Sensor for detecting hydrocarbon in a static drain line
A hydrocarbon leak detection sensor having a hydrocarbon indicator paint applied to a surface exposed to a flow in which the presence of a hydrocarbon is detected. The sensor is located at a low point in a static drain line that is connected to a main fuel line of a liquid propellant rocket engine between a main fuel valve and a fuel injector of a combustion chamber. The sensor includes a housing with a flow inlet port and a flow outlet port with an optical device opposed to a removable plug that secures a target disk with a hydrocarbon indicator paint applied to an exposed surface. A light source is used to illuminate the hydrocarbon indicator that changes color from white to red in the presence of a hydrocarbon.
1. A liquid propellant rocket engine with a hydrocarbon leak detection sensor comprising:
a main fuel valve;
a combustion chamber of the rocket engine;
a fuel injector discharging into the combustion chamber;
a main fuel line connecting the main fuel valve to the fuel injector;
a low static point drain line connected to the main fuel line between the main fuel valve and the fuel injector; and,
a hydrocarbon leak detection sensor connected to the low static point drain line to detect a presence of a hydrocarbon in the main fuel line.
2. The liquid propellant rocket engine of claim 1 , and further comprising:
the hydrocarbon leak detection sensor includes a hydrocarbon indicator and an optical device with a light source both located opposite from the hydrocarbon indicator in a flow path.
3. The liquid propellant rocket engine of claim 2 , and further comprising:
the optical device and the light source are offset from one another at an angle.
4. The liquid propellant rocket engine of claim 3 , and further comprising:
the optical device is directly opposed to the hydrocarbon indicator while the light source is offset from the hydrocarbon indicator.
5. The liquid propellant rocket engine of claim 2 , and further comprising:
the optical device and the light source are formed as an integral piece.
6. The liquid propellant rocket engine of claim 2 , and further comprising:
the hydrocarbon indicator is formed on a surface having a plurality of holes to allow for passage of a flow within the flow path.
7. The liquid propellant rocket engine of claim 1 , and further comprising: the hydrocarbon indicator is formed on a screen that allows for a flow to pass through.
8. The liquid propellant rocket engine of claim 1 , and further comprising: the hydrocarbon indicator is part of a removable plug secured to a flow path of the hydrocarbon leak detection sensor.
9. The liquid propellant rocket engine of claim 8 , and further comprising:
the removable plug includes a cone-shaped member on which the hydrocarbon indicator is formed.
10. A hydrocarbon leak detection sensor to detect for the presence of a hydrocarbon is a gas flow, the hydrocarbon leak detection sensor comprising:
a housing;
an optical device port in the housing;
a light source port in the housing;
a plug port in the housing located opposite to the optical device port;
a flow inlet port in the housing;
a flow outlet port in the housing;
an optical device secured in the optical device port;
a light source secured in the light source port;
a fluid flow path formed within the housing and connecting the flow inlet port to the flow outlet port;
a removable plug secured within the plug port;
a hydrocarbon indicator secured on the plug and facing the optical device; and,
a static drain line tube connected to the flow inlet port; whereby,
a fluid flow having a hydrocarbon present will flow from the static drain line tube and through the fluid flow path such that the hydrocarbon indicator will display a certain color that can be detected by the optical device.
11. The hydrocarbon leak detection sensor of claim 10 , and further comprising:
the optical device port is located on a top end of the housing; and,
the removable plug port is located on a bottom end of the housing.
12. The hydrocarbon leak detection sensor of claim 11 , and further comprising:
the light source port is located in the housing offset from the optical device port.
13. The hydrocarbon leak detection sensor of claim 11 , and further comprising:
the flow inlet port is located on an upper section of the housing adjacent to the optical device port; and,
the flow outlet port is located on a lower section adjacent to the removable plug port.
14. The hydrocarbon leak detection sensor of claim 10 , and further comprising:
the optical device and the light source both close off the ports to form a closed fluid passage from the flow inlet port to the flow outlet port within the housing.
15. The hydrocarbon leak detection sensor of claim 10 , and further comprising:
the hydrocarbon indicator is coated on a target disk; and,
the target disk is secured within the housing by the removable plug such that the hydrocarbon indicator can be replaced by replacing the target disk.