No description available.

Zugl.: Greifswald, Univ., Diss., 2009

This thesis sets out to examine the proposal that, by using tomography and gas sensing techniques to detect and image gas concentration in fast moving flows, engineers can improve the combustion diagnostics and emissions performance of gas turbines, enabling a better understanding of combustion and design optimisation of greener engines. The key factor is the combination of tomography with Tunable Diode Laser Absorption Spectroscopy (TDLAS) gas sensing technology, implemented simultaneously along many beams, to image the gas concentration distribution in the exhaust plume of a gas turbine, in a plane perpendicular to the plume flow direction. The target gas species is carbon dioxide, CO2, and the absorption feature chosen is at a wavelength of 1997.2 nm. The narrow spectral absorption properties of such small molecules present a considerable challenge for a multi-beam tomographic implementation. Moreover, the design, oriented to harsh and industrial environments, presents key challenges for the design of robust optics and electronics for the collection of reliable data. The development of a 126-beam tomography system required the investigation of recently developed TDLAS techniques and their compatibility with data acquisition (DAQ) system firmware strategies to be implemented by custom DAQ electronics. A novel FPGA-based single channel TDLAS CO2 detection system has been designed and built to demonstrate the feasibility for the replication of 126-channels in the full system. Further proof-of-concept experiments carried out at full scale have produced tomographic images of phantom CO2 distributions that demonstrate the utility of the CST technique.

No description available.

L'objectif de cette thèse, réalisée dans le cadre du contrat européen Senshy, était la réalisation de diodes laser émettant dans le moyen infrarouge (de 3,0 à 3,4 µm). Ces diodes sont destinées à intégrer des détecteurs et des systèmes d'analyse de gaz basés sur le principe de la spectroscopie d'absorption (TDLAS) pour la détection des alcanes (méthane, éthane, propane) et des alcènes (acétylène). Les structures à puits quantiques de type I ont été réalisées par épitaxie par jets moléculaires sur GaSb.Bien qu'ayant d'excellentes performances dans la gamme 2,0-3,0 µm, les lasers GaInAsSb/AlGaAsSb montrent rapidement leurs limites en franchissant la frontière des 3 µm (la longueur d'onde la plus haute atteinte avec un tel composant est de 3,04 µm en continu à 20°C). Cette situation était d'autant plus regrettable que plusieurs gaz ont leurs raies d'absorption au-delà de 3 µm : le méthane par exemple a un pic d'absorption à 3,26 µm 40 fois plus fort que celui à 2,31 µm. En remplaçant le quaternaire AlGaAsSb par le quinaire AlGaInAsSb, nous avons montré que l'on pouvait améliorer l'efficacité quantique interne et avons obtenu des densités de courant de seuil à 2,6, 3,0 et 3,3 µm qui pouvaient être comparées favorablement aux précédents records à ces longueurs d'onde (respectivement, 142 A/cm², 255 A/cm² et 827 A/cm²).Les diodes laser DFB fabriquées à partir des structures epitaxiées ont permis d'atteindre l'émission laser à température ambiante en continu à 3,06 µm avec un caratère mono-fréquence (SMSR supérieur à 30 dB) et un courant de seuil de 54 mA. À 3,3 µm, les diodes DFB fonctionnent en continu jusqu'à 18°C avec un SMSR > 30dB et un courant de seuil de 140 mA. Finalement, ces diodes ont été intégrées dans un système d'analyse de gaz et ont permis d'atteindre une limite de concentration du méthane de 100 ppbv soit 17 fois moins que la concentration du méthane dans l'air ambiant. / The objective of this thesis, conducted as part of the European contract Senshy, was the realization of laser diodes emitting in the mid-infrared range (from 3.0 to 3.4 µm). These devices are to be integrated into detectors and gas analysis systems based on the principle of absorption spectroscopy (TDLAS). for the detection of alkanes (methane, ethane, propane) and of alkenes (acetylene). The quantum well type-I structures were made by molecular epitaxy on GaSb. Despite having excellent performance in the 2 to 3 µm range, GaInAsSb/AlGaAsSb quantum well lasers rapidly show their limits when crossing the 3 µm barrier (the highest wavelength reached with such a device was 3.04 µm under cw operation at 20°C). This situation was all the more regrettable because several gases have their strongest absorption lines in the 3 to 4 µm range: methane, for example, has a peak of absorption at 3.26 µm overhanging a weaker peak at 2.31 µm by a factor 40. By replacing the quaternary AlGaAsSb by the quinary AlGaInAsSb, we have shown that the internal efficiency could be improved and we have obtained threshold current densities at 2.6 , 3.0 and 3,3 µm that could be favourably compared to the previous records at these wavelengths (respectively, 142 A/cm², 255 A/cm² and 827 A/cm²).DFB laser diodes made from the epitaxial structures were operated at room temperature in the continuous wave regime at 3.06 µm with a single-frequency emission (SMSR greater than 30dB) and a threshold current of 54 mA. At 3.3 µm, DFB devices were operated in cw up to 18 ° C with a SMSR > 30 dB and a current threshold of 140 mA. Eventually, these devices were integrated into a gas analysis system and allowed to reach a concentration limit of 100 ppbv of methane, i.e. 17 times less than the concentration of methane in the air.

