Addressing Fuel Measurement and Security Complexities in Heavy Vehicle Fleets
Fuel consumption measurement and fuel security in heavy commercial vehicles have long been focal points of consideration, undergoing multifaceted analysis. Particularly within large fleets, substantial efforts are directed towards ensuring fuel security and maintaining fuel consumption within defined limits. However, as fleet sizes grow, meticulously monitoring and tracking the entirety of operations becomes increasingly complex. This, in turn, contributes to instances of "leakage" and continual occurrences of minor yet persistent fuel thefts, leading to financial losses for companies.
In this context, modern systems come to the aid of fleet managers, offering some alleviation. Especially notable is the CANBUS system, which enables real-time monitoring of the vehicle's fuel tank levels and fuel consumption. Consumption data acquired via the CANBUS system is cross-referenced with the amount of fuel added to the vehicle's tank to ensure parity. Nevertheless, achieving perfect parity is extremely challenging, almost verging on impossible.
FUEL CONSUMPTION DATA
The CANBUS system houses a plethora of fuel-related data. However, fleet managers typically focus on tracking two key pieces of data provided by vehicle tracking system providers:
Fuel tank level is a data point devoid of precision. Given that sensor measurement precision is generally around 5%, it lacks significance in calculations requiring precise fuel consumption values.
Vehicle fuel consumption data reflects the amount of fuel passing through the injectors and constitutes relatively sensitive information. The vehicle's electronic control unit governs the duration each injector remains open based on the operational needs of the engine. Given knowledge of injector cross-section and fuel pressure, the vehicle's fuel consumption is calculated in relation to this duration. However, this data is influenced by variables including:
Calibration: All consumption data is calibrated based on ideal conditions (air temperature, ambient humidity, atmospheric pressure, etc.). Geographical and climatic variations necessitate recalibration.
领英推荐
Injector condition: As injectors age, issues like narrowing of cross-section may arise, leading to deviations in fuel consumption values.
Fuel quality: The viscosity and other fundamental attributes of the fuel used affect the vehicle's consumption measurement.
Due to the aforementioned factors, vehicle fuel consumption data does not provide an unequivocally accurate result. It is useful when comparing differences between two drivers. Yet, it cannot reliably confirm that all 100 liters of fuel added to the vehicle have been consumed. Consequently, it does not significantly aid in mitigating fuel security risks.
FUEL SUPPLY DATA
Measuring the accuracy of fuel consumption is as important as measuring the accuracy of fuel supply. Regrettably, this is equally challenging. Often, fleets refuel at their own centers and occasionally acquire fuel from authorized stations. The calibration of the pump supplying the fuel takes center stage here. While calibration is a labor-intensive process, it is influenced by numerous parameters ranging from the temperature to the viscosity of fuel entering the main tank. Fuel measured as 100 liters when leaving the fleet center could register as 90 liters when consumed by the vehicle, leading to disputes between drivers and fuel custodians.
Conversely, the calibration of fuel pumps at gas stations is a legal requirement. However, doubts persist about the regularity of calibration across fuel stations in the country.
In light of these factors, variations occur between the fuel introduced into the vehicle and the fuel consumed, as you may have experienced. This discrepancy arises due to inaccuracies in measuring both fuel intake and consumption. Therefore, it is prudent to enhance security using supplementary fuel security systems such as cutting-edge Smart Fuel Cap, equipped with wireless tech and GPS compatibility, to stop fuel theft and to ensure smoother logistics instead of relying solely on measurement systems like CANBUS.