RU93542U1 - CAR REFRACTOMETER - Google Patents

Abstract

 An automobile refractometer consisting of a laser diode, a translucent plate, a system of rotary prisms and mirrors, a cuvette with a test liquid (fuel), a photodetector, a reference beam delay module, an electronic timer and a control controller, where a multi-pass cuvette consisting of of two parallel mirrors, or a time-passing cell consisting of two coaxial plane-parallel mirrors.

Description

The utility model relates to the field of measurement technology, in particular optical methods for controlling the parameters of liquids.

Currently, the design of the automobile engine has been perfected and its further improvement (efficiency, exhaust ecology) is associated with the use of onboard intelligent ignition and fuel injection control systems, the creation of microprocessor-controlled fuel equipment systems, the use of precision electro-hydraulic nozzles, etc. However, one of the serious problems of the widespread use of such systems in motor vehicles is the unstable quality of motor fuel sold at gas stations and determined by the production technology of a particular refinery or the intent of the final seller.

In this regard, it becomes very relevant to use on board vehicles of various kinds of fuel diagnostic systems operating in real time and integrated into the common engine control system. Refractometer is a device that measures the optical refractive index (n) of substances. Automobile laser refractometer is an on-board small-sized device installed at the inlet of the fuel system of the engine and used to measure the current value of the refractive index (n) of the fuel entering the engine. The optical index of fuel n correlates with its octane (or cetane) number, which allows real-time control of the parameters of the ignition (injection) system of the engine, which ultimately determines its efficiency and the ecology of the exhaust.

A known refractometer according to a utility model of the Russian Federation No. 2113710 dated 12/26/1997

"AUTOMATIC REFRACTOMETER FOR CONTROL OF LIQUID MEDIA PARAMETERS".

The device includes the following elements: a illuminator, two prisms made of optically transparent material and a chamber for the test fluid located between them, two light receivers, an optically transparent cuvette located between the illuminator and the light receiver, while the second light detector is located at the signal output from the prism, and the device for processing signals from two light detectors is equipped with an indicator.

The disadvantage of the claimed device is the need for contact of the investigated fluid with the measuring elements of the circuit, the complexity of the alignment, the smear of the measured boundary for turbid media.

The closest in technical essence to the proposed utility model is a device according to the patent of the Russian Federation No. 22555568 of 11/18/2002 "AUTOMATIC REFRACTOMETER". The device includes the following basic elements: a light source, a forming lens and a measuring prism. An assembly consisting of a concentrating lens and diffusing frosted glass and converting the reflected modulated light flux is introduced into the refractometer, while the concentrating lens is designed to collect the reflected modulated light flux onto diffused frosted glass. A refractometer provides a photodiode that senses the brightness of the frosted glass.

The disadvantage of the claimed measurement device is the need for physical contact between the prism and the test substance, as well as the blurring of the recorded light border on the frosted glass.

The objective of the present invention is to expand the arsenal of technical means of measuring optical refractive indices of liquid media (refractometer).

The technical result of the invention is the realization of the possibility of measuring the optical refractive index of liquid media (fuel) made contactlessly, remotely and without limitation on the measured value of n.

The technical result is achieved by the fact that the device contains: a laser diode, 1 translucent plate 3, a system of rotary prisms and mirrors 2, a cuvette with a test liquid (fuel) 8, a photodetector 4, a delay beam of the reference beam 10, an electronic timer 6, a control controller 5 , multipass cuvette, transit cuvette and capillary type cuvette.

The device operates as follows: the light pulses of the laser diode 1 in the form of a parallel beam of light, through a system of rotary prisms 2, is sent to a cell 8 with fuel (gasoline, diesel fuel). Part of the radiation, reflected from the beam splitting plate 3 of the device, enters the photodetector 4 and starts the timer 6. The main beam, passing twice through the measuring cell 8, also enters the photodetector and stops the timer 6. The controller of the device 5 calculates the time delay between the sent and received pulses of light . Signal delay depends on the type of fuel. By fixing the dimensions of the cell, based on simple mathematical relationships, the optical refractive index n of the fuel is calculated. Based on the correlation relations between the octane (cetane) number of the fuel and its refractive index n, the controller 5 generates control signals to correct the parameters of the engine power system.

In order to increase the sensitivity and compactness of the device, a multi-pass cuvette consisting of two parallel mirrors realizing multiple beam reflection between them can be used (Fig. 2).

In order to increase the sensitivity and compactness of the device, a time-passing cuvette consisting of two coaxial plane-parallel mirrors realizing the regime of multiple transmission of axial distance by a light beam can be used (Fig. 3)

In order to take measurements in hard-to-reach places, a capillary-type cell is used (Fig. 4), the capillary channel of which is made of flexible material and has an internal mirror coating. The delivery of fluid into the capillary is achieved by suction using a conventional syringe.

The device has the following advantages:

- non-contact method for measuring the parameters of a liquid medium

- a remote way of measuring the parameters of a liquid medium

- the absence of restrictions on the measurement of the refractive index n

The proposed utility model is illustrated by drawings.

Figure 1 Refractometer with a two-pass cell

Figure 2 Refractometer with a multi-pass cell

Figure 3 Refractometer with a transit cell

Figure 4 Refractometer with a capillary-type cell

Claims (1)

An automobile refractometer consisting of a laser diode, a translucent plate, a system of rotary prisms and mirrors, a cuvette with a test liquid (fuel), a photodetector, a reference beam delay module, an electronic timer and a control controller, where a multi-pass cuvette consisting of of two parallel mirrors, or a time-passing cell consisting of two coaxial plane-parallel mirrors.