RU84110U1 - FUEL MONITORING DEVICE - Google Patents

Abstract

A fuel consumption control device comprising at least two fuel consumption sensors connected via cable communication with a fuel control device, characterized in that, as sensors for measuring the weight of spent fuel in kilograms, without taking into account the temperature of the fuel, strain gauge sensors are used "RADON-UM", and the fuel control device is equipped with a transmitter of the coordinates of the locomotive, with information about the weight of the fuel in the tank and the location of the diesel generator The packages are transferred via GPRS to the operator’s computer and entered into its database.

Description

The utility model relates to the field of railway transport, namely, to devices for controlling the consumption of diesel fuel in diesel locomotives and track machines. In addition, the device can be used in automobile and water vehicles, as well as in boiler rooms.

The rational consumption of diesel fuel by a diesel locomotive includes the following current problems:

- minimization of losses from leaks and theft of fuel;

- An objective assessment of the technical condition and timely repair of fuel equipment.

Currently, losses from inefficient fuel consumption (due to the poor technical condition of locomotives up to 5%) and fuel trade in favor of private individuals make up to 15% of operating costs. In total, on average, 1/5 of diesel fuel is wasted.

There are several types of fuel consumption control devices, but their operation is difficult due to the need to control the density of diesel fuel, which continuously changes with the average daily temperature fluctuations. Changing the type or lot of fuel also requires amendments to the calculation program.

A device for measuring fuel consumption in diesel internal combustion engines with a closed fuel system (patent RU No. 2225596 C2, class 7 G01F 3/10, G01F 9/00, publ. 10.03.2004) containing two roller blades located in the specified fuel system of the flowmeter, the housing of each flowmeter has input and output channels coaxially made in it and contains a blade rotor and distributor rollers forming inlet and outlet work through the sealing gaps between their working surfaces and the surfaces of the internal cavity of the housing s cavity, communicating with inlet and outlet channels, wherein

the ends of the flowmeter bodies are equipped with electromagnetic sensors, by cable connection connected to a common calculating device. The housings of both flowmeters are interconnected at the ends, opposite ends, equipped with sensors. The calculating device is located on the sensor side of one of the flow meters in the end cap connected to its body. The cable connection of the calculating device with the sensor of the other flow meter is located in the coaxial holes made in the side walls of both cases, the longitudinal axis of which is parallel to the rotational axes of the blade rotors, while the input channel of the housing of one of the flow meters and the output channel of the housing of the other flow meter are located on the common side with respect to the plane passing through the axis of rotation of the blade rotors. The measurement of fuel consumption is carried out during registration by the sensors of impulses of rotation of the blades of the rotors of the flow meters and transmission of the results through cable communication to the metering device, by which the difference between the volume of fuel supply through the fuel supply line and the volume of fuel return (unused part) to the fuel line is determined, which corresponds to the real return fuel to the tank.

However, this device has the following disadvantages:

- calculating the weight of the fuel requires amendments to change the density of the fuel when the temperature changes, because due to the different density of the fuel and at different temperatures, the weight of the fuel passing through the flow sensors will be different. In addition, when changing a batch of fuel, it is necessary to measure its density and enter it into the calculation program. This introduces an additional error on the conscientiousness of the input data;

- the device takes into account only the weight of the fuel, which, with an error in measuring the density and entering data into the metering system, will be spent on diesel operation, while the possibility of unauthorized drainage from the system or from the fuel tank is not taken into account;

- there is no control device (transmitter) for the location of the locomotive.

Known system measuring SDM Arzamas instrument-making plant (). The system contains two flow sensors (TPRG) of the helicoid type, installed at the inlet and outlet of the high pressure fuel pump; two thermocouples of resistances (TSM9620-01); a specialized calculator unit for measuring the amount of fuel consumed by a diesel locomotive; mounting distributor (RM); mounting kit for installing flow sensors; set of cables for electrical connection of components. The fuel quantity is measured by two flow-through TPRG sensors, which are helicoidal type turbines and are installed at the inlet to the high-pressure fuel pump manifold and at the outlet of the high-pressure pump manifold, with the installation of resistance thermocouples in the same places.

