Tagging hydrocarbons for subsequent identification
US5723338A · kind A · utility
20Cited by
25References
14Claims
0Family size
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jan 29, 1996 |
| Grant date | Mar 3, 1998 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jan 29, 2016 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10T436/13
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A method for tagging hydrocarbons and for detecting the presence of tagged hydrocarbons in a hydrocarbon mixture. The method can be utilized to tag gasoline, diesel fuel, heating oil, lubricating oil or crude petroleum. The hydrocarbon to be tagged is blended with a relatively small amount of a fluorescent dye. The presence of the tagged hydrocarbon is subsequently determined by exciting the dye to fluoresce at wavelengths in the higher portion of the visible spectral region or the lower portion of the near infrared spectral region.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.