Roscoe O. Carter

System for monitoring exhaust gas composition

The composition of an exhaust gas stream from an internal combustion engine is analyzed using an infrared sensor detecting infrared radiation from a catalyst passing the exhaust gas. The infrared sensor provides signals indicating the presence of certain gases. These signals can be used to generate an engine control strategy to adjust the composition of the exhaust gas.

Ultraviolet photoacoustic spectroscopy evaluation of the distribution ultraviolet absorber of paint additives as a result of processing

The application of UV photoacoustic spectroscopy to the evaluation of UV-absorbing paint additives in clear paint layers is described. This technique enables the quantitative analysis of additive concentration and aids in determining the effects due to paint processes and substrate composition changes on additive concentration. The inclusion of photoacoustic phase information is essential to offset the saturation effects that dominate these strongly absorbing samples. Two analysis techniques are evaluated, both of which partially or totally utilize the phase data. When comparisons between samples on substrates with different heat capacities are needed, the phase-only method is preferred. Otherwise, the two methods give comparable results. Using these methods, two different paint/substrate/additive systems are easily evaluated for changes in process or changes in substrate materials. The instrumentation and interpretation methods are discussed in detail.

Corrosion produced by burning layers of methanol and ethanol

Abstract Burning methanol and ethanol generate formic acid and acetic acid, respectively, as reaction products. These acids, concentrated in the liquid during the fires, cause electrochemical corrosion and rust formation on metal substrates. In these experiments, small amounts of alcohol were burnt on 1020 steel coupons. Corrosion products were analysed by FT-IR spectroscopy and by microscopy. Rates of rust formation were measured gravimetrically for various alcohol solutions, then compared with rates of deposit formation beneath fires of iso-octane. In other experiments, acidity changes in liquid methanol and ethanol were measured as larger volumes of these fuels were burnt in beakers. Observed acidity increase during the pool fires is consistent with acid concentrations necessary to produce metal corrosion.