US 8,786,856 B2 · Method and apparatus for monitoring combustion properties in an interior of a boiler

Abstract

A method of monitoring combustion properties in an interior of a boiler of the type having walls comprising a plurality of parallel steam tubes separated by a metal membrane. First and second penetrations are provided in the metal membrane between adjacent tubes on opposite sides of the boiler. A beam of light is projected through a pitch optic comprising a pitch collimating lens and a pitch relay lens, both residing outside the boiler interior. The pitch relay lens projects the beam through a penetration into the boiler interior. The beam of light is received with a catch optic substantially identical to the pitch optic residing outside the boiler interior. The strength of the collimated received beam of light is determined. At least one of the pitch collimating lens and the catch collimating lens may then be aligned to maximize the strength of the collimated received beam.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A method of monitoring combustion properties in an interior of a boiler of the type having walls comprising a plurality of parallel steam tubes separated by a metal membrane, the method comprises:

a) providing first and second penetrations in the metal membrane between adjacent tubes on opposite sides of the boiler without relocating the adjacent tubes;
b) projecting a beam of light through a pitch optic comprising a pitch collimating lens and a pitch relay lens both residing outside the boiler interior, the pitch relay lens being optically coupled to the first penetration to project the beam into the boiler interior and being configured to have a focal point at the first penetration;
c) receiving the beam of light with a catch optic residing outside the boiler interior, the catch optic comprising a catch relay lens optically coupled to the second penetration and a catch collimating lens optically coupled to the catch relay lens;
d) determining a strength of the collimated received beam of light;
and
e) aligning at least one of the pitch collimating lens and the catch collimating lens to maximize the strength of the collimated received beam.

3 more elements

An apparatus for sensing a combustion property in an interior of a boiler, the boiler comprising a plurality of parallel steam tubes separated by a metal membrane, the apparatus comprising:

a diode laser having a select lasing frequency;
a pitch collimating lens is optically coupled to a beam generated by the diode laser;
a pitch relay lens is optically coupled to the pitch collimating lens, the pitch relay lens being configured to project the beam from the laser into a first penetration in a first membrane between adjacent tubes, with a focal point of the pitch relay lens being at the first penetration;
a catch relay lens is configured to receive the projected beam through a second penetration in a second membrane substantially opposite the first membrane;
a catch collimating lens optically coupled to the catch relay lens;
an optical fiber optically coupled to the catch collimating lens;
a detector sensitive to the select lasing frequency optically coupled to the optical fiber;
and
an alignment mechanism operatively associated with at least one of the pitch and catch collimating lenses to provide for alignment of the collimating lenses with respect to the beam to maximize a quantity of light received by the detector.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Method and apparatus for monitoring combustion properties in an interior of a boiler

Life of this patent

Method and apparatus for monitoring combustion properties in an interior of a boiler

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20