US 11,940,438 B2
Methods and systems for monitoring fuel quality and service issues for a power system used in transport
John G. Simpson, South St Paul, MN (US); Kyle J. Gleason, Burnsville, MN (US); Randall S. Burnham, St. Michael, MN (US); and Arthur H. Ambaruch, Prior Lake, MN (US)
Assigned to THERMO KING LLC, Minneapolis, MN (US)
Filed by THERMO KING LLC, Minneapolis, MN (US)
Filed on Sep. 30, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/491,138.
Prior Publication US 2023/0102325 A1, Mar. 30, 2023
Int. Cl. G01N 33/28 (2006.01); G07C 5/08 (2006.01)
CPC G01N 33/2852 (2013.01) [G07C 5/0816 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for monitoring fuel quality of a power system used in transport, the method comprising:
a controller of the power system determining that the prime mover is actively running;
upon determining that the prime mover is actively running, the controller determining an amount of fuel passing through the fuel/water separator;
while the prime mover is actively running, the controller monitoring an output of a water-in-fuel (WIF) sensor configured to indicate when a threshold amount of water has accumulated in a water collection reservoir of a fuel/water separator that separates water from fuel passing there through;
while the prime mover is actively running, the controller calculating a fuel quality score of the fuel based on the output of the WIF sensor and the amount of fuel having passed through the fuel/water separator; and
while the prime mover is actively running, the controller triggering different alerts based on the calculated fuel quality score.