Autonomous real-time sulfur dioxide and carbon dioxide monitor for marine exhaust emissions

1 . A method of autonomous sampling of an exhaust gas from

at least one exhaust stack of a maritime vessel using an emission sampling apparatus

comprising:

a computer receiving exhaust emissions data and diagnostic data from the emissions sampling apparatus and storing in a repository;

the computer calculating carbon emissions rate over distance and time;

the computer calculating sulfur emissions rate in fuel being burned by the maritime vessel at a specific location of the maritime vessel;

the computer determining if the specific location of the maritime vessel is in a regulated zone;

for each specific location of the maritime vessel in the regulated zone the computer determining whether the calculated sulfur emissions rate is within an accepted range;

for each specific location of the maritime vessel in the regulated zone in which the calculated sulfur emissions rate is within the accepted range, the computer sending a notification to users of fuel compliance at the specific location;

for each specific location of the maritime vessel in the regulated zone in which the calculated sulfur emissions rate is outside of the accepted range, the computer determining whether the emissions sampling apparatus is functioning within predetermined parameters and if the emissions sampling apparatus is functioning within the predetermined parameters, the computer sending a notification to users of the calculated sulfur emissions rate and noncompliance within the regulated zone to users;

wherein if the emissions sampling apparatus is functioning outside of the predetermined parameters, the computer sending a notification to users of the calculated sulfur emissions rate and a malfunction of the emissions sampling apparatus and sending a replacement emissions sampling apparatus to the maritime vessel.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the exhaust emissions data comprises: date, time, latitude and longitude, sulfur dioxide sensor values, carbon dioxide sensor values, gas humidity of the exhaust gas, and exhaust gas pressure.

3 . A method of autonomous sampling of an exhaust gas from

at least one exhaust stack of a maritime vessel using an emission sampling apparatus

comprising:

a computer receiving exhaust emissions data and diagnostic data from the emissions sampling apparatus and storing in a repository;

the computer calculating carbon emissions rate over distance and time;

the computer calculating sulfur emissions rate in fuel being burned by the maritime vessel at a specific location of the maritime vessel;

the computer determining if the specific location of the maritime vessel is in a regulated zone;

for each specific location of the maritime vessel in the regulated zone the computer determining whether the calculated sulfur emissions rate is within an accepted range;

for each specific location of the maritime vessel in the regulated zone in which the calculated sulfur emissions rate is within the accepted range, the computer sending a notification to users of fuel compliance at the specific location;

for each specific location of the maritime vessel in the regulated zone in which the calculated sulfur emissions rate is outside of the accepted range, the computer determining whether the emissions sampling apparatus is functioning within predetermined parameters and if the emissions sampling apparatus is functioning within the predetermined parameters, the computer sending a notification to users of the calculated sulfur emissions rate and noncompliance within the regulated zone to users,

wherein the exhaust emissions data further comprises speed of the maritime vessel, hearing of the maritime vessel, and fuel type being used by the maritime vessel.

4 . A method of autonomous sampling of an exhaust gas from

at least one exhaust stack of a maritime vessel using an emission sampling apparatus

comprising:

a computer receiving exhaust emissions data and diagnostic data from the emissions sampling apparatus and storing in a repository;

the computer calculating carbon emissions rate over distance and time;

the computer calculating sulfur emissions rate in fuel being burned by the maritime vessel at a specific location of the maritime vessel;

the computer determining if the specific location of the maritime vessel is in a regulated zone;

for each specific location of the maritime vessel in the regulated zone the computer determining whether the calculated sulfur emissions rate is within an accepted range;

for each specific location of the maritime vessel in the regulated zone in which the calculated sulfur emissions rate is within the accepted range, the computer sending a notification to users of fuel compliance at the specific location;

for each specific location of the maritime vessel in the regulated zone in which the calculated sulfur emissions rate is outside of the accepted range, the computer determining whether the emissions sampling apparatus is functioning within predetermined parameters and if the emissions sampling apparatus is functioning within the predetermined parameters, the computer sending a notification to users of the calculated sulfur emissions rate and noncompliance within the regulated zone to users,

wherein the diagnostic data from the emissions sampling apparatus comprises temperature within a heat collector of the emissions sampling apparatus, battery voltage of the emissions sampling apparatus, thermo-electric generator voltage of the emissions sampling apparatus, geolocation of the emissions sampling apparatus, filter pressure present in a prefilter or a layered filter of the emissions sampling apparatus, and tamper detection count of the emissions sampling apparatus.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the users are owners of the maritime vessel, law enforcement, environmental regulation agencies, or others present on the maritime vessel.