ABSTRACT
There have been a number of attempts (Workman, 1996) to develop an optical system for distinguishing between different fuels purchased from fuel forecourts. Such a system would assist in preventing cross-contamination between diesel and petrol during delivery, ensure that a particular brand of fuel, at a higher price, is dispensed into customers' tanks and also stop contaminated fuel from being dispensed into a tank. The complexity of the fuel mix arising from the use of additives (∼a few percent) such as cleaning agents makes the discrimination between different fuels difficult.
