Optical path structure for open path emissions sensing
AssigneeSPX Corporation
InventorsJohn DiDomenico, Robert A. Gentala, Craig S. Rendahl
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A gas component analysis system transmits, reflects, and detects light using infrared light source; a reflector unit; and a light detector. The light is transmitted through a gas, such as air containing vehicle emissions, reflected, and detected for analysis and measurement of the amount of absorption that has occurred at known wavelengths. The amount of absorption may be used to determine concentrations of reference gases corresponding to specific wavelengths.
Claims17
A gas component analysis system, comprising:
- a first light source that emits at least one beam of light having known emission intensities corresponding to a plurality of infrared, visible, or ultraviolet spectra;
- a reflection unit;
- a filter wheel positioned to spin about an axis and receive the beam from the first light source and pass the beam to the reflection unit in pulses;
- a detection unit that receives the beam and measures received intensities corresponding to the plurality of light spectra;
- a reflector wheel positioned to spin about an axis and receive the beam from the reflection unit and direct infrared components of the beam to the detection unit in pulses;
- and
- a processor that compares the emission intensities and the received intensities and identifies a concentration of a component corresponding to the intensities.
A method of measuring concentrations of one or more components of a gas, comprising the steps of:
- emitting at least one beam of light having known emission intensities corresponding to a plurality of infrared, visible or ultraviolet spectra through the gas;
- reflecting the beam, using a reflection unit;
- before the reflecting step, filtering the beam and passing the beam to the reflection unit in pulses;
- reflecting the beam off of a reflector wheel positioned to spin about an axis and receive the beam from the reflection unit;
- receiving the beam from the reflector wheel, using a detection unit;
- measuring received intensities in the beam corresponding to the plurality of light spectra;
- and
- identifying a concentration of at least one component of the gas corresponding to a ratio of the emission intensities and the received intensities.
A gas component analysis system, comprising:
- a means for emitting a first beam of infrared light having known emission intensities corresponding to a plurality of infrared spectra;
- a means for filtering the first beam into a plurality of pulsed spectral components;
- a means for reflecting the first beam;
- a means for reflecting the first beam off of a reflector wheel positioned to spin about on axis and receive the beam from the reflection means;
- a means for receiving the first beam from the means for reflecting;
- a means for measuring received intensities corresponding to the plurality of infrared spectra;
- and
- a means for identifying a concentration of a component corresponding to the received intensities.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.