Existing tunable diode laser absorption spectroscopy (TDLAS) sensors for potassium (K) and for water vapor (H2O) and temperature were combined to enable simultaneous measurements in combustion and gasification processes. In-situ real-time detection of the above mentioned combustion parameters will improve the understanding of ash-formation during thermochemical conversion of biomass. Simultaneous measurements facilitate the experimental procedure and decrease the methodological uncertainty introduced by the heterogeneous nature of the pellets. The K sensor is based on direct absorption spectroscopy (DAS), whereas the H2O system employs wavelength modulation spectroscopy (WMS) together with two-line thermometry for temperature assessment. Two methods for combining the laser beams were evaluated, the first involving dichroic elements, the second using available fiber optic combiners. The latter method was considered advantageous. An existing LabVIEW program was modified to allow for simultaneous signal generation and data acquisition for both sensors. The sensors were then tested separately in a low pressure K cell and in ambient air. The combined sensor was applied to simultaneous measurements above various pelletized biofuels during combustion in a single pellet reactor (SPR). Significant difference in absolute concentration and time histories were observed between fuels, in particular for K and temperature. Significant K concentrations were only observed during the devolatilization phase. The combined sensor will be useful in fundamental combustion research.

A novel method has been implemented for measuring the concentration of gas species, water vapor and carbon dioxide, within a narrow channel flow field non-invasively using tunable diode laser absorption spectroscopy (TDLAS) in conjunction with a laser modulated at a high frequency [Wavelength Modulation Spectroscopy (WMS)] tuned to the ro-vibrational transition of the species. This technique measures the absorption profile which is a strong function of the species concentration across short path lengths and small time spans, as in PEM fuel cells during high load cycles. This method has been verified in a transparent circular flow 12 cm path length and a 12 mm rectangular flow channel. Distinct absorption peaks for water vapor and carbon dioxide have been identified, and concentrations of water vapor and carbon dioxide within the test cells have been measured in situ with high temporal resolutions. A comparison of the full width at half maximum (FWHM) of the absorption lineshapes to the partial pressure of water vapor and carbon dioxide showed a predominantly linear relationship, except in the lower partial pressure regions. Test section temperature was observed to have very minimal impact on these curves at low partial pressure values. A porous media like a membrane electrode assembly (MEA) similar to those used in PEM fuel cells sandwiched between two rectangular flow channels was also tested. Some of the scattered radiation off the MEA was observed using a photodiode at high gain, allowing for more localized species detection. The technique was used to monitor the humidity on either side of the MEA during both temperature controlled and super-saturated conditions. The measurements were observed to be repeatable to within 10 %.

No description available.

The nature of work conducted during the course of study towards a MSc degree focused on tunable diode laser absorption spectroscopy (TDLAS). This field involves the in-situ detection of gas constituents from low concentration samples. Specifically, I will focus on TDLAS systems utilizing practical optics, readymade electronics, and commercially available near infrared vertical cavity surface emitting lasers (VCSEL). In attempting to lower the minimum detectable concentrations of constituent gases, quantifying contributory noise sources is vital. Consequently, I seek to characterize principle noise sources of a prototypical TDLAS system in order to gain understanding of the limits that inhibit detection of trace gas concentrations. The noise sources which were focused on can be categorized as follows: source laser noise, optical noise, and detection noise. Through this work it was my goal to provide the means of achieving superior sensitivities.

The main aim of this thesis has been to contribute to the ongoing work with development of new diode-laser-based spectroscopic techniques and metho­do­lo­gies for sensitive detection of molecules in gas phase. The techniques under scrutiny are tunable diode laser absorption spectrometry (TDLAS) and Faraday modulation spectrometry (FAMOS). Conventional distributed-feedback (DFB) tele­communication diode lasers working in the near-infrared (NIR) region have been used for detection of carbon monoxide (CO) and temperature in hot humid media whereas a unique frequency-quadrupled external-cavity diode laser producing mW powers of continuous-wave (cw) light in the ultra violet (UV) region have been used for detection of nitric oxide (NO). A methodology for assessment of CO in hot humid media by DFB-TDLAS has been developed. By addressing a particular transition in its 2nd overtone band, and by use of a dual-fitting methodology with a single reference water spectrum for background correction, % concentrations of CO can be detected in media with tens of percent of H2O (≤40%) at T≤1000 °C with an accuracy of a few %. Moreover, using an ordinary DFB laser working in the C-band, a technique for assessment of the temperature in hot humid gases (T≤1000 °C) to within a fraction of a percent has been developed. The technique addresses two groups of lines in H2O that have a favorable temperature dependence and are easily accessed in a single scan, which makes it sturdy and useful for industrial applications. A technique for detection of NO on its strong electronic transitions by direct absorption spectrometry (DAS) using cw UV diode laser light has been deve­loped. Since the electronic transitions are ca. two or several orders of magnitude stronger than of those at various rotational-vibra­tional bands, the system is capable of detecting NO down to low ppb∙m concentrations solely using DAS. Also the FAMOS technique has been further developed. A new theoretical description expressed in terms of both the integrated line strength of the transition and 1st Fourier coefficients of a magnetic-field-modulated dispersive lineshape functions is presented. The description has been applied to both ro-vib Q-transitions and electronic transitions in NO. Simulations under different pressures and magnetic field conditions have been made that provide the optimum conditions for both cases. A first demonstration and characteri­zation of FAMOS of NO addressing its electronic transitions in the UV-region has been made, resulting in a detection limit of 10 ppb∙m. The characterization indicates that the technique can be significantly improved if optimum conditions can be obtained, which demonstrates the high potential of the UV-FAMOS technique.