Using flow sensors, the quantity (volume) of fuel at the inlet and outlet of the diesel high-pressure fuel pump manifold is determined, taking into account the introduced correction for the fuel temperature, the limit of the main relative error in measuring the amount of fuel consumed by the diesel locomotive does not exceed 1% of the nominal mode; 3% at idle. The system generates an archive of fuel consumption data.

However, the measuring system SDM has the following disadvantages:

- calculating the weight of the fuel requires amendments to change the density of the fuel when the temperature changes, because due to the different density of the fuel and at different temperatures, the weight of the fuel passing through the flow sensors will be different. In addition, when changing a batch of fuel, it is necessary to measure its density and enter it into the calculation program. This introduces an additional error on the conscientiousness of the input data;

- the measuring system SDM takes into account only the mass of fuel that, with an error in measuring the density and entering data into the metering system, will be used up for the operation of the diesel engine. The possibility of unauthorized discharge from the system or from the fuel tank is not taken into account;

- the amount of fuel refueling in the locomotive tank is measured using the fuel rail in liters and recalculated by introducing density by weight. There may also be a subjective estimate of the amount of fuel;

- there is no air separator, which can affect the reading of flow sensors;

- there is no binding to the operating modes of the diesel generator (communication with the locomotive control system);

- the measuring system SDM does not have a transmitter about the location of the locomotive.

As the closest analogue to the claimed utility model, a hardware-software complex for measuring the operation parameters of diesel locomotives “Bort” (AIC “Bort”), developed by OJSC “Research Institute of Technology for Monitoring and Diagnostics of Railway Transport” (NIITKD), Omsk (), was adopted. APK “Bort” contains a fuel control device in the tank, connected with the electric circuit of the diesel locomotive, which determines the nature of the diesel generator set, two fuel level sensors, a temperature sensor, and a fuel pressure sensor. The fuel control device includes: indicator unit, GPS receiving antenna, high voltage voltage divider, power sensor, distribution module, switching power supply, driver controller sensor.

The measurement of the amount of fuel is carried out by two capacitive fuel level sensors installed in the tank of the diesel locomotive. These sensors respond to changes in fuel level. A fuel temperature sensor is also installed in the tank, which introduces an amendment due to the fact that the fuel level is significantly dependent on its temperature (volumetric coefficient

fuel expansion linearly dependent on temperature). The correction is entered programmatically. The initial fuel density is entered manually by the operator into the program.

The complex provides continuous registration and preservation of the locomotive's operation parameters on a removable flash card, which is part of the indicator unit and is removed during the passage of the diesel locomotive. In addition, the kit includes 4 personal driver’s FLASH cards issued to locomotive drivers. Information from the FLASH card about the work done by the driver for the shift, fuel consumed, the state of the diesel generator set is read after each shift from the duty officer. The agro-industrial complex “Bort” generates information on specific consumption at various operating modes of the diesel locomotive, as well as an archive of data on fuel consumption and operating modes of the diesel locomotive.

However, the hardware-software complex of devices "Board" has the following disadvantages:

- the measurement of the amount of fuel in the tank of the locomotive is carried out on the basis of measuring the fuel level with subsequent conversion to the weight of the fuel. In this case, the limit of permissible relative error is 5%. With such an error, it is difficult to assess the technical condition of the diesel generator set and its fuel equipment;

- to recalculate the fuel level into its weight, the fuel density values are entered manually by the operator, which makes a subjective assessment in the fuel control process (density measurements may not be performed accurately, or the operator may enter incorrect density readings in order to obtain an “unaccounted for balance”);

- the range of measurement of the fuel level in the tank is not more than 1013 mm;

- there is no control device (transmitter) for the location of the locomotive.

