Apparatus and method to distinguish between oil and gas combustion by remote observation using an infrared spectrometer
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A device for passively and remotely distinguishing between effluents from the combustion of oil or gas comprising:
- spectra detecting means for detecting the infrared spectral radiation emitted by the combustion effluents;
carbon dioxide identifying means for identifying a feature characteristic of carbon dioxide from the detected spectral radiation emitted by the combustion effluents;
water vapor identifying means for identifying a feature characteristic of water vapor from the detected spectral radiation emitted by the combustion effluents;
measuring means for relativistically measuring the intensity of the feature characteristic of carbon dioxide;
measuring means for relativistically measuring the intensity of the feature characteristic of water vapor;
calculating means for calculating the ratio of the measured intensities of the features characteristic of carbon dioxide and water vapor; and
output means for displaying the results of the calculating means whereby the effluents can be determined to have been generated by the combustion of gas or oil.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus and method for detecting and analyzing the emissions or effluents from gas or oil combustion so as to discriminate between them. A spectrometer detects the spectra of a combustion effluent or exhaust. Identifying features of carbon dioxide and water vapor are selected at predetermined wavenumbers. The ratio of the relative intensities of the identifying features of carbon dioxide and water vapor is then computed, which results in the discrimination between oil and gas effluents.
23 Citations
12 Claims
-
1. A device for passively and remotely distinguishing between effluents from the combustion of oil or gas comprising:
-
spectra detecting means for detecting the infrared spectral radiation emitted by the combustion effluents; carbon dioxide identifying means for identifying a feature characteristic of carbon dioxide from the detected spectral radiation emitted by the combustion effluents; water vapor identifying means for identifying a feature characteristic of water vapor from the detected spectral radiation emitted by the combustion effluents; measuring means for relativistically measuring the intensity of the feature characteristic of carbon dioxide; measuring means for relativistically measuring the intensity of the feature characteristic of water vapor; calculating means for calculating the ratio of the measured intensities of the features characteristic of carbon dioxide and water vapor; and output means for displaying the results of the calculating means whereby the effluents can be determined to have been generated by the combustion of gas or oil. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
-
-
8. A method for passively and remotely distinguishing effluents from the combustion of oil or gas comprising the steps of:
-
detecting the infrared spectral radiation emitted by the exhaust; identifying a portion of the spectral emissions characteristic of carbon dioxide; relativistically measuring the spectral emissions characteristic of carbon dioxide over a relatively narrow band; identifying a portion of the spectral emissions characteristic of water vapor; relativistically measuring the spectral emissions characteristic of water vapor over a relatively narrow band; calculating the ratio of the relativistically measured values of the spectral emissions characteristic of carbon dioxide and water vapor; indicating the combustion of oil or gas depending on said ratio. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11)
-
-
12. A method for passively and remotely distinguishing between effluents from the combustion of oil or gas comprising the steps of:
-
detecting the infrared spectral radiation emitted by a forced plume of effluent emanating from a stack; suppressing background spectra using factor analysis and rank annihilation techniques to obtain a residual spectrum; relativistically measuring a portion of the residual spectrum characteristic of carbon dioxide located substantially at wavenumber 719 cm-1 ; relativistically measuring a portion of the residual spectrum characteristic of water vapor located substantially at wavenumber 1314.5 cm-1 ; calculating the ratio of the relativistically measured values of said spectral characteristic of carbon dioxide and water vapor; comparing said ratio to a predetermined value for determining whether the combustion of oil or gas has occurred; and displaying the results of said comparing step.
-
Specification