Abstract:
Methods and apparatuses for improved process control in metal smelting through measurement of off-gas profiles in real time. A tunable laser source is projected across a volume of off-gas and detected to provide a real time profile of gas concentrations. The real time gas concentration profile may be compared with known profiles to identify problems in the smelting process or to identify when the process is complete.
Abstract:
An apparatus for remote detection of selected trace constituents in a fluid, for example flue gases from a stack, has a laser for generating a laser beam. The laser beam is transmitted through the fluid and the returned laser beam is detected after transmission through the fluid. A detector receives the returned laser beam, to detect the presence of any of the selected trace constituents, by comparison of the transmitted and returned beams. An optical fiber connection means, which can comprise either a single optical fiber or a pair of optical fibers, provides a connection between at least one of (i) the laser and a transmitter for the laser beam, and (ii) a receiver for the laser beam and the detector. This enables the detector and the laser to be located remotely and away from hostile environments.
Abstract:
A gas cell assembly (10) for absorption spectroscopy. An example gas cell assembly (10) includes a gas cell body (102) with an inlet (22i) for receiving a gas sample from a gas source; a first and a second end portions (108f; 108s) that allow optical transmission into and out of the body (102), the second end portion (108s) being substantially opposite from the first end portion (108f); and a channel (106) providing a path for the gas sample and optical beam(s) between the first end portion (108f) and the second end portion (108s). The gas cell assembly (10) also includes reflective surfaces (110) outside the body (102) to receive versions of the optical beams from the body (102) and to reflect each version of the incident beam (50) towards the body (102). A detector (24), then, receives a last reflected beam and transmits a corresponding data signal to a processing unit (28) for analyzing the gas sample based on the data signal.
Abstract:
A gas cell assembly and applications of the gas cell assembly in high temperature absorption spectroscopy. An example gas cell assembly comprises a channel (806) with an inlet (804i) for receiving a gas sample and an outlet (804o) for releasing the gas sample from the gas cell; first and second end components (808f, 808s), comprising an extended member (890f, 890s) with an optically transparent portion, permitting optical transmission into and out of the channel; and a temperature varying material (880) wound around the channel. Each of the end components is configured to minimize a difference between a temperature of the optically transparent portions and an internal temperature of the channel (806). Each of the optically transparent portions includes a first optical layer (866, 862) and a second optical layer (868, 864) separated by a space (870) with low thermal conductivity.