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Title: Development of an ultraviolet absorption hygrometer for industrial dryers. Phase I. Final report

Technical Report ·
OSTI ID:5464819

The breadboard version of the UVAH was successfully designed and fabricated. During this process, tests were performed on the components and assemblies in order to assure the validity of the design concepts. A performance model of the UVAH was developed on the SSI computer, in order to guide the design, assess the performance, and analyze the data of the UVAH. The success of the design effort was demonstrated by the results of the system performance tests. These tests demonstrated that the UVAH could measure the absolute humidity of a (clean) test chamber between temperatures of 50 to 90/sup 0/C and relative humidities of 50 to 90%. An auxiliary test demonstrated operation under 100% relative humidity. The performance tests also demonstrated that the UVAH could measure the absolute humidity of a test chamber containing (silica) dust concentrations up to 7.8 g/m/sup 3/, with air flow velocities up to 8.9 m/s. Model predictions showed that there was no fundamental limitation that would prevent the UVAH from performing measurements up to a relative humidity of 100% at 150/sup 0/C. Finally, a preliminary market survey was performed in order to assess whether there was a potential demand for the UVAH in industries that could employ it in their drying operations. It appears that a primary market exists in the pulp and paper industry and that additional markets exist in the softwood lumber and grain industries. If the UVAH were widely used by these three industries in their drying operations, the potential energy savings could be more than 0.03 quad per year.

Research Organization:
Spectral Sciences, Inc., Burlington, MA (USA); Pacer Systems, Inc., Burlington, MA (USA)
DOE Contract Number:
FC07-85ID12557
OSTI ID:
5464819
Report Number(s):
DOE/ID/12557-T1; ON: DE86014902
Resource Relation:
Other Information: Portions of this document are illegible in microfiche products
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English