Opacity meter for monitoring exhaust emissions from non-stationary sources
Abstract
Method and apparatus for determining the opacity of exhaust plumes from moving emissions sources. In operation, a light source is activated at a time prior to the arrival of a diesel locomotive at a measurement point, by means of a track trigger switch or the Automatic Equipment Identification system, such that the opacity measurement is synchronized with the passage of an exhaust plume past the measurement point. A beam of light from the light source passes through the exhaust plume of the locomotive and is detected by a suitable detector, preferably a high-rate photodiode. The light beam is well-collimated and is preferably monochromatic, permitting the use of a narrowband pass filter to discriminate against background light. In order to span a double railroad track and provide a beam which is substantially stronger than background, the light source, preferably a diode laser, must provide a locally intense beam. A high intensity light source is also desirable in order to increase accuracy at the high sampling rates required. Also included is a computer control system useful for data acquisition, manipulation, storage and transmission of opacity data and the identification of the associated diesel engine to a central data collection center.
- Inventors:
-
- Livermore, CA
- Issue Date:
- Research Org.:
- Sandia National Laboratories (SNL), Albuquerque, NM, and Livermore, CA (United States)
- OSTI Identifier:
- 872861
- Patent Number(s):
- 6025920
- Assignee:
- Sandia Corporation (Livermore, CA)
- Patent Classifications (CPCs):
-
G - PHYSICS G01 - MEASURING G01N - INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC04-94AL85000
- Resource Type:
- Patent
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- opacity; meter; monitoring; exhaust; emissions; non-stationary; sources; method; apparatus; determining; plumes; moving; operation; light; source; activated; time; prior; arrival; diesel; locomotive; measurement; means; track; trigger; switch; automatic; equipment; identification; synchronized; passage; plume; past; beam; passes; detected; suitable; detector; preferably; high-rate; photodiode; well-collimated; monochromatic; permitting; narrowband; pass; filter; discriminate; background; span; double; railroad; provide; substantially; stronger; diode; laser; locally; intense; intensity; desirable; increase; accuracy; sampling; rates; required; included; computer; control; useful; data; acquisition; manipulation; storage; transmission; associated; engine; central; collection; center; background light; band pass; time prior; diesel engine; data acquisition; light source; light beam; diode laser; data collection; pass filter; computer control; sampling rate; intense beam; intensity light; monitoring exhaust; trigger switch; suitable detector; exhaust emissions; exhaust plumes; exhaust plume; /356/250/
Citation Formats
Dec, John Edward. Opacity meter for monitoring exhaust emissions from non-stationary sources. United States: N. p., 2000.
Web.
Dec, John Edward. Opacity meter for monitoring exhaust emissions from non-stationary sources. United States.
Dec, John Edward. Sat .
"Opacity meter for monitoring exhaust emissions from non-stationary sources". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/872861.
@article{osti_872861,
title = {Opacity meter for monitoring exhaust emissions from non-stationary sources},
author = {Dec, John Edward},
abstractNote = {Method and apparatus for determining the opacity of exhaust plumes from moving emissions sources. In operation, a light source is activated at a time prior to the arrival of a diesel locomotive at a measurement point, by means of a track trigger switch or the Automatic Equipment Identification system, such that the opacity measurement is synchronized with the passage of an exhaust plume past the measurement point. A beam of light from the light source passes through the exhaust plume of the locomotive and is detected by a suitable detector, preferably a high-rate photodiode. The light beam is well-collimated and is preferably monochromatic, permitting the use of a narrowband pass filter to discriminate against background light. In order to span a double railroad track and provide a beam which is substantially stronger than background, the light source, preferably a diode laser, must provide a locally intense beam. A high intensity light source is also desirable in order to increase accuracy at the high sampling rates required. Also included is a computer control system useful for data acquisition, manipulation, storage and transmission of opacity data and the identification of the associated diesel engine to a central data collection center.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Sat Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 2000},
month = {Sat Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 2000}
}