Laser-absorption sensing of gas composition of products from coal gasification

Jay B. Jeffries; Ritobrata Sur; Kai Sun; Ronald K. Hanson

doi:10.1117/12.2049788

4 June 2014 Laser-absorption sensing of gas composition of products from coal gasification

Jay B. Jeffries, Ritobrata Sur, Kai Sun, Ronald K. Hanson

Proceedings Volume 9083, Micro- and Nanotechnology Sensors, Systems, and Applications VI; 90830T (2014) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2049788
Event: SPIE Defense + Security, 2014, Baltimore, MD, United States

Abstract

A prototype in-situ laser-absorption sensor for the real-time composition measurement (CO, CH₄, H₂O and CO₂) of synthesis gas products of coal gasification (called here syngas) was designed, tested in the laboratory, and demonstrated during field-measurement campaigns in a pilot-scale entrained flow gasifier at the University of Utah and in an engineering-scale, fluidized-bed transport gasifier at the National Carbon Capture Center (NCCC). The prototype design and operation were improved by the lessons learned from each field test. Laser-absorption measurements are problematic in syngas flows because efficient gasifiers operate at elevated pressures (10-50 atm) where absorption transitions are collision broadened and absorption transitions that are isolated at 1 atm become blended into complex features, and because syngas product streams can contain significant particulate, producing significant non-absorption scattering losses of the transmission of laser light. Thus, the prototype sensor used a new wavelength-scanned, wavelength-modulation spectroscopy strategy with 2f-detection and 1f-normalization (WMS-2f/1f) that can provide sensitive absorption measurements of species with spectra blended by collision broadening even in the presence of large non-absorption laser transmission losses (e.g., particulate scattering, beam steering, etc.). The design of the sensor for detection of CO, CH₄, H₂O and CO₂ was optimized for the specific application of syngas monitoring at the output of large-scale gasifiers. Sensor strategies, results and lessons learned from these field measurement campaigns are discussed.

Citation Download Citation

Jay B. Jeffries, Ritobrata Sur, Kai Sun, and Ronald K. Hanson "Laser-absorption sensing of gas composition of products from coal gasification", Proc. SPIE 9083, Micro- and Nanotechnology Sensors, Systems, and Applications VI, 90830T (4 June 2014); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2049788

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KEYWORDS

Syngas

Sensors

Carbon monoxide

Absorption

Gas lasers

Laser scattering

Carbon dioxide

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