Sensor for spectrometric analysis of a variable-pressure gaseous fuel for automotive vehicle
View Patent ↗Disclosed is a sensor for spectrometric analysis of a variable-pressure gaseous fuel for automotive vehicle intended to be mounted in the flow circuit for the fuel linking the fuel tank to the engine of the vehicle. The sensor includes a circulation pipe for the variable-pressure gaseous fuel, a sliding guidance tube for an optical flux and a unit for displacement of the sliding guidance tube, on the basis of the variable-pressure gaseous fuel tapped off from the circulation pipe, so as to adapt the distance separating the first window from the second window as a function of the variation in pressure of the variable-pressure gaseous fuel circulating in the circulation pipe.
1. A sensor for spectrometric analysis of a variable-pressure gaseous fuel for an automotive vehicle, said sensor, comprising:
a body comprising a conduit for the flow of the variable-pressure gaseous fuel;
a transmitter of an optical flow;
a sliding guide tube for said optical flow, comprising a proximal end coupled to the transmitter and a distal end comprising a first window opening into the flow conduit and configured to allow the passage of the optical flow;
a second window positioned facing the first window so as to allow the optical flow to pass through the flow conduit;
a receiver of said optical flow, configured to receive and analyze the optical flow received through the second window; and
a channel for sampling variable-pressure gaseous fuel from the flow conduit,
wherein the sliding guide tube is movable responsive to variable-pressure gaseous fuel sampled from the flow conduit via the sampling channel such that a distance between the first window and the second window changes on the basis of a pressure variation of the variable-pressure gaseous fuel flowing in the flow conduit,
said sliding guide tube comprising a driving element comprising a second ring fixed to the sliding guide tube and extending radially from the outer wall of the sliding guide tube, and a compression spring fitted around the sliding guide tube configured to urge against the driving element, and
wherein the second ring delimits, on a first side, a receiving space for variable-pressure gaseous fuel, and on an opposite second side, an expansion space in which the compression spring is located.
2. The sensor as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the distal end of the sliding guide tube comprises a first ring, the first window being fitted in the center of said first ring.
3. The sensor as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the body of the sensor comprises an air flow channel linking the expansion space to the space outside the sensor.
4. The sensor as claimed in claim 2 , said sensor comprising a plurality of seals positioned between the body and the sliding guide tube.
5. A vehicle comprising at least one variable-pressure gaseous fuel tank, at least one engine supplied with variable-pressure gaseous fuel, a circuit for routing variable-pressure gaseous fuel from said tank to said engine, and the sensor for spectrometric analysis as claimed in claim 2 , positioned in said routing circuit or in the tank in order to determine the composition of the variable-pressure gaseous fuel flowing in the routing circuit or stored in said reservoir.
6. The sensor as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the sliding guide tube comprises a wall of cylindrical shape for retaining the compression spring, extending from the second ring into the expansion space.
7. The sensor as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the channel for sampling variable-pressure gaseous fuel opens into the receiving space.
8. The sensor as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the body of the sensor comprises an air flow channel linking the expansion space to the space outside the sensor.
9. The sensor as claimed in claim 6 , said sensor comprising a plurality of seals positioned between the body and the sliding guide tube.
10. A vehicle comprising at least one variable-pressure gaseous fuel tank, at least one engine supplied with variable-pressure gaseous fuel, a circuit for routing variable-pressure gaseous fuel from said tank to said engine, and the sensor for spectrometric analysis as claimed in claim 6 , positioned in said routing circuit or in the tank in order to determine the composition of the variable-pressure gaseous fuel flowing in the routing circuit or stored in said reservoir.
11. The sensor as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the channel for sampling variable-pressure gaseous fuel opens into the receiving space.
12. The sensor as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the body of the sensor comprises an air flow channel linking the expansion space to the space outside the sensor.
13. The sensor as claimed in claim 11 , said sensor comprising a plurality of seals positioned between the body and the sliding guide tube.
14. A vehicle comprising at least one variable-pressure gaseous fuel tank, at least one engine supplied with variable-pressure gaseous fuel, a circuit for routing variable-pressure gaseous fuel from said tank to said engine, and the sensor for spectrometric analysis as claimed in claim 11 , positioned in said routing circuit or in the tank in order to determine the composition of the variable-pressure gaseous fuel flowing in the routing circuit or stored in said reservoir.
15. The sensor as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the body of the sensor comprises an air flow channel linking the expansion space to the space outside the sensor.
16. The sensor as claimed in claim 15 , said sensor comprising a plurality of seals positioned between the body and the sliding guide tube.
17. A vehicle comprising at least one variable-pressure gaseous fuel tank, at least one engine supplied with variable-pressure gaseous fuel, a circuit for routing variable-pressure gaseous fuel from said tank to said engine, and the sensor for spectrometric analysis as claimed in claim 15 , positioned in said routing circuit or in the tank in order to determine the composition of the variable-pressure gaseous fuel flowing in the routing circuit or stored in said reservoir.
18. The sensor as claimed in claim 1 , said sensor comprising a plurality of seals positioned between the body and the sliding guide tube.
19. A vehicle comprising at least one variable-pressure gaseous fuel tank, at least one engine supplied with variable-pressure gaseous fuel, a circuit for routing variable-pressure gaseous fuel from said tank to said engine, and the sensor for spectrometric analysis as claimed in claim 18 , positioned in said routing circuit or in the tank in order to determine the composition of the variable-pressure gaseous fuel flowing in the routing circuit or stored in said reservoir.
20. A vehicle comprising at least one variable-pressure gaseous fuel tank, at least one engine supplied with variable-pressure gaseous fuel, a circuit for routing variable-pressure gaseous fuel from said tank to said engine, and the sensor for spectrometric analysis as claimed in claim 1 , positioned in said routing circuit or in the tank in order to determine the composition of the variable-pressure gaseous fuel flowing in the routing circuit or stored in said reservoir.