Liquid type identifying method and liquid type identifying device

1. A liquid type identifying method, which identifies whether or not a liquid to be measured which is an aqueous solution contains a predetermined solute by sensing heat generated by energization with a temperature sensor, the identification of whether or not the liquid to be measured contains a predetermined solute being made based on a combination of a liquid-type-corresponding first voltage value corresponding to a difference between an initial temperature of the temperature sensor and a first temperature thereof obtained at the time point after a first time period has elapsed from a start of the energization and a liquid-type-corresponding second voltage value corresponding to a difference between the initial temperature of the temperature sensor and a second temperature thereof obtained at the time point after a second time period, which is longer than the first time period, has elapsed from the start of the energization.

2. The liquid type identifying method as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the predetermined solute is a urea.

3. The liquid type identifying method as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the liquid-type-corresponding first voltage value and liquid-type-corresponding second voltage value are obtained based on outputs of a liquid type detecting circuit including both the temperature sensor and a liquid temperature detecting section for detecting a temperature of the liquid to be measured.

4. The liquid type identifying method as set forth in claim 1 , wherein an average initial voltage value which is obtained by sampling an initial voltage predetermined number of times before the start of energization to the heater and averaging them is used as a voltage value corresponding to the initial temperature of the temperature sensor, an average first voltage value which is obtained by sampling a first voltage at the time after the first time period has elapsed from the start of energization to the heater predetermined number of times and averaging them is used as a voltage value corresponding to the first temperature of the temperature sensor, an average second voltage value which is obtained by sampling a second voltage at the time after the second time period has elapsed from the start of energization to the heater predetermined number of times and averaging them is used as a voltage value corresponding to the second temperature of the temperature sensor, a difference between the average first voltage value and average initial voltage value is used as the liquid-type-corresponding first voltage value, and a difference between the average second voltage value and average initial voltage value is used as the liquid-type-corresponding second voltage value.

5. The liquid type identifying method as set forth in claim 1 , which identifies whether or not the liquid to be measured which is an aqueous solution contains a predetermined solute in a predetermined concentration based on a combination of the liquid-type-corresponding first voltage value and the liquid-type-corresponding second voltage value.

6. The liquid type identifying method as set forth in claim 5 , wherein a first calibration curve or second calibration curve indicating a relationship between the temperature and liquid-type-corresponding first voltage value or liquid-type-corresponding second voltage value with respect to urea solutions having different urea concentrations is prepared and, when the liquid to be measured is determined to be urea solution having a urea concentration falling within a predetermined range, the urea concentration of the urea solution is calculated based on an output of a liquid temperature detecting section for detecting the temperature of the liquid to be measured, liquid-type-corresponding first voltage value or liquid-type-corresponding second voltage value, and first or second calibration curve.

7. The liquid type identifying method as set forth in claim 5 , wherein it is determined that the liquid to be measured is an aqueous urea solution containing urea in a predetermined concentration only when both the liquid-type-corresponding first voltage value and liquid-type-corresponding second voltage value fall within respective predetermined ranges and, otherwise, it is determined that the liquid to be measured is not an aqueous urea solution containing urea in a predetermined concentration.

8. The liquid type identifying method as set forth in claim 7 , wherein the predetermined range of the liquid-type-corresponding first voltage value and that of the liquid-type-corresponding second voltage value change depending on a temperature of the liquid to be measured.

9. The liquid type identifying method as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the energization is applied by applying a single pulse voltage and the heat generated by the energization is transferred through the liquid to be measured to the temperature sensor disposed to face the liquid.

10. The liquid type identifying method as set forth in claim 9 , wherein the single pulse voltage is applied to a heater disposed to face the liquid to be measured.

11. A liquid type identifying device, which identifies whether or not a liquid to be measured which is an aqueous solution contains a predetermined solute by sensing heat generated by energization with a temperature sensor, the device comprising:

an identifying sensor section disposed to face a flow passage of the liquid to be measured, the identifying sensor section having both a liquid type detection section including the temperature sensor and a liquid temperature detecting section for detecting the temperature of the liquid to be measured; and

an identifying calculation section which identifies the type of the liquid to be measured based on outputs of a liquid type detecting circuit including both the temperature sensor and the liquid temperature detecting section, wherein the identifying calculation section determines whether or not the liquid to be measured is an aqueous solution of a predetermined solute based on a combination of a liquid-type-corresponding first voltage value corresponding to a difference between an initial temperature of the temperature sensor and a first temperature thereof obtained at the time point after a first time period has elapsed from a start of the energization and a liquid-type-corresponding second voltage value corresponding to a difference between the initial temperature of the temperature sensor and a second temperature thereof obtained at the time point after a second time period, which is longer than the first time period, has elapsed from the start of the energization.

12. The liquid type identifying device as set forth in claim 11 , wherein the predetermined solute is a urea.

13. The liquid type identifying device as set forth in claim 11 , wherein the liquid type detection section and liquid temperature detecting section have a heat transfer member for liquid type detection section and a heat transfer member for liquid temperature detecting section for heat exchange with the liquid to be measured, respectively.

14. The liquid type identifying device as set forth in claim 11 , wherein the identifying calculation section determines whether or not the liquid to be measured which is an aqueous solution contains a predetermined solute in a predetermined concentration based on a combination of the liquid-type-corresponding first voltage value and the liquid-type-corresponding second voltage value.

15. The liquid type identifying device as set forth in claim 14 , wherein a liquid-temperature-corresponding output value corresponding to the temperature of the liquid to be measured is input from the liquid temperature detecting section to the identifying calculation section, and the identifying calculation section uses a first calibration curve or second calibration curve indicating a relationship between the temperature of the liquid to be measured and liquid-type-corresponding first voltage value or liquid-type-corresponding second voltage value with respect to urea solutions having different urea concentrations to calculate the urea concentration of the urea solution assuming that the liquid to be measured is the urea solution having a urea concentration falling within a predetermined range, and

wherein the urea concentration is calculated based on the liquid-temperature-corresponding output value obtained with respect to the liquid to be measured, liquid-type-corresponding first voltage value or liquid-type-corresponding second voltage value, and first or second calibration curve.

16. The liquid type identifying device as set forth in claim 11 , wherein the energization is applied by applying a single pulse voltage and the heat generated by the energization is transferred through the liquid to be measured to the temperature sensor disposed to face the liquid.

17. The liquid type identifying device as set forth in claim 16 , wherein the identifying sensor section includes a heater, and the single pulse voltage is applied to the heater.