Smoke gas analysis by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy – summary of the SAFIR project results

✍ Scribed by Tuula Hakkarainen; Esko Mikkola; Jan Laperre; Francis Gensous; Peter Fardell; Yannick Le Tallec; Claudio Baiocchi; Keith Paul; Margaret Simonson; Caroline Deleu; Edwin Metcalfe

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 2000
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 260 KB
• Volume: 24
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0308-0501
• DOI: 10.1002/1099-1018(200003/04)24:2<101::aid-fam729>3.0.co;2-2

✦ Synopsis

The determination of toxic components from 5re gases is di7cult because the environment is hot, reactions are often temperature dependent, and a lot of soot may be produced. Due to the di4erent properties of the gas components, a di4erent time-consuming procedure for each species has traditionally been used. The use of FTIR (Fourier transform infrared) spectrometers as a continuous monitoring technique overcomes many of the problems in smoke gas analyses. FTIR o4ers an opportunity to set up a calibration and prediction method for each gas showing a characteristic spectral band in the infrared region of the spectrum.

The objective of the SAFIR project was to further develop the FTIR gas analysis of smoke gases to be an applicable and reliable method for the determination of toxic components in combustion gases related to 5re test conditions. The optimum probe design, 5lter parameters and the most suitable sampling lines in terms of 6ow rate, diameter, construction material and operating temperature have been speci5ed. In the large scale, special concern was given to the probe design and the e4ects of the probe location as well as practical considerations of the sampling line length. Quantitative calibration and prediction methods have been constructed for di4erent components present in smoke gases. Recommendations on how to deal with interferents, non-linearities and outliers have been provided and a veri5cation method for the spectrometer for unexpected variations and for the di4erent models have been described.

FTIR measurement procedures in di4erent 5re test scenarios have been studied using the recommendations of this project for measurement techniques and analysis and an interlaboratory trial of the FTIR technique in smoke gas analysis was carried out to de5ne the repeatability and reproducibility of the method in connection with a small scale 5re test method, the cone calorimeter.