Dynamical Capillary Rise Photonic Sensor for Testing of Diesel and Biodiesel Fuel

Abstract

There are many fuel quality standards introduced by national organizations and fuel producers. Usual techniques for measuring fuel parameters like cetane number, cetane index, fraction composition, viscosity, density, and flash point, require relatively complex and expensive laboratory equipment. On the fuel user side, fast and low cost sensing of useful state of biodiesel fuel is important. The main parameters of diesel fuel compatibility are: density, viscosity and surface tension. These three parameters define indirectly the quality of the fuel atomization process and the injected portion of energy that affect the quality of the fuel. In the presented paper the purposefulness of fuel testing using measurements of separable parameters is discussed. On this base, a sensor which enables the examination of relation of the mentioned parameters in one arrangement is proposed, analyzed and tested. The sensor uses the dynamic capillary rise method with photonic multichannel data reading in an inclined capillary. The principle of the sensor’s operation, the construction of the sensor head, and the experimental results are presented. The capillary is a disposable element. The sensor testing was performed with freshly prepared biodiesel fuels, and fuels stored for 2 years. We conclude that the proposed construction may be in future the base of low cost commercially marketable instruments for basic fuel classification: fit for use or not. That classification includes initial fuel composition and fuel parameters change during storage. Therefore, the proposed sensor is intended to use in fuel buying/selling point rather than used as part of a diesel engine automated system.

Keywords

• Biodiesel fuel
• Diesel fuel
• Fuel quality
• Fuel storage
• Viscosity
• Density
• Surface tension
• Multiparametric sensor
• Capillary sensor
• Capillary rise.