The technical task of the utility model is to create a device that allows you to measure and control directly the weight (mass) of fuel,

refilled in the tank and consumed during operation (without making adjustments for changes in fuel density with temperature), in relation to the current time, operating modes (idle, work under load, high-speed mode of the diesel generator), and locomotive location coordinates. Measurement, directly, of the weight of the fuel, and not its level, will allow you to refuse to make continuous adjustments to the readings of the system when the density of the fuel changes, thereby simplifying the measurement and calibration when setting up the system, and will minimize losses from leaks and theft. A quantitative estimate of the weight of the fuel in the tank supplying the diesel generator, obtained in real time, will provide the ability to control refueling and unauthorized draining of fuel. Specific characteristics kg / h. in specific operating conditions will allow to evaluate the technical condition of the diesel generator and its fuel equipment. The binding to the location coordinates of the locomotive will provide the opportunity to detect places of unauthorized drainage of fuel, and will also allow to evaluate the rationality of loading the power plant in specific areas of operation.

This problem is solved by the presence of the following significant distinguishing features:

- as sensors for measuring the weight of spent fuel in kilograms, without taking into account the temperature of the fuel, RADON-UM strain-resistant sensors were used to calculate the changes in density and volume;

- the readings of the strain gauge sensors corresponding to the weight of the fuel poured into the tank are automatically digitized in the controller and processed according to the program in the information processing unit, which is part of the fuel control device. In this case, information about the amount of fuel (in kilograms) is displayed on the digital indicator of the fuel control device in the driver’s cab and transmitted via GPRS to the operator’s computer;

- the range of measurement of the weight of the fuel in the tank is not limited;

- the fuel control device is equipped with a transmitter that transmits the location coordinates of the locomotive through the GPRS system to the operator’s computer and is entered into its database.

The essence of the utility model is illustrated by figures.

Figure 1 presents a functional diagram of the inventive device for monitoring fuel consumption; figure 2 - strain gauge sensor "RADON UM"; figure 3 - device fuel control device; figure 4 is a graph of the change in the weight of the fuel in the tank on the screen of the operator's monitor; figure 5 is a fragment of the archive from the database in the computer operator.

The fuel consumption monitoring device (Fig. 1) contains at least two RADON UM strain gauge sensors 1, 2, connected via cables 3, 4 through two current-voltage converters 5, 6 with a fuel control device 7.

RADON UM strain gauge sensors are known as oil level sensors. The sensors are produced by the Scientific and Production Enterprise Intor, Novocherkassk, Rostov Region (Web:). Structurally, the sensor "RADON UM" (figure 2) consists of a cylindrical body, which houses: an electronic device, an extension rod with a sensing element (strain gauge) and a vibration-resistant collet clamp.

The principle of operation of the RADON UM sensor is based on measuring, using the strain gauge included in the sensor’s sensor element, the hydrostatic pressure of a liquid column with a density of 700-1000 kg / m ³ and converting the signal in an electronic device into an analog 4-20 mA current output signal. Diesel fuel is in the range of liquids that the RADON UM sensors can work with. It belongs to the number of hydrocarbons. The density of the fuel ranges from 790-850 kg / m ³ .

The upper surface of the fuel is at atmospheric pressure. In this case, the hydrostatic pressure in a fluid with an open surface, when only gravity is applied to the fluid as volume forces,

acts on the membrane of the sensor element of the sensor, and through it on the strain gauge bridge.

The basic hydrostatic equation for excess pressure in a fluid with a free surface (1) is written as:

Where:

p is the hydrostatic pressure, kg / cm ² ;

ρ is the density of the liquid, kg / cm ³ ;

h is the height of the liquid column, see

For liquids, for example, water, for which the density ρ practically does not change with temperature, the hydrostatic pressure unambiguously corresponds to the level h. Therefore, the RADON UM sensor was rightly considered a level sensor.

