# US 5,703,299 A · Exhaust stack sensor probe

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- Number: US 5,703,299 A
- Document ID: US5703299A
- Status: Granted
- Kind: A
- Application number: 08/667,393
- Filed: 1996-06-21
- Granted: 1997-12-30
- Earliest claimed: 1996-06-21
- Assignees: Corona Energy Partners, Ltd.
- Inventors: Finis E. Carleton; Joe W. Holtrop
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US5703299A

## CPC

- G01N 1/2258: {in a stack or chimney}
- G01N 2001/2285: {Details of probe structures}
- Y02E 20/16: Combined cycle power plant [CCPP], or combined cycle gas turbine [CCGT]
- G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q)
- Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION

## Abstract

An exhaust stack stream sensor system has been invented which has a main hollow pipe with a plurality of port holes therethrough and spaced apart therealong, the main hollow pipe having two spaced apart closed off ends, the main hollow pipe positionable across the interior of an exhaust stack from which flows an exhaust stream, and a sample collecting tube having a first end in fluid communication with an interior of the main hollow pipe and a second end in fluid communication with vacuum apparatus for drawing a portion of the exhaust stream through each port hole, into the main hollow pipe, and through the sample collecting tube for transmission therefrom of a composite sample to additional apparatus.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An exhaust stack stream sensor system comprising
a main hollow pipe with a plurality of port holes therethrough and spaced apart therealong, the main hollow pipe having two spaced apart closed off ends, the main hollow pipe positionable across the interior of an exhaust stack from which flows an exhaust stream,
a sample collecting tube connected to the main hollow pipe and having a first end in fluid communication with an interior of the main hollow pipe and a second end in fluid communication with vacuum apparatus for drawing a portion of the exhaust stream through each port hole, into the main hollow pipe, and through the sample collecting tube, portions of the exhaust stream thus drawn forming a composite sample of the exhaust stack stream for transmission therefrom to additional apparatus, and
a plurality of straps interconnecting the main hollow pipe and the sample collecting tube.

### Claim 2

An exhaust stack stream sensor system comprising
a main hollow pipe with an interior enclosed within and defined by a main pipe wall, the main hollow pipe having a plurality of port holes each extending through the main pipe wall and spaced apart therealong, each of the port holes formed and disposed so that fluid in an exhaust stream of an exhaust stack exterior to the main hollow pipe is flowable into and through the plurality of port holes directly into the interior of the main hollow pipe, the main hollow pipe having two spaced apart closed off ends, the main hollow pipe positionable across the interior of the exhaust stack from which flows the exhaust stream,
vacuum apparatus,
a sample collecting tube connected to the main hollow pipe and having a first end in fluid communication with the interior of the main hollow pipe and a second end in fluid communication with the vacuum apparatus, the vacuum apparatus for drawing a portion of the exhaust stream through each port hole directly into the interior of the main hollow pipe and into and through the sample collecting tube, portions of the exhaust stream thus drawn forming a composite sample of the exhaust stream for transmission therefrom to additional apparatus, and
a plurality of straps interconnecting the main hollow pipe and the sample collecting tube.

### Claim 3

An exhaust stack stream sensor system comprising
a main hollow pipe with an interior enclosed within and defined by a main pipe wall, the main hollow pipe having a plurality of port holes each extending through the main pipe wall and spaced apart therealong, each of the port holes formed and disposed so that fluid in an exhaust stream of an exhaust stack exterior to the main hollow pipe is flowable into and through the plurality of port holes directly into the interior of the main hollow pipe, the main hollow pipe having two spaced apart closed off ends, the main hollow pipe positionable across the interior of the exhaust stack from which flows the exhaust stream,
vacuum apparatus,
a sample collecting tube connected to the main hollow pipe and having a first end in fluid communication with the interior of the main hollow pipe and a second end in fluid communication with the vacuum apparatus, the vacuum apparatus for drawing a portion of the exhaust stream through each port hole directly into the interior of the main hollow pipe and into and through the sample collecting tube, portions of the exhaust stream thus drawn forming a composite sample of the exhaust stream for transmission therefrom to additional apparatus, and
wherein the main hollow pipe has one closed off end extending through the stack and movably mounted in a mount member outside the stack and wherein the mount member is a hollow nozzle and the one closed off end of the main hollow pipe has a plurality of vanes projecting therefrom which are received in and movably held in the hollow nozzle.

