DEVELOPMENT OF RELIABLE S02 AND N0X SENSORS AND AN INTEGRATED IN SITU ANALYZER FOR FLUE GAS MONITORING

THE EFFICIENCY OF COMBUSTION SYSTEMS SUCH AS BOILERS, PROCESS HEATERS, DRYING KILNS, AND INCINERATORS IS AN IMPORTANT FACTOR IN THE ECONOMICS OF THEIR OPERATION AND THECONTROL OF EMISSION FROM THESE SOURCES TO THE ATMOSPHERE. THE CONTROL OF SUCH SYSTEMS RELIES ON THE MEASUREMENT OF COMPOSITION ON THE EFFLUENT GASES SUCH AS 02, C0, UNBURNED HYDROCARBONS, S02, AND N0X FROM THE COMBUSTION ZONE. THE MOST DESIRABLE APPROACH FOR CONTROL IS MEASUREMENT OF THESE COMPONENTS DIRECTLY IN THE EFFLUENT STACK OF THE COMBUSTION SYSTEM. CURRENTLY, ONLY ONXYGEN CAN BE CONVENIENTLY MEASURED IN THE STACK. THE OTHER GASES REQUIRE EXPENSIVE OPTICAL DEVICES WITH POOR RELIABILITY AND HIGH MAINTENANCE COSTS IN THE HARSH ENVIRONMENT OF COMBUSTION PROCESSES. THIS PROGRAM PROPOSES THE DEVELOPMENT OF A SIMPLE AND DURABLE ANALYZER SYSTEM FOR ON-LINE MEASUREMENT OF COMBUSTION FLUE GAS. CATALYTICA HAS DEVELOPED HIGH-PERFORMANCE CATALYTIC HEAT-FLUX SENSORS FOR CO/COMBUSTIBLES MONITORING, AND THIS CONCEPT HAS PROVEN SUCCESSFUL FOR RELIABLE MEASUREMENTS IN HARSH ENVIRONMENTS. PHASE I WILL BE DIRECTED AT ACHIEVING PROOF THAT THIS CONCEPT OF CATALYTIC HEAT-FLUX SENSORS CAN BE APPLIED TO S02AND NOX. ADVANCES IN CATALYTIC TECHNOLOGY WILL BE USED TO DEVELOP HIGHLY SELECTIVE REACTIONS FOR THESE TWO GASES THAT WILL PERMIT SENSITIVE MEASUREMENT OF COMPOSITION IN THE PRESENCE OF OTHER FLUE GAS COMPONENTS. IN PHASE II, THE CATALYTIC HEAT-FLUX SENSORS THUS DEVELOPED WILL BE COMBINED WITH EXISTING CO AND 02 SENSORS FOR IN SITU COMBUSTION MONITORING AND CONTROL.