comprise a reference thermal conductivity sensor to provide diagnostics and surety. Using microfabrication techniques, the device can be manufactured in production quantities at a low per-unit cost. The microfabricated fuel heating value monitoring device enables continuous calorimetric determination of the heating value of natural gas with a 1 minute analysis time and 1.5 minute cycle time using air as a carrier gas. This device has applications in remote natural gas mining stations, pipeline switching and metering stations, turbine generators, and other industrial user sites. For gas pipelines, the device can improve gas quality during transfer and blending, and provide accurate financial accounting. For industrial end users, the device can provide continuous feedback of physical gas properties to improve combustion efficiency during use.

Research Organization:
Sandia Corporation (Albuquerque, NM)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE
Assignee:
Sandia Corporation (Albuquerque, NM)
Patent Number(s):
7,708,943
Application Number:
11/355,661
OSTI ID:
985230
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

References (5)

Explosion-proof monitoring of hydrocarbons by mechanically stabilised, integrable calorimetric microsensors journal October 2003
Design, Fabrication, and Evaluation of Microfabricated Columns for Gas Chromatography journal May 2004
A Micromachined Calorimetric Gas Sensor:  an Application of Electrodeposited Nanostructured Palladium for the Detection of Combustible Gases journal January 2003
Microcombustor array and micro-flame ionization detector for hydrocarbon detection conference January 2003
Lower heating value sensor for fuel monitoring conference January 2005

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