Abstract

A distillation condenser may include an inner condenser tube that includes an inlet to receive vapors from a distillation vessel and an outlet to connect to a reception vessel to receive a distilled liquid condensed from the vapors; an outer tube enclosing the inner condenser tube; and a heating element coupled to an outside of the outer tube. The distillation condenser may further include a controller configured to control the heating element to heat a working fluid in the outer tube and to cause the distillation condenser to function as a two-phase closed thermosiphon (TPCT) as a result of the heated working fluid.

IPC Classes  ?

• B01D 5/00 - Condensation of vapoursRecovering volatile solvents by condensation

Abstract

A high precision, reciprocating bob viscometer is shown that has two coils (A and B) encircling a reciprocating bob. Coil A is energized with a combined sinusoidal and DC signal, while coil B senses the position of the reciprocating bob, then the functions of coils A and B are reversed. By use of a large digitally-generated near resonance frequency sinusoidal signal, noise is reduced because there is no need for amplification. The sensed signal amplitude measurement is in the digital time domain instead of through analog amplitude measurements, which further eliminates signal noise. These advancements provide faster, highly accurate, low noise measurements of bob position and velocity to determine fluid/gas viscosity and related properties using a reciprocating bob viscometer. These related properties include measurements of density, shear sensitivity, yield stress, and other measurements described in prior art patents.

IPC Classes  ?

• G01N 11/16 - Investigating flow properties of materials, e.g. viscosity or plasticityAnalysing materials by determining flow properties by moving a body within the material by measuring damping effect upon oscillatory body
• G01N 11/10 - Investigating flow properties of materials, e.g. viscosity or plasticityAnalysing materials by determining flow properties by moving a body within the material
• G01D 5/20 - Mechanical means for transferring the output of a sensing memberMeans for converting the output of a sensing member to another variable where the form or nature of the sensing member does not constrain the means for convertingTransducers not specially adapted for a specific variable using electric or magnetic means influencing the magnitude of a current or voltage by varying inductance, e.g. by a movable armature

Abstract

An apparatus and method is shown for determining the pumpability limit, freeze point and/or pour point of liquids, particularly fuels, at sub-ambient temperatures. A sample is placed in a viscometer which viscometer is rapidly cooled by a chiller. During cooling, after some measurements of temperature and viscosity, further temperatures and viscosity are approximated using the least squares method, which temperature and viscosity are subsequently measured to determine the pumpability limit. Continuation of the method will also give the freeze point and pour point of the sample being tested.

IPC Classes  ?

• G01N 11/00 - Investigating flow properties of materials, e.g. viscosity or plasticityAnalysing materials by determining flow properties
• G01N 11/14 - Investigating flow properties of materials, e.g. viscosity or plasticityAnalysing materials by determining flow properties by moving a body within the material by using rotary bodies, e.g. vane
• G01N 11/16 - Investigating flow properties of materials, e.g. viscosity or plasticityAnalysing materials by determining flow properties by moving a body within the material by measuring damping effect upon oscillatory body

Abstract

A thermal oxidation tester is shown for determining thermal stability of a fluid, particularly hydrocarbons when subjected to elevated temperatures. The tendency of the heated fluid to oxidize and (1) form deposits on a surface of a heater tube and (2) form solids therein, are both measured at a given flow rate, temperature and time. The measured results are used to determine whether a fluid sample passes or fails the test. Results of measurements are recorded in a memory device on one end of the heater tube on which the deposits were made.

IPC Classes  ?

• G01N 33/22 - FuelsExplosives
• G01N 25/00 - Investigating or analysing materials by the use of thermal means

Abstract

A thermal oxidation tester is shown for determining thermal stability of a fluid, particularly hydrocarbons, when subjected to elevated temperatures. The tendency of the heated fluid to oxidize and (1) form deposits on a surface of a heater tube and (2) form solids therein which are both measured at a given flow rate, temperature and time. The measured results are used to determine whether a fluid sample passes or fails the test. Specifically constructed containers used in a thermal oxidation tester are shown. These containers (1) reduce physical contact to hydrocarbon test fuels, (2) reduce exposure to hydrocarbon fuel vapors, (3) reduce environmental impact by reducing chemical spills, and (4) improve overall work flow of test.

IPC Classes  ?

