Light Based Fuel Sulfur Sensor and System

Abstract

An ultraviolet sensor arrangement detects the amount of sulfur in a fuel of an internal combustion engine by emitting an ultraviolet light field in the presence of the fuel. A detector is disposed to detect a responsive amount of fluorescent light and provide a sensing signal indicative of the amount of sulfur in the fuel. A filter (or filters) receives the sensing signal and provides a filtered sensing signal to a sensing circuit.

1 - 8 . (canceled) 
     
     
         9 . A sensor arrangement disposed to detect an amount of sulfur content in fossil fuel including sulfur species having a first coefficient of light absorption used in connection with an internal combustion engine disposed to power a machine, the sensor arrangement comprising:
 a light source emitting a desired wavelength spectra disposed to irradiate at least a portion of the fossil fuel sample to cause the sulfur species to emit an illumination;   a light-sensitive detector disposed proximate the light source disposed to detect the intensity of illumination and to provide a detection signal indicative of the detected illumination;   a filter circuit connected to the light-sensitive detector disposed to filter the detection signal and provide a filtered detection signal; and   an electronic control module in communication with the filter circuit disposed to process the filtered detection signal and to provide an output indicative of the amount of sulfur species in the fossil fuel.   
     
     
         10 . The sensor arrangement of  claim 9  wherein the light source and the light-sensitive detector are integral components of a circuit package. 
     
     
         11 . The sensor arrangement of  claim 9  wherein the electronic control module is further disposed to store an event log relating to the output, the event log providing indicia of the date and time in which the output was obtained. 
     
     
         12 . The sensor arrangement of  claim 9  wherein the desired wavelength spectra provided by the light source is in the ultraviolet range. 
     
     
         13 . The sensor arrangement of  claim 12  wherein the light source is disposed to irradiate the sample with varying wavelengths. 
     
     
         14 . The sensor arrangement of  claim 9  wherein the fossil fuel contains chemical species having a second coefficient of light absorption, and wherein the filter circuit is disposed to attenuate the intensity of the detection signal caused by species having a second coefficient of light absorption. 
     
     
         15 . The sensor arrangement of  claim 13  wherein the fossil fuel contains chemical species having a second coefficient of light absorption, and wherein the filter circuit is disposed to attenuate the intensity of the detection signal caused by chemical species having the second coefficient of light absorption. 
     
     
         16 . The sensor arrangement of  claim 15  wherein the electronic control module is disposed to perform a table look-up to determine an amount of sulfur content in the fuel. 
     
     
         17 . The sensor arrangement of  claim 16  wherein the electronic control module is disposed to provide a signal indicative of a visual output to an operator of the machine when the amount of sulfur content in the fossil fuel exceeds a threshold. 
     
     
         18 . The sensor arrangement of  claim 15  wherein the fossil fuel contains chemical species having a third coefficient of light absorption, the sensor arrangement further comprising a second filter circuit disposed to attenuate the intensity of the detection signal caused by chemical species having the third coefficient of light absorption. 
     
     
         19 . A sensor arrangement for detecting the sulfur content in a fuel sample emitted by an internal combustion engine comprising:
 a light source configured to emit a predetermined wavelength spectra to irradiate at least a portion of the fuel sample, the predetermined wavelength spectra causing sulfur species of a first coefficient of light absorption to emit an illumination;   a light-sensitive detector disposed proximate the light source and configured to detect the intensity of the illumination and to provide a detection signal indicative of the detected illumination;   a filter circuit connected to the light-sensitive detector configured to filter the detection signal and provide a filtered detection signal; and   an electronic control module, disposed to control one or more functions of the internal combustion engine, in communication with the filter circuit and configured to process the filtered detection signal and to provide an output indicative of the amount of sulfur species in the fossil fuel.   
     
     
         20 . The sensor arrangement of  claim 19  wherein the electronic control module is further disposed to store an event log relating to the output, the event log providing indicia of the date and time in which the output was obtained.