Real-time alkali monitoring system

Patent · Tue Jan 30 04:00:00 EST 1990

OSTI ID:5758303

Goff, D R; Romanosky, R R; Hensel, P

This patent describes a fiber optics based optical emission line monitoring system in which selected spectral emission lines, such as the sodium emission line, may be detected in the presence of interfering background radiation. A combustion flame is fed by a diverted portion of a process stream and the common end of a bifurcated or quadfurcated fiber optic light guide is adapted to collect light from the flame. The light is guided through the branches of the fiber optic cable to bandpass filters, one of which is adapted to each of the branches of the fiber optic light guide. The bandpass filters are centered at wavelengths corresponding to the emission lines to be detected and two separate filters are required for each species being detected. The first filter has a bandwidth of about 3 nms and the second filter has a bandwidth of bout 10 nms. Light detectors are located to view the light passing through the bandpass filters and amplifiers are connected to receive signals from the light detectors. The amplifier corresponding to the bandpass filter having the narrower bandwidth is present to scale the signal by a factor equal to the ratio of the wide and narrow bandwidths of the bandpass filters.

• Assignee: U.S. Dept. of Energy, Washington, DC
• Patent Number(s): A; US 4896965
• Application Number: PPN: US 7-244759A
• OSTI ID: 5758303
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
400102* -- Chemical & Spectral Procedures
ALKALI METALS
BACKGROUND RADIATION
CHEMICAL REACTION KINETICS
COMBUSTION KINETICS
ELEMENTS
EMISSION SPECTRA
FIBER OPTICS
FIBERS
FILTERS
FLAMES
KINETICS
MEASURING INSTRUMENTS
METALS
MONITORS
OPTICAL FIBERS
OPTICAL FILTERS
RADIATIONS
REACTION KINETICS
REAL TIME SYSTEMS
SIGNAL CONDITIONING
SODIUM
SPECTRA