Methods and systems for determining performance characteristics of mechanical systems based on fuel properties

摘要

Methods and systems for use in determining one or more performance characteristics of a mechanical system that includes a combustion engine. One or more values of a physical property of fuel are associated with a performance characteristic (e.g., an operating characteristic and/or a maintenance characteristic) of a mechanical system to create a fuel-performance relationship. An actual value of the physical property of a fuel to be burned by the combustion engine is determined using one or more sensors. A predicted value of the performance characteristic is determined based on the actual value of the physical property and the fuel-performance relationship.

主权项

1. A system for use in determining one or more performance characteristics of a mechanical system that includes a combustion engine, said system comprising:
a memory for storing a fuel-performance relationship that associates one or more values of a physical property of fuel with a performance characteristic of a mechanical system, wherein the performance characteristic includes one or more of the following: an operating characteristic and a maintenance characteristic; a sensor configured to produce a signal representing one or more of the following: a physical fuel property and an identifier of a fuel; and a processor coupled to said memory and said sensor, wherein said processor is programmed to:
determine an actual value of a physical property of the fuel by decoding one or more codes of one or more taggants within the fuel, based on the signal produced by the sensor; anddetermine a predicted value of the performance characteristic based on the actual value of the physical property and the fuel-performance relationship.