• G01N 33/22 - FuelsExplosives
• G01N 25/00 - Investigating or analysing materials by the use of thermal means
• G01N 1/10 - Devices for withdrawing samples in the liquid or fluent state

Abstract

A thermal oxidation tester is shown for determining thermal stability of a fluid, particularly hydrocarbons when subjected to elevated temperatures. The tendency of the heated fluid to oxidize and (1) form deposits on a surface of a heater tube and (2) form solids therein, are both measured at a given flow rate, temperature and time. The measured results are used to determine whether a fluid sample passes or fails the test. Results of the measurements are recorded. The fluid under test is pumped with a low volume, high pressure, single piston pump with only a small fluctuation (pulsation) in output flow.

IPC Classes  ?

• G01N 33/22 - FuelsExplosives
• G01N 25/00 - Investigating or analysing materials by the use of thermal means

Abstract

A thermal oxidation tester is shown for determining thermal stability of a fluid, particularly hydrocarbons when subjected to elevated temperatures. The tendency of the heated fluid to oxidize and (1) form deposits on a surface of a heater tube and (2) form solids therein, are both measured at a given flow rate, temperature and time. The measured results are used to determine whether a fluid sample passes or fails the test. Results of measurements can be recorded in a memory device on one end of the heater tube on which the deposits were made. A method and apparatus is also provided to determine if the isolated heater tube has an electrical short to ground through the test section housing.

IPC Classes  ?

• G01N 33/22 - FuelsExplosives
• G01N 25/00 - Investigating or analysing materials by the use of thermal means

Abstract

A thermal oxidation tester is shown for determining thermal stability of a fluid, particularly hydrocarbons when subjected to elevated temperatures. The tendency of the heated fluid to oxidize and (1) form deposits on a surface of a heater tube and (2) form solids therein, are both measured at a given flow rate, temperature and time. The measured results are used to determine whether a fluid sample passes or fails the test. Sample flow rate is important in the jet fuel thermal oxidation test. Current practice requires manual drop counting or flow confirmation with the use of volumetric glassware. An apparatus is described to precisely measure the flow rate and automatically perform flow rate check using a drip rate method and/or volumetric method.

IPC Classes  ?

• G01N 33/22 - FuelsExplosives
• G01N 25/00 - Investigating or analysing materials by the use of thermal means
• G01F 23/292 - Light

Abstract

A thermal oxidation tester is shown for determining thermal stability of a fluid, particularly hydrocarbons when subjected to elevated temperatures. The tendency of the heated fluid to oxidize and (1) form deposits on a surface of a heater tube and (2) form solids therein, are both measured at a given flow rate, temperature and time. The measured results are used to determine whether a fluid sample passes or fails the test. At the beginning of each test, the test sample is aerated with dry air until saturation. Simultaneously, the test equipment is primed to remove pockets of air there from. After each test, the test equipment is flushed to remove the test sample there from.

IPC Classes  ?

• G01N 33/22 - FuelsExplosives
• G01N 25/00 - Investigating or analysing materials by the use of thermal means
• G01N 1/10 - Devices for withdrawing samples in the liquid or fluent state

Abstract

A method and a system is disclosed for determining cetane values from constant volume combustion chamber apparatuses capable of producing pressure versus time combustion profiles having a fast combustion region and a slow combustion region, where data from the two regions is used to compute cetane values for middle distillate fluid samples using a series expansion equation.

IPC Classes  ?

• G01N 30/16 - Injection

Abstract

A sensor for making rheological measurements takes the form of a ferromagnetic bob alternately driven through a sample fluid in opposite directions by magnetic force from two alternately driven coils. The bob's position affects the mutual inductance between the coils, so it can be inferred by sensing the signal that current flowing in one coil induces in the other, and rheological properties are determined from the relationships among the bob's motion, the coil current, and the sensor geometry. Some such measurements' accuracies are enhanced by computing bob acceleration and suppressing inertial effects thereby detected.

IPC Classes  ?

• G01N 11/10 - Investigating flow properties of materials, e.g. viscosity or plasticityAnalysing materials by determining flow properties by moving a body within the material

Abstract

A method and a system is disclosed for determining RON and/or MON values from constant volume combustion chamber apparatuses capable of producing pressure versus time combustion profiles having a fast combustion region and a slow combustion region, where data from the two regions is used to compute RON and/or MON values for light distillate fluid samples using a series expansion equation.

IPC Classes  ?

• G01N 33/22 - FuelsExplosives

Abstract

A method of evaluating thermal stability of a fuel and an apparatus used therein. The method includes heating the fuel to a given temperature, directing light through the heated fuel a first time wherein the light is of an intensity and of a wavelength to induce fluorescence and obtaining a first fluorescence data, directing the light through the fuel at least a second time that is later in time and obtaining a second fluorescence data, and measuring any changes to fluorescence from the heated fuel over time.

IPC Classes  ?

• G01N 21/64 - FluorescencePhosphorescence