ANALYSIS OF LIQUID FUELS USING A GAS SENSOR ARRAY

We describe a sensor array technique for the qualitative analysis of motor and turbine fuels. A selected array of chemical sensors produces unique signatures for many chemical species. In testing some aviation fuels we have found that their signatures are unique and sufficiently reproducible to be readily identified by visual inspection and also by a PC-based neural network simulator. With automotive fuels we have tested, gasohol mixtures have strikingly different signatures from pure gasoline. The differences among fuels with different octane ratings are subtle but perceptible. The sensor array and the signature identification system make up the components of a testbed from which parameters can be determined for a specific application. All testbed components can ultimately be miniaturized in application-specific hardware for use in battery-operated, on-site inspection instruments.