If you use the RADON UM sensor for diesel fuel (or gasoline), i.e. of a liquid having a pronounced dependence of the change in density and volume on temperature, the following is obtained: for example, when heated, the level h increases, the density ρ decreases, and the value p - hydrostatic pressure remains unchanged in equation (1). Here the RADON UM sensor would be more correct to consider a hydrostatic pressure sensor, with which it is easy to determine the gravity of the liquid in the zone of the sensor’s sensitive element. The membrane of the sensor perceives the force F of the weight of the column of liquid acting on it, equal to:

Where:

p is the value of hydrostatic pressure, kg / cm ² ;

S - sensor membrane area, cm ² .

Moreover, we immediately get rid of the need to take into account the temperature of the fuel to calculate changes in density and volume, because by the amount of force acting on the sensor, in accordance with the basic equation of hydrostatics

(1), the effect is exerted only by the gravity of the liquid located in the zone of the sensor element. Therefore, there is no need to use temperature sensors (as in the analogue), which saves time and material resources. The same is confirmed experimentally. If the same fuel sample is heated, the fuel volume will increase, compared with the volume in the cold state, the density will accordingly decrease, and the hydrostatic pressure on the sensor element of the sensor will not change. This property is the basis for measuring the weight of fuel in the tank of a vehicle.

The fuel control device 7 (figure 3) is designed to provide power to the sensors and primary data processing from analog and logical inputs.

The fuel control device contains an Atmega 8 controller (Fig. 1), a watchdog timer 9, an information processing unit 10, a digital indicator 11, a transmitter of locomotive 12 location coordinates, an internal power source 13.

The Atmega 8 controller contains an analog multiplexer 14 and an internal voltage reference 15, with which an analog-to-digital conversion from current inputs is performed. The digitized signals from the analog and logical inputs go to the information processing device and then either to a flash drive or to GPRS communication with the operator. In addition, the Atmega 8 controller contains an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) 16, designed to collect information from analog 5, 6 and logic inputs 17-22 and transmit data to the information processing unit 10 through logical outputs 23-30.

Logic inputs 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22 (figure 1) are used to determine the operating mode of the diesel generator set. Logic inputs 17-20 correspond to the inclusion of coils of electro-pneumatic valves, the combination of which enables the setting of the high-speed mode of operation of the diesel generator set. Logic input 21 corresponds to idle

go locomotive. Logic input 22 corresponds to the inclusion of the load of the traction generator.

The information processing unit 10 has outputs 31, 32, 33, respectively: to a flash drive, to a communication system with an operator via GPRS, to a programming device.

The digital indicator 11 is designed to display the readings of the amount of fuel in the tank of the diesel locomotive (in kilograms).

The locomotive location coordinate transmitter is designed to transmit data to the dispatcher, indicating the location of the diesel generator set, through the GPRS system. As a transmitter of the coordinates of the locomotive 12, an industrially produced transmitter FSU002_431 (or another with similar characteristics) is used.

The fuel consumption control device receives power from the onboard network 34 of the diesel locomotive through the battery 35.

The internal power source 13 is designed to maintain the operation of the fuel consumption control device for 3-5 hours in case of damage to the communication circuit with the battery of the locomotive.

The fuel consumption control device operates as follows.

The fuel control device (figure 3) is installed in the driver's cab.

Two strain gauge sensors "RADON UM" 1, 2 (figure 2) are mounted directly on the upper plane of the fuel tank (diagonally) using a collet clamp mounted on the extension rod of the sensor, and a vibration isolating washer.

As an example, the following describes the composition of the fuel consumption control device consumed by the diesel generator set of the TEM2 diesel locomotive. The end of the extension rod of each of the sensors "RADON UM" 1 and 2, with a sensitive element located on it, is placed near the bottom of the fuel tank 36, at a distance of 70-100 mm from the bottom (figure 1). This distance

conventionally taken as the technological beginning of the reference weight of the fuel in the tank.

