Classifications

• • G—PHYSICS
  • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
  • G01N—INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
  • G01N33/00—Investigating or analysing materials by specific methods not covered by groups G01N1/00 - G01N31/00
  • G01N33/26—Oils; Viscous liquids; Paints; Inks
  • G01N33/28—Oils, i.e. hydrocarbon liquids
  • G01N33/2835—Specific substances contained in the oils or fuels
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F01—MACHINES OR ENGINES IN GENERAL; ENGINE PLANTS IN GENERAL; STEAM ENGINES
  • F01M—LUBRICATING OF MACHINES OR ENGINES IN GENERAL; LUBRICATING INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES; CRANKCASE VENTILATING
  • F01M1/00—Pressure lubrication
  • F01M1/18—Indicating or safety devices
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
  • G01N—INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
  • G01N33/00—Investigating or analysing materials by specific methods not covered by groups G01N1/00 - G01N31/00
  • G01N33/26—Oils; Viscous liquids; Paints; Inks
  • G01N33/28—Oils, i.e. hydrocarbon liquids
  • G01N33/2888—Lubricating oil characteristics, e.g. deterioration
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F01—MACHINES OR ENGINES IN GENERAL; ENGINE PLANTS IN GENERAL; STEAM ENGINES
  • F01M—LUBRICATING OF MACHINES OR ENGINES IN GENERAL; LUBRICATING INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES; CRANKCASE VENTILATING
  • F01M1/00—Pressure lubrication
  • F01M1/16—Controlling lubricant pressure or quantity
  • F01M2001/165—Controlling lubricant pressure or quantity according to fuel dilution in oil

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a method for evaluating the dilution ratio of the lubricating oil by the fuel of an internal combustion engine.
• an internal combustion engine comprises a closed circuit for the circulation of the lubricating oil which comprises an oil sump located in the lower part of the engine block, an oil circulation pump for circulating, thanks to the oil contained in the crankcase to various moving parts to be lubricated, such as the crankshaft and camshaft bearings or the piston-segments-cylinder assembly.
• this lubricating oil is to facilitate the relative movement between two engine parts by interposing a liquid film between these two parts. This allows in particular to minimize the friction between them.
• the fuel injection strategies are such that a portion of the injected fuel is projected onto the oil film present on the cylinder, which has the effect of leaching the wall of the cylinder and therefore the film of oil or at least to make the fuel migrate to the oil sump during the successive alternating movements of the piston and the action of the piston rings.
• This dilution of the oil significantly degrades the properties of this oil.
• the viscosity of the oil decreases due to the addition of fuel, which results in particular a degradation of the shear strength of the oil film.
• other properties such as anti-wear or dispersion or extreme pressure properties, are also degraded by the fuel dilution of the additives present in the oil. It is therefore necessary to be able to know the dilution ratio of this oil to be able to act on the operating parameters of the engine, and in particular on fuel injection strategies to avoid or limit this dilution phenomenon.
• This measurement of the difference in radioactivity measured in the lubricating oil taken from the engine thus makes it possible to deduce the quantity of fuel contained in the sample and, by a simple calculation, to obtain the oil dilution rate by the fuel. .
• radioactive tracer in the oil or in the fuel with very specific characteristics that are close to the product to be traced.
• these radioactive elements when used in large quantities, must follow very strict legislation and standards. constraining both in terms of their storage and handling.
• these tracers which are a significant cost, must be replenished each time the oil is changed or each time the fuel tank is filled.
• the present invention proposes to overcome the above drawbacks by means of a method which makes it possible to evaluate the degree of dilution of the oil by the fuel without the addition of a specific tracer and to envisage subsequently the possible modifications of the control strategies. injection to control this dilution.
• the present invention relates to a method for evaluating the dilution ratio of the lubricating oil of an internal combustion engine operating with a fuel comprising at least a part of at least one biofuel, a method according to which the radioactivity of an oil sample to then evaluate the degree of dilution of the oil with the fuel, characterized in that it consists in measuring the radioactivity of at least one of the constituents of the biofuel contained in the sample of 'oil.
• This method may consist in measuring the radioactivity of said at least one biofuel component comprising a radioactive element with a half-life of greater than 5,000 years.
• It can consist of measuring the radioactivity of the carbon isotope ( 14 C) contained in the biofuel.
• the fuel can only include biofuel.
• the method may also include adding at least one biofuel to the fuel during the dilution rate evaluation operation.
• the fuel used for the combustion of an internal combustion engine is a fossil fuel that has no radioactive elements.
• biofuels are obtained either from oleaginous crops, such as rapeseed and sunflower (a biofuel called vegetable oil methyl ester) or as beet and sugar cane (biofuel based on methanol or ethanol), ie from biomass.
• rapeseed and sunflower a biofuel called vegetable oil methyl ester
• sugar cane biofuel based on methanol or ethanol
• biomass up to about 5% energy equivalent of at least one biofuel can be incorporated into a fossil fuel, such as diesel. It is also permissible to operate, in some countries such as Brazil, internal combustion engines with pure biofuels, such as sugar cane alcohol.
• pure biofuels or fossil fuels incorporating a portion of biofuel contain carbon 14 ( 14 C) from the plant material used for the production of biofuel and for which the half-life is 5570 years.
• a sample of oil is taken from the engine oil sump. This levy can be done punctually or continuously by a derivation of the lubrication circuit during operation of the engine.
• This sample is subjected to an ionizing radiation detector, which captures and measures the radiation emitted by the 14 C contained in the oil of the sample.
• the signals emitted by this detector are then sent to a calculation unit which will evaluate the rate of dilution of the oil by the fuel. This evaluation will be carried out either from tables or data contained in this calculation unit, or with respect to a pure oil sample, that is to say without dilution of oil by the fuel.
• this evaluation is carried out continuously drifting a quantity of oil from the engine in operation and then reinject it into the lubrication circuit after the measurement, it may be advantageously provided to perform a first radiation measurement of the sample and then perform other radiation measurements on a regular basis.
• the delay between each measurement will be of the order of a few seconds to a few tens of seconds and this depending on the importance of the dilution phenomenon. After these measurements, the increase in radioactivity and, by calculation, the amount of fuel incorporated into the sample and, consequently, the rate of dilution of the oil by the fuel are determined.
• this 14 C as a natural radioactive tracer, adding it in the form of an additive, to the basic fossil fuel that is initially lacking, when it is desired to carry out an evaluation. punctual dilution rate of the oil.

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
• Analytical Chemistry (AREA)
• General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• General Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Food Science & Technology (AREA)
• Medicinal Chemistry (AREA)
• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Chemical Kinetics & Catalysis (AREA)
• Biochemistry (AREA)
• General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Oil, Petroleum & Natural Gas (AREA)
• Immunology (AREA)
• Pathology (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Analysing Materials By The Use Of Radiation (AREA)
• Investigating Or Analysing Materials By Optical Means (AREA)
• Measurement Of Radiation (AREA)

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• 2006
  • 2006-06-22 FR FR0605602A patent/FR2902882B1/fr not_active Expired - Fee Related
• 2007
  • 2007-06-20 US US12/305,216 patent/US20100015716A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2007-06-20 JP JP2009515917A patent/JP2009541729A/ja active Pending
  • 2007-06-20 WO PCT/FR2007/001019 patent/WO2007147971A2/fr not_active Ceased
  • 2007-06-20 EP EP07788909A patent/EP2035825A2/de not_active Withdrawn

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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