Abstract:
A stack gas monitor system has an optimized gas flow portion which is permanently installed in a fossil fuel burning facility, and to which a spectrophotometric portion can be readily coupled for real-time determination in the system of a concentration of a first gas having a characteristic absorption spectrum and which is selectably introducible as a measured amount into a stack gas stream. A sample of the stack gas stream is flowing through the gas flow portion, with at least one gas of the sample stream having an absorption spectrum extending within an ultraviolet range of wavelengths of radiation and having absorbance values within this range which are higher than absorbance values of the first gas. The system can be purged and can be calibrated with the first gas. Stack gas blank data are obtained in the absence of the first gas. Composite gas data are provided upon introduction of the first gas into the stack gas. Absorbance values for the first gas in the composite gas are calculated, and first gas concentration levels are determined and are monitored on a periodic basis.
Abstract:
A spectrometer includes a pair of crossed reflective gratings to effect a spectrally dispersed beam that is focussed to an array detector. The second grating is a plural grating with a surface formed of a first portion and a second portion. The first portion has a groove density for effecting ultraviolet in the dispersed beam. The second portion has a groove density for effecting visible radiation in the dispersed beam. A shutter blocks or exposes the second portion of the grating surface so as to select the first spectral range or the second spectral range for detection. The plural grating surface preferably may be contoured to compensate for aberrations in focussing of the beam to the detector. A computer may be used for selecting spectral lines for analysis, particularly selecting such lines in the second range that are not interfered with by the first range.
Abstract:
An optical spectrum analyzer is provided with a user selectable sensitivity. Required operating parameters are set in response to user selection of sensitivity to permit measurement of an input light beam at the selected sensitivity. Setting the required parameters includes setting a required gain of a video channel to permit measurement of a specified maximum light signal and to provide the selected sensitivity, setting a required video bandwidth of the video channel to provide the selected sensitivity at the required gain of the video channel and setting a sweep rate to provide the selected sensitivity at the required video bandwidth. When the normal bandwidth of the video channel is not adequate to provide the selected sensitivity, the electrical signal is passed through a digital filter having a filter coefficient set to provide the required video bandwidth. A peak detector is incorporated in the video channel to accurately measure signal amplitudes in a fast scanning condition.
Abstract:
In a spectrophotometer having photodetectors positioned at fixed wavelengths, the photodetector is divided into three subdetectors, a main subdetector on the wavelength of interest and two background subdetectors located on each side of the main subdetector, the background subdetectors together having area equal to that of the main subdetector, the background subdetectors being connected in polarity reverse that of the main subdetector to correct for changes in background radiation.
Abstract:
Iterative compensation of drift of peak positions of spectral lines is effected in a spectral monochromator including a grating, a detector of spectral fractions of a spectral band, a stepper motor for varying relative orientation of the grating and the detector, and a computer. Computer-defined spectral windows each encopasses a spectral band and has an initial spectral center. Each window is scanned to determine a peak spectral position. Calculation is made for determining a spectral position error of the peak position from the initial center for each corresponding window. A functional average of the offsets for the peaks is calculated as a linear function of window position, and a revised spectral center for each window is calculated as being equal to the initial center plus the functional average for the window position determined from the linear function. Each window is shifted correspondingly. The step of successively scanning through each window is repeated to determine a new peak position for each corresponding band, whereby each new peak position is maintained near the spectral center of each corresponding window.
Abstract:
A monochromatic spectrometer for evaluating contamination changes in the surface condition of lenses, reflectors and similar optical samples in the vacuum of a space mission includes a vacuum ultraviolet beam source redirected from a dispersion grating through a test station and reflected from a mirror to a photodetector. A rotatable carrier supports two or more optical samples, both transmissive and reflective and selectively positions one sample at a time at the test station so that the selected sample modifies the VUV beam according to its surface condition. The mirror is movable from a first position in which it reflects the beam transmitted through a sample to second position in which it reflects the beam reflected from a sample. The sample condition measured by the photodetector, the position of the rotatable carrier and mission elapsed time are recorded in a memory for re-transmission or later read out.
Abstract:
A detection system including a radiation source and a radiation detector wherein the output of the radiation detector is positively fed back to the radiation source through a variable voltage/current controlling unit thereby providing a rapid and reliable detection signal on the current path for supplying a current to the radiation source. The variable voltage/current controlling unit may be, for example a parallel connection of a Zener diode or resistor and a bipolar junction transistor or FET controlled by the current output from the radiation detector. The radiation source part and the radiation detector part can be electrically connected to reduce the number of lead wires.
Abstract:
A method for determining parameters, especially pressure, temperature, concentration, number of particles and particle size distribution, of gaseous substances present in combustion processes and other high temperature processes, comprises transmitting spectrally broad-band light through an object (2) of measurement, spectrally dividing the light transmitted through said object, and recording the spectral distribution of the light in the studied wavelength range a large number of times. Each recording occurs sequentially in that the spectrally divided light is swept relative to a one-channel detector and for such a short time that the total light intensity of the entire wavelength range is constant during each recording. After that, the mean value of said recorded spectral distributions is generated, and the required parameters are calculated on the basis of said mean value spectral distribution, the appearance of said means value spectral distribution, as well as spectra calculated or recorded for known conditions, being utilized for said calculation.An apparatus comprises means for carrying out the method.
Abstract:
A spectrophotometer wherein in order to set the instrument to a designated wavelength, the monochromator is first set to the designated wavelength position intended to be as such on the monochromator, and the entrance and exit slits of the monochromator are widened so as to measure a beam of light having a spectrum with an emission line at the designated wavelength, and the sensitivity of the light measuring circuit is so adjusted that the output therefrom is kept at a predetermined constant level, and then the slits are narrowed, whereupon wavelength scanning is conducted over a range of wavelengths including the designated wavelength so as to detect a peak in the emission line spectrum, and then the dispersing element is set to the detected peak position.A microcomputer controls the above operation in a sequential manner.