Range-resolved detection of potassium chloride using picosecond differential absorption light detection and ranging.

A laser diagnostic concept for measurement of potassium chloride (KCl) and potentially other alkali compounds in large-scale boilers and furnaces of limited optical access is presented. Single-ended, range-resolved, quantitative detection of KCl is achieved by differential absorption light detection and ranging (DIAL) based on picosecond laser pulses. Picosecond DIAL results have been compared experimentally with line-of-sight measurements using a commercial instrument, the in situ alkali chloride monitor (IACM), utilizing differential optical absorption spectroscopy. For centimeter-scale range resolution and a collection distance of 2.5 m, picosecond DIAL allowed for measurement of KCl concentrations around 130 ppm at 1200 K, in good agreement with values obtained by IACM. The DIAL data indicate a KCl detection limit of around 30 ppm for the present experimental conditions. In addition, a double-pulse DIAL setup has been developed and demonstrated for measurements under dynamic conditions with strong Mie scattering. The picosecond DIAL results are discussed and related to possible implementations of the method for measurements in industrial environments.

Highly range-resolved ammonia detection using near-field picosecond differential absorption lidar.

Ammonia detection is highly relevant for combustion in boilers and furnaces since NH3 is able to suppress nitric oxide levels by catalytic as well as non-catalytic reduction. The mixing of ammonia with flue gases is an important parameter to obtain efficient non-catalytic reduction. In this paper picosecond DIAL was used for range-resolved, single ended, NH3 detection, utilizing a tunable picosecond laser source. The absorption spectrum of the A(ν2 = 1) ← X(ν2 = 0) band was recorded and 212.2 and 214.5 nm was selected as the on- and off-resonance wavelength, respectively. One-dimensional concentration profiles with various NH3 concentration distributions are presented. The detection limit was found to be 40 ppm with a spatial resolution of 16 cm.

Development of a temporal filtering technique for suppression of interferences in applied laser-induced fluorescence diagnostics.

A temporal filtering technique, complementary to spectral filtering, has been developed for laser-induced fluorescence measurements. The filter is applicable in cases where the laser-induced interfering signals and the signal of interest have different temporal characteristics. For the interfering-signal discrimination a picosecond laser system along with a fast time-gated intensified CCD camera were used. In order to demonstrate and evaluate the temporal filtering concept two measurement situations were investigated; one where toluene fluorescence was discriminated from interfering luminescence of an aluminum surface, and in the other one Mie scattering signals from a water aerosol were filtered out from acetone fluorescence images. A mathematical model was developed to simulate and evaluate the temporal filter for a general measurement situation based on pulsed-laser excitation together with time-gated detection. Using system parameters measured with a streak camera, the model was validated for LIF imaging of acetone vapor inside a water aerosol. The results show that the temporal filter is capable of efficient suppression of interfering signal contributions. The photophysical properties of several species commonly studied by LIF in combustion research have been listed and discussed to provide guidelines for optimum use of the technique.

Development of a picosecond lidar system for large-scale combustion diagnostics.

In the present work, a picosecond lidar system aiming at single-ended combustion diagnostics in full-scale combustion devices with limited optical access, such as power plants, is described. The highest overall range resolution of the system was found to be <0.5 cm. A demonstration has been made in a nonsooty and sooty Bunsen burner flame. A well-characterized ethylene flame on a McKenna burner was evaluated for different equivalence ratios using Rayleigh thermometry. The results indicate both that picosecond lidar might be applicable for single-shot Rayleigh thermometry, even two-dimensional, and that there is a possibility to qualitatively map soot occurrence. Furthermore, differential absorption lidar has been investigated in acetone vapor jets for fuel visualization purposes.