In order to obtain the dependence of the weight of the fuel in the fuel tank on the hydrostatic pressure, or rather the magnitude of the force acting on the membranes of the sensors installed in the tank, on the technological reference point, the tank is calibrated. To do this, weighed portions of fuel in portions, and the values in mA are measured at the outputs of sensors 1 and 2. The arithmetic average values of the readings of sensors 1 and 2, corresponding to the weight of the fuel poured into the tank, are automatically entered into the information processing unit 10, which is part of the fuel control device 7.

Further, in accordance with the general scheme of the fuel consumption control device, the signals of the sensors are digitized in the controller 8 of the fuel control device and processed according to the program in the information processing unit 10.

For drivers on a digital indicator 11 of the fuel control device 7 (Fig.3) displays information about the amount of fuel (in kilograms) in the fuel tank.

The information obtained, as well as information about the coordinates of the locomotive’s position, is transmitted via GPRS to the operator’s computer 32 (Fig. 1) and entered into the database.

Data on the change in the weight of the fuel in the tank, the inclusion of valves 17-20 (Fig. 1) that control the high-speed rotation mode of the diesel generator shaft, the inclusion of idle speed 21 or the load mode 22 of the traction generator can be transferred from the fuel control device 7 to the operator’s computer with using a flash drive 31. This is a simplified option for transferring data to an operator.

The data received from the operator’s computer 32 from the fuel control device 7 are processed using the information display program. In the case under consideration, a graph of the change in fuel weight in the tank 36 is displayed in real time in the form of a step diagram

(figure 4). The ordinate axis shows the changes in eight high-speed diesel generator operating modes corresponding to eight positions of the driver’s controller, the abscissa shows the idle and traction loads. Information using, located in the upper left corner of the computer control panel, can be stretched along the abscissa axis, or shifted along the ordinate axis to a convenient place for reading.

Simultaneously with the presentation of graphical information, a database is formed, in which the weight of the fuel in the tank is entered with an interval of 1 min. If necessary, the operator can consult the database for detailed information.

So, for example, on the graph (figure 4), a jump in the weight of the fuel was detected downward over a short period. In order to consider the situation in more detail, the operator made a vertical mark, determined using the data presentation program the real time at which the situation of interest arose. Next, the operator calls the fragment of the archive of interest to him from the database (Fig. 5), and the database provides detailed information on fuel consumption.

The following is an example: the operator was interested in the portion of the curve where a small step down appeared. This happened at idle on March 12, 2008. The operator looks at the table: between 22.11 and 22.16 local time, the amount of fuel in the tank decreased by 79 kg from 2277 to 2198 kg.

A further internal investigation by the company’s administration showed that the fuel had been pumped by the diesel locomotive’s fuel pump to a 100-liter spare tank.

Analysis of the curves of fuel consumption at the zero idle position showed that the diesel locomotive consumed 11-11.5 kg of diesel fuel per hour.

In this example, no reference is given to the location coordinates of the locomotive. But, according to the coordinates of the locomotive, combined with the curves shown in figure 4, you can determine the location of unauthorized

fuel discharges, places of long-term parking of a locomotive, with the aim of organizing the rational operation of a locomotive.

The fuel consumption control device allows you to measure and control the weight of fuel that is refueled in the tank and consumed in various operating modes, in kilograms, without making continuous adjustments to the system readings when the fuel density changes, as well as detect places of unauthorized fuel drain and evaluate the rationality of loading the power plant on specific sections of the path.

Claims (1)

A fuel consumption control device comprising at least two fuel consumption sensors connected via cable communication with a fuel control device, characterized in that, as sensors for measuring the weight of spent fuel in kilograms, without taking into account the temperature of the fuel, strain gauge sensors are used to calculate the change in density and volume "RADON-UM", and the fuel control device is equipped with a transmitter of locomotive location coordinates, while information about the weight of the fuel in the tank and the location of the diesel generator The packages are transferred via GPRS to the operator’s computer and entered into its database.