Particulate mass measurement apparatus with real-time moisture monitor
AssigneeRupprecht & Patashnick Company, Inc.
InventorJohn Hiss, III
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The mass of particulate of an effluent gas flowing in a stack is measured with a mass measurement assembly in which sampling is isokinetically controlled by determining in real-time the molecular weight of the effluent gas, and in particular, determining the moisture content of water vapor in the effluent gas. Readings from a pair of flow sensors connected in series and separated by a dryer are compared to provide a real-time moisture measurement of the effluent gas. The moisture measurement is used to determine a total molecular weight of the effluent gas in real-time and the velocity of the effluent gas in real-time for isokinetic sampling during measurement of the mass of particulate flowing in the effluent gas.
Claims24
A particulate mass measurement apparatus for measuring mass of particulate of effluent gas flowing in a stack, said apparatus comprising:
- a mass measurement assembly for measuring the mass of particulate of the effluent gas flowing in the stack;
- means for measuring in real-time moisture content of the effluent gas flowing in the stack, said means for measuring moisture content comprising a first flow sensor for determining a first flow rate of a portion of a flow of the effluent gas, a dryer for removing water from the portion of the flow of effluent gas, and a second flow sensor for determining a second flow rate of the portion of the flow of the effluent gas without the water;
- a controller for controlling isokinetic sampling of the effluent gas measurable by said mass measurement assembly based on real-time moisture content of the effluent gas flowing in the stack;
- and
- a pressure transducer and a temperature sensor for determining absolute pressure and absolute temperature, respectively, at the first flow sensor.
A method for measuring mass of particulate of effluent gas flowing in a stack, the method comprising:
- determining a moisture content measurement of the effluent gas in real time;
- obtaining an isokinetic sample of a portion of the effluent gas based on real-time moisture content measurement of the effluent gas, including a step of determining a proportion of water vapor by volume Bws of the effluent gas in accordance with the following formula:
- B ws = Q wv Q 1 × T 1 P 1 × P Stack T Stack
- where:
- Qwv=Volumetric flow rate of water content in effluent gas;
- Q1=Volumetric flow rate of hot, moist effluent gas at a first flow sensor;
- T1=Absolute temperature of hot, moist effluent gas at the first flow sensor as determined by a temperature sensor;
- P1=Absolute pressure of hot, moist effluent gas at the first flow sensor as determined by a pressure transducer;
- PStack=Absolute pressure of effluent gas in the stack;
- and
- TStack=Absolute temperature of effluent gas in the stack;
- and obtaining a measurement of mass of particulate of the isokinetic sample.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.