Method and apparatus for analyzing the composition of the exhaust gas of any internal combustion engine

US4818705A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• PIERBURG GMBH · DE

Inventors

• Gerd Schneider · Dillingen/Saar, DE
• Franz-Wilhelm Boost · Wittlich, DE
• Frank Leimbach · Wuppertal, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Mar 12, 1987
• Grant date: Apr 4, 1989
• Expiry date: Mar 12, 2007

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G01N2201/08
• WIPO field: Measurement
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

A device for analyzing the composition of the exhaust gas of an internal combustion engine in which a light source provides a light beam absorbable by the exhaust gas, and a plurality of measurement cells are traversed by radiation of the light beam while the exhaust gas flows through the cells. A corresponding number of radiation detectors are arranged after the measurement cells to receive the absorption attenuated light radiation and to produce an electrical measurement signal. At least one light interrupter periodically interrupts the light radiation. A particularly accurate analysis of the composition of the exhaust gas is obtained, even for dynamic operating conditions of the internal combustion engine, during every phase of the combustion cycle if the light interrupter is arranged directly behind the light source and the light radiation used for the measurement is periodically interrupted as a whole and if, furthermore, each of the measurement cells has a respective radiation filter associated therewith and with the radiation detectors and if a light dividing device is arranged between the light interrupter and the measurement cells for the simultaneous application of the li…