Ford Motor Company Limited

Keith R Carduner

Alex D Colvin

Dick Y Leong

Dennis Schuetzle

Michael J DeCello

Roscoe O Carter, Iii

A method and system for determining steady state and real time engine oil consumption of an automotive engine which generates exhaust gases containing oil and fuel having a known sulphur content. The system includes an exhaust gas conditioner coupled to the exhaust manifold of the engine for extracting an exhaust gas sample and converting the exhaust sample into a combustion product. The system also includes a high temperature sampler for automatically regulating the amount of the combustion product independent of changes in back pressure of the engine. The system further includes a fluorescent detector for generating a sulphur dioxide content signal having a value corresponding to the sulphur dioxide contained in the regulated combustion product. Finally, the system includes a processor responsive to the value of the sulphur dioxide content signal to determine a steady state and/or a real time oil consumption of the engine based on the value of the sulphur dioxide content signal and the known sulphur content of the oil and fuel.

Method and system for determining engine oil consumption

A system for measuring an automotive engine exhaust constituent includes a meter for measuring the mass of air flowing through the engine and for generating a flow signal corresponding to the airflow, and a sample handling apparatus for separating a fraction of the exhaust flowing through the engine and for conducting the exhaust fraction to an analyzer. The system further includes diluent adding means for doping the extracted exhaust fraction with a diluent gas upstream of the analyzer and a processor for receiving the mass flow signal from the engine mass flow meter and for operating the diluent adding device in response to the flow signal. The processor operates the diluent valve such that the flow rate of exhaust gas into the analyzer remains a relatively constant fraction of the total exhaust flowing from the engine.

System for measuring engine exhaust constituents

A method and an apparatus for simultaneously measuring each constituent film in a multi-layer coating. Near Infrared Reflectance (NIR) measurements are taken at the peak and reference wavelength for a series of calibration samples. Based on these measurements, a relationship is established between the film NIR and thickness. A measuring NIR spectrometer is supplied with the relationship and a target sample is irradiated with near infrared radiation at each peak and reference wavelength. The measuring spectrometer measures the amount of NIR and computes the individual film thicknesses using the relationship supplied to it. Individual film thicknesses can be visually displayed, and/or directed to the film applying apparatus. If the thickness of an individual film layer deviates from a predetermined valve, the film applying apparatus is manipulated to apply the desired thickness of film.

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Dearborn, MI, United States of America

Keith R Carduner