System and method for quantifying source and component emission rates from a body in a flow field

US12248945B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• U.S. GOVERNMENT, as represented by the Administrator of the U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY · US

Inventors

• Carl R. Fulper · Ann Arbor, US
• Timothy Hamacher Defries · Austin, US
• Scott Douglas · Fresno Street, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Sep 15, 2022
• Grant date: Mar 11, 2025
• Expiry date: Aug 2, 2043

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G01M15/102
• WIPO field: Measurement
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

A system and method that remotely quantifies mass emission rates of emission material emitted from moving vehicles as they operate in real-time. Release locations of these emission materials may or may not coincide, and plumes generated from the releases may be spatially overlapping or distinct. The method can quantify both distance-based mass emission rates (grams/mile) and time-based emission rates (gram/hour). Exemplary approaches can be used to measure vehicle emissions as they move whether the emissions are released from the tailpipe or elsewhere on the vehicle and without touching the vehicle. The approaches might also be used in other situations where material is emitted from a body in a flow field, such as an aircraft or marine vessel moving through air, a stationary source in a wind field, or brake or tire wear particulate material of a heavy-duty truck driving on the road.