LASER DIAGNOSTICS TO MEASURE GAS CONCENTRATION AND SPECIES CONCENTRATION WITHIN LARGE COMMERCIAL BOILERS

FOR LARGE FURNACES THE ABILITY TO REMOTELY MEASURE IN-SITU TEMPERATURE AND CONCENTRATION OF GAS SPECIES WOULD PROVIDE A WEALTH OF HERETOFORE UNKNOWN INFORMATION TO BOILER DESIGNERS AND INDUSTRIAL OPERATORS. THIS WOULD RESULT IN MORE EFFICIENT BOILER DESIGNS, MORE COMPLETE COMBUSTION IN EXISTING INSTALLATIONS, GREATER FUEL FLEXIBILITY, AND A REDUCTION IN EMISSIONS. COHERENT ANTI-STOKES RAMAN SPECTROSCOPY (CARS) IS CAPABLE OF UTILIZATION IN THE HOSTILE COMBUSTION ENVIRONMENTS WHICH HAVE HIGH LEVELS OF ILLUMINATION, PARTICULATES, FLUORESCENT SPECIES, AND TURBULENCE. ALL LARGE COAL AND OIL FIRED INDUSTRIAL FURNACES ARE OPERATED WITH FUEL/AIR RATIOS THAT ARE FAR BELOW THEORETICAL ENERGY PRODUCTION EFFICIENCY. SIMPLY STATED, THE REASON FOR THIS COMMISSIONED INEFFICIENCY IS THE THREAT OF FURNACE EXPLOSION IF THE COMBUSTION PROCESS IS STARVED FOR AIR. AS A RESULT, IT IS THE PRACTICE OF INDUSTRY, USING STATE OF THE ART BOILERS, TO OPERATE WITH 10 TO 20% "EXCESS AIR" (MORE IN OLDER BOILERS). VASTLY IMPROVED REAL TIME MONITORING, MAPPING, AND CONTROL OF THE COMBUSTION PROCESS IN EACH INDIVIDUAL FURNACE IS DESPERATELY NEEDED IN ORDER TO SUBSTANTIALLY REDUCE THIS STAGGERING LOSS OF ENERGY DOLLARS WHICH IS CONSERVATIVELY ESTIMATED BY BOILER MANUFACTURERS TO BE WELL IN EXCESS OF $1 BILLION/YEAR IN THE U.S. ALONE. PHASE I WILL INCLUDE MEASUREMENTS OF THE OPTICAL STATE OF A 500 MW INDUSTRIAL FURNACE WITH RESPECT TO THE PARAMETERS THAT INFLUENCE CARS OPERATION, I.E., LUMINOSITY, OPACITY, AND TURBULENCE. THESE MEASUREMENTS WILL BE CARRIED OUT IN COLLABORATION WITH COMBUSTION ENGINEERS FROM A MAJOR BOILER MANUFACTURER, FOSTER WHEELER, SO THAT THE REGIONS OF IMPORTANCE IN THE FURNACE WILL BE PROBED. PHASE I WILL ALSO INCLUDE THE PRELIMINARY DESIGN OF A SUITABLE CARS SYSTEM BASED UPON MEASUREMENT RESULTS. PHASE II INCLUDES PROTOTYPE CARS INSTRUMENT DESIGN, FABRICATION AND TESTING.