Sarah W. Allendorf

Diode Laser Diagnostics for Gas Species and Soot in Large Fires: LDRD Project Final Report

The thermal hazard posed by a fire to a weapon or other engineered system is a consequence of combined radiation and convection from high-temperature soot and gases. The development of advanced, predictive models of this hazard requires detailed knowledge of the transient chemical structure and soot distributions within real-scale fires. At present, there are no measurements, and hence limited understanding, of transient gaseous species generation and transport in large, fully turbulent fires. As part of a Laboratory Directed Research and Development (LDRD) project to develop such an experimental capability, near-infrared tunable diode laser absorption spectroscopy (TDLAS) has been identified as the most promising diagnostic technique for making these measurements. In order to develop this capability, significant efforts were applied to choosing optimal species and transitions for detection, to developing an effective multiplexing strategy for several lasers undergoing wavelength modulation spectroscopy with fast laser ramp scans, to developing a methodology for multipassing the TDL beams across a small probe volume, and finally, to designing a water-cooled, fiber-coupled probe for performing these measurements locally within large pool fires. All of these challenges were surmounted during the course of this project, and in the end a preliminary, unique dataset of combined water vapor, acetylene, and soot concentrations was obtained from a 1-m diameter JP-8 pool fire.

Optical Sensors for Post Combustion Control in Electric Arc Furnace Steelmaking (TRP 9851)

Working in collaboration with Stantec Global Technologies, Process Metrix Corporation, and The Timken Company, Sandia National Laboratories constructed and evaluated a novel, laser-based off-gas sensor at the electric arc furnace facility of Timkens Faircrest Steel Plant (Canton, Ohio). The sensor is based on a mid-infrared tunable diode laser (TDL), and measures the concentration and temperature of specific gas species present in the off-gas emanating from the EAF. The laser beam is transmitted through the gas stream at the fourth hole of the EAF, and provides a real-time, in situ measurement that can be used for process optimization. Two sets of field tests were performed in parallel with Stantecs extractive probe off-gas system, and the tests confirm the TDL sensors operation and applicability for electric steel making. The sensor measures real-time, in situ line-of-sight carbon monoxide (CO) concentrations between 5% and 35% CO, and measures off-gas temperature in the range of 1400 to 1900 K. In order to achieve commercial-ready status, future work is required to extend the sensor for simultaneous CO and CO{sub 2} concentration measurements. In addition, long-term endurance tests including process optimization must be completed.

PPLN laser-based system for chemical imaging

An infrared-imaging instrument is being developed to provide in situ qualitative and quantitative assessment of hydrocarbon contaminants on metallic surfaces for cleaning verification. A continuous-wave infrared optical parametric oscillator (OPO), based on the quasi-phasematched material periodically poled lithium niobate (PPLN), is interfaced with an InSb focal plane array camera to perform fast, non-invasive analysis by reflectance spectroscopy. The period range of the designed fan-out PPLN crystal determines the range of the output wavelength of the light source. It is able to scan hundreds of wavenumbers positioned in the range of 2820 - 3250 cm-1, which is sufficient to detect functional groups of common organic compounds (-CH, -OH, and -NH). The capability of the instrument has been demonstrated in a preliminary investigation of reflectance measurements for hydrocarbon solvents (methanol and d-limonene) on an aluminum surface. A substantial difference in absorption is obtained for the two solvents at two different laser-illumination wavelengths, thus permitting hydrocarbon detection and molecular species differentiation. Preliminary reflectance spectra of a mixture of aliphatic hydrocarbon lubricants and drawing agents on an aluminum panel are also presented. The relative thickness of the hydrocarbon thin film is determined by the intensity ratio of images acquired at two different laser illumination frequencies.