### Claim 4

A method for obtaining a composite sample from an exhaust stream of an exhaust stack, the method comprising
drawing with vacuum apparatus a portion of the fluid exhaust stream through each of a plurality of port holes of a main hollow pipe of an exhaust stack stream sensor system, the exhaust stack stream sensor system comprising a main hollow pipe with an interior enclosed within and defined by a main pipe wall, the main hollow pipe having a plurality of port holes each extending through the main pipe wall and spaced apart therealong, each of the port holes formed and disposed so that fluid in the exhaust stream of the exhaust stack exterior to the main hollow pipe is flowable into and through the plurality of port holes directly into the interior of the main hollow pipe, the main hollow pipe having two spaced apart closed off ends, the main hollow pipe having one closed off end extending through the stack and movably mounted in a mount member outside the stack and wherein the mount member is a hollow nozzle and the one closed off end of the main hollow pipe has a plurality of vanes projecting therefrom which are received in and movably held in the hollow nozzle, the main hollow pipe positionable across the interior of the exhaust stack from which flows the exhaust stream; vacuum apparatus; and a sample collecting tube connected to the main hollow pipe and having a first end in fluid communication with the interior of the main hollow pipe and a second end in fluid communication with the vacuum apparatus; the vacuum apparatus for drawing a portion of the exhaust stream through each port hole directly into the interior of the main hollow pipe and into and through the sample collecting tube, portions of the exhaust stream thus drawn forming a composite sample,
drawing through the sample collecting tube with the vacuum apparatus the composite sample, and
transmitting the composite sample from the sample collecting tube.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The method of claim 4 further comprising conditioning the composite sample in conditioning apparatus.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The method of claim 5 further comprising
analyzing constituents of the composite sample with analysis apparatus, and
recording and displaying an analysis of the constituents of the composite sample.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The method of claim 6 further comprising
backpurging the exhaust stack stream sensor system to clear out the holes of the plurality of port holes.

### Claim 8

A method for obtaining a composite sample from an exhaust stream of an exhaust stack, the method comprising
drawing with vacuum apparatus a portion of the fluid exhaust stream through each of a plurality of port holes of a main hollow pipe of an exhaust stack stream sensor system, the exhaust stack stream sensor system comprising a main hollow pipe with an interior enclosed within and defined by a main pipe wall, the main hollow pipe having a plurality of port holes each extending through the main pipe wall and spaced apart therealong, each of the port holes formed and disposed so that fluid in the exhaust stream of the exhaust stack exterior to the main hollow pipe is flowable into and through the plurality of port holes directly into the interior of the main hollow pipe, the main hollow pipe having two spaced apart closed off ends, the main hollow pipe positionable across the interior of the exhaust stack from which flows the exhaust stream; vacuum apparatus; and a sample collecting tube connected to the main hollow pipe and having a first end in fluid communication with the interior of the main hollow pipe and a second end in fluid communication with the vacuum apparatus, a plurality of straps interconnecting the main hollow pipe and the sample collecting tube; the vacuum apparatus for drawing a portion of the exhaust stream through each port hole directly into the interior of the main hollow pipe and into and through the sample collecting tube, portions of the exhaust stream thus drawn forming a composite sample,
drawing through the sample collecting tube with the vacuum apparatus the composite sample, and
transmitting the composite sample from the sample collecting tube.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8 further comprising
conditioning the composite sample in conditioning apparatus.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9 further comprising
analyzing constituents of the composite sample with analysis apparatus, and
recording and displaying an analysis of the constituents of the composite sample.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10 further comprising
backpurging the exhaust stack stream sensor system to clear out the holes of the plurality of port holes.