Extreme Temperature Distributed Sensing in Modular Energy Systems

Fossil Energy (FE)-based modular power systems are a growing market that can meet the demand of rural and isolated areas both domestically and abroad. Many of these systems, also known as Radically Engineered Modular System (REMS), provide power and/or heat for farms, homes, and other industrial processes. The concept is to produce syngas (synthetic natural gas) from coal and readily available biomass that can be converted to energy in an integrated gasification combined cycle. The development of these REMS systems requires additional research for their control systems to ensure reliable, safe, and efficient operation. Feed-forward control systems are anticipated to optimize performance mapping that can handle the variations in the fuel feed and environmental conditions. To enable these control systems, real-time sensing technologies are needed that can survive the extreme temperatures, corrosion, and fouling involved. Luna will develop a single-mode sapphire sensor for distributed temperature and flow measurement to address the Department of Energy’s goals for REMS development and many other energy applications. The ability to attain distributed temperature, distributed velocity profiles, and self-diagnosis of deposits/fouling thickness with a single sensor in extreme temperatures up to 1700°C is unique among all research in the field. The first application will be to coal/biomass gasification systems and gas turbines, where Luna’s sensor can provide real- time data. During Phase I, Luna will prove the feasibility of the sensing technique up to 1300 °C, while Phase II will ruggedize the system and extend operation to 1700°C.