AISI/DOE Advanced Process Control Program Vol. 1 of 6: Optical Sensors and Controls for Improved Basic Oxygen Furnace Operations

The development of an optical sensor for basic oxygen furnace (BOF) off-gas composition and temperature in this Advanced Process Control project has been a laboratory spectroscopic method evolve into a pre-commercialization prototype sensor system. The sensor simultaneously detects an infrared tunable diode laser ITDL beam transmitted through the process off-gas directly above the furnace mouth, and the infrared greybody emission from the particulate-laden off-gas stream. Following developmental laboratory and field-testing, the sensor prototype was successfully tested in four long-term field trials at Bethlehem Steels Sparrows Point plant in Baltimore, MD> The resulting optical data were analyzed and reveal correlations with four important process variables: (1) bath turndown temperature; (2) carbon monoxide post-combustion control; (2) bath carbon concentration; and (4) furnace slopping behavior. The optical sensor measurement of the off-gas temperature is modestly correlated with bath turndown temperature. A detailed regression analysis of over 200 heats suggests that a dynamic control level of +25 Degree F can be attained with a stand-alone laser-based optical sensor. The ability to track off-gas temperatures to control post-combustion lance practice is also demonstrated, and may be of great use in optimizing post-combustion efficiency in electric furnace steelmaking operations. In addition to the laser-based absorption spectroscopy data collected by this sensor, a concurrent signal generated by greybody emission from the particle-laden off-gas was collected and analyzed. A detailed regression analysis shows an excellent correlation of a single variable with final bath turndown carbon concentration. Extended field trials in 1998 and early 1999 show a response range from below 0.03% to a least 0.15% carbon concentration with a precision of +0.0007%. Finally, a strong correlation between prolonged drops in the off-gas emission signal and furnace slopping events was observed. A simple computer algorithm was written that successfully predicts furnace slopping for 90% of the heats observed; over 80% are predicted with at least a 30-second warning prior to the initial slopping events,

Detection of Surface Contaminant Residue by Tunable Infrared Laser Imaging

We report the development of a new, real-time non-contacting monitor for cleaning verification based on tunable infrared-laser methods. New analytical capabilities are required to maximize the efficiency of cleaning operations at a variety of federal (Department of Defense [DoD] and Department of Energy [DOE]) and industrial facilities. These methods will lead to a reduction in the generation of waste streams while improving the quality of subsequent processes and the long-term reliability of manufactured, repaired or refurbished parts. We have demonstrated the feasibility of tunable infrared-laser imaging for the detection of contaminant residues common to DoD and DOE components. The approach relies on the technique of infrared reflection spectroscopy for the detection of residues. An optical interface for the laser-imaging method was constructed, and a series of test surfaces was prepared with known amounts of contaminants. Independent calibration of the laser reflectance images was performed with Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. The performance of both optical techniques was evaluated as a function of several variables, including the amount of contaminant, surface roughness of the panel, and the presence of possible interfering species (such as water). Finally, detection limits for generic hydrocarbon contaminants were evaluated as a function of system noise level.

Development of a probe for in-situ measurements of major species in a pool fire using multiplexed near-IR TDLAS

In this paper we discuss the development of a tunable diode laser absorption spectroscopy probe to simultaneously measure, in situ concentrations of 4 major species (CO, C2H2, CH4, and H2O) and the gas phase temperature in a pool fire. The difficulty in making these types of measurements is intrinsic to the environment itself. A large fire is composed of very hot (> 1000 K), turbulent gases and highly radiating and absorbing soot particles. Fiber optic cables are used to transport laser radiation into the fire via a water-cooled probe. This paper focuses on probe design issues, such as the optimization of open path, multipass optics for a turbulent, particulate- laden flow, and the application of high-frequency wavelength modulation spectroscopy to frequency-domain multiplexing of diode lasers.

Optical sensors for process control and emissions monitoring in industry

Laser-based sensors, currently under development and testing at Sandia National Laboratories for process control, emissions monitoring, and pollution prevention, are discussed.

Development of a near-IR TDL probe for rapid species measurements in large pool fires

Researchers at Sandia have been experimentally and numerically investigating large-scale pool fires for several years, because of the risk that these fires pose to critical engineered systems during transport accident scenarios.