Rapid and Automated Measurement of Biofuel Blending using Microfluidic Device under Pressure Driven Flow for a variety of Detection and Monitoring applications: Biodiesel & Bioethanol blending / adulteration in conventional fuels, food adulteration, blood haemoglobin Venkateswaran PS1, Sanket Goel1, Rahul Prajesh2 and Ajay Agarwal2 1University of Petroleum & Energy Studies, Dehradun, India. 2CSIR-Central Electronics Engineering Research Institute (CSIR-CEERI) Pilani, India
Summary
Objectives
Approach
The fuel mixture directly affects the lubricating properties of the fuel and therefore adversely varying the engine performance. As the lubricating properties are simply related to the different physical properties, developing a sensor, based on such physical properties, can provide a reliable and effective solution to detect and monitor the fuel blending. The development of a micro-fluidic device using a MEMS techniques is inexpensive on mass-production, and can potentially be integrated with the existing microcontrollers in the automobiles.
• Simulation of the viscosity variation of fuels and fuel composition and finalize the design parameters for fabrication • Fabrication of micro-fluidic device (micro viscometer) to detect and monitor fuel adulteration • Characterization and testing of the micro-viscometer for different known and unknown viscosities • Testing the micro-viscometer for different conventional automobile fuels and the biofuel compositions • Finalization of the microviscometer able to handle and test possible ratio of fuel adulterations.
Viscosity dependent parameters in a microfluidic environment is the principle behind the aim of the device. Reliable and feasible limits and boundary conditions have to be implemented during the mask-design and fabrication. Design of a mask in L-Edit / AutoCAD is done precisely and then generation of the master pattern on Silicon / glass is performed. Multiple prototypes of the reverse pattern of the master is done and finally imprinted on the substrate. The micro-viscometer is tested in suitable viscosity ranges. Samples are taken in various ratios of adulteration by using automobile fuels with known adulterants and various blending ratios of biofuels with conventional fuels (bio-diesel with diesel and bio-ethanol with petrol). Viscosity of different samples is measured using micro-viscometer.
Significance Real-time detection and monitoring of bio-fuel blend-ratio and adulterated automobile fuels. Potential to integrated with the existing microcontroller of automobiles
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Results and Accomplishments
Conclusion / Future Research
A reproducible micro-fabrication process to replicate the microviscometer in a cost-and-time efficient manner. System level integration of the device will be explored. Development of a prototype to be set up inside an Automobile for real-time testing of fuel poured into the fuel tank.
Based on the dependence of various fluids mixing on the physical properties, such as, viscosity and density, it will be possible to extend this proposed method to check adulteration of conventional fuel and other edible items, such as, edible oil and milk. Also, the technology can be used in the applications where viscosity is the defining factor, such as, sensing haemoglobin in blood.