Apparatus for monitoring gaseous components of a flue gas

• US 7,771,654 B1
• Filed: 09/07/2006
• Issued: 08/10/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/07/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: APTIM Intellectual Property Holdings LLC (APTIM Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Shaw Intellectual Property Holdings, Inc. (APTIM Corp.)
• Inventors: Moore, Randall P., Mullowney, Robert L. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Soderquist; Arlen
• Application Number:
  US11/517,497
• Time in Patent Office: 1,433 Days
• Field of Search: 422/62, 422 8201- 8202, 422/83, 422/90, 422/93, 422/98, 436/113, 436116-118, 436/122, 436/149, 436/177, 436/181
• US Class Current: 422/62
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/0031 comprising two or more sensors, e.g. a sensor array electrochemical electrode arrays G01N27/27
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/0037 for NOx
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/0042 for SO2, SO3
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/0054 for ammonia
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 50/20 Air quality improvement or preservation, e.g. vehicle emission control or emission reduction by using catalytic converters
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/175383 Ammonia
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/177692 Oxides of nitrogen
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/178459 Only nitrogen dioxide
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/179228 Both nitrogen oxide and dioxide
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/186 Sulfur dioxide
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/25875 Gaseous sample or with change of physical state

Abstract

An apparatus for monitoring ammonia in gaseous streams, particularly in flue gas streams. The apparatus is transportable but can be permanently installed. The flue gas can be monitored in real time.

Claims

1. A flue gas monitoring system for measuring, in real-time, the concentration of gaseous components of a flue gas, which gaseous components include NO, NO₂, and ammonia, which flue gas monitoring system comprising:

a) an enclosure having a plurality of enclosing panels, wherein one panel is a top panel and one panel is a bottom panel and the remaining panels are side panels;

b) at least one inlet for receiving a gaseous sample;

c) at least one outlet for exhausting a gaseous stream;

d) at least one door for accessing the interior of the enclosure;

e) an NO sensor within the enclosure for generating an electrical output in response to the concentration of NO in a gaseous sample;

f) a receiving means for receiving said electrical output from said NO sensor and visually displaying the concentration of NO;

g) an NO₂ sensor within the enclosure for generating an electrical output in response to the concentration of NO₂ in said gaseous sample;

h) a means for receiving said indicating output from said NO₂ sensor and visually displaying the concentration of NO₂;

i) a scrubber within the enclosure for scrubbing SO₂ from said gaseous sample;

j) an SO₂ sensor within the enclosure for generating an electrical output in response to the concentration of SO₂ in said gaseous sample;

k) a receiving means for receiving said electrical output from said SO₂ sensor and visually displaying the concentration of SO₂;

l) at least one NH₃ sensor within the enclosure for generating an electrical output in response to the concentration of NH₃ in said gaseous sample;

m) at least one means for receiving said electrical output from said at least one NH₃ sensor and visually displaying the concentration of NH₃;

n) a heater within the enclosure for raising the temperature within the enclosure; and

o) a cooling means within the enclosure for lowering the temperature within the enclosure;

p) wherein there are three sensors for generating an electrical output in response to the concentration of ammonia and wherein said three sensors are in series wherein the first sensor is calibrated for a lower ammonia concentration, the second for a mid range ammonia concentration and the third for a higher ammonia concentration.

2. The flue gas monitoring system of claim 1 which enclosure is rectangular in shape having four side panels, a bottom panel and a top panel which serves as a door.

3. The flue gas monitoring system of claim 1 wherein one or more of the sensors are electrochemical cells.

4. The flue gas monitoring system of claim 3 wherein all of the sensors are electrochemical cells.

5. The flue gas monitoring system of claim 1 wherein at least one of the displaying means for displaying the concentration of the target gas is located on the front panel of the enclosure.

6. The flue gas monitoring system of claim 5 wherein all means for displaying the concentration of all target gases is located on the front panel of said enclosure.

7. The flue gas monitoring system of claim 6 wherein the displaying means are lights that are activated in response to a predetermined concentration of the respective target gas.

8. The flue gas monitoring system of claim 5 wherein the displaying means are lights that are activated in response to a predetermined concentration of the respective target gas.

9. The flue gas monitoring system of claim 5 wherein at least one of the displaying means is an analog gauge.

10. The flue gas monitoring system of claim 5 wherein at least one of the displaying means is a digital read-out device.

11. The flue gas monitoring system of claim 1 wherein there is also provided a solids/gas separation means to separate at least a portion of solids from the flue gas sample prior to it entering the gas inlet port.

12. The flue gas monitoring system of claim 1 wherein there is also provided a means for mixing a predetermined amount of an additive gas to the flue gas sample prior to it entering the gas inlet port.

13. The flue gas monitoring system of claim 1 wherein there is provided a solids separation means for separating at least a portion of the solids from the flue gas sample, followed by a means for mixing an additive gas to the flue gas sample, prior to the flue gas entering the gas inlet port.

14. The flue gas monitoring system of claim 1 wherein there is provided a by-pass means capable of causing the flue gas sample to by-pass the electrochemical cell capable of sensing SO₂.

15. A flue gas monitoring system for measuring, in real-time, the concentration of gaseous components of a flue gas, which gaseous components include NO, NO₂, and ammonia, which flue gas monitoring system comprising:

a) a solids/gas separation means for separating solids from a flue gas sample;

b) a mixing means for mixing a predetermined amount of an additive gas to a flue gas sample;

c) an enclosure having a plurality of enclosing panels, wherein one panel is a top panel and one panel is a bottom panel and the remaining panels are side panels;

d) at least one inlet for receiving a gaseous sample;

e) at least one outlet for exhausting a gaseous stream;

f) at least one door for accessing the interior of the enclosure;

g) an electrochemical cell within the enclosure capable of generating an electrical output in response to the concentration of NO in a gaseous sample;

h) a receiving means for receiving said electrical output from said electrochemical cell capable of sensing NO, and visually displaying the concentration of NO;

i) an electrochemical cell within the enclosure capable of generating an electrical output in response to the concentration of NO₂ in a flue gas sample;

j) a means for receiving said indicating output from said electrochemical cell capable of sensing NO₂, and visually displaying the concentration of NO₂;

k) a scrubber within the enclosure for scrubbing SO₂ from said gaseous sample;

l) an electrochemical cell within the enclosure capable of generating an electrical output in response to the concentration of SO₂ in said gaseous sample;

m) a receiving means for receiving said electrical output from said electrochemical cell capable of sensing SO₂, and visually displaying the concentration of SO₂;

n) at least one electrochemical cell within the enclosure capable of generating an electrical output in response to the concentration of NH₃ in said gaseous sample;

o) at least one means for receiving said electrical output from said at least one electrochemical cell capable of sensing NH₃, and visually displaying the concentration of NH₃;

p) a heater within the enclosure for raising the temperature within the enclosure;

q) a cooling means within the enclosure for lowering the temperature within the enclosure; and

r) a manifold and gas handling line within the enclosure in which the flue gas comes in contact a suitable material such as glass or stainless steel lined with a silicate;

s) wherein there are three sensors for generating an electrical output in response to the concentration of ammonia and wherein said three sensors are in series wherein the first sensor is calibrated for a lower ammonia concentration, the second for a mid range ammonia concentration and the third for a higher ammonia concentration.

16. The flue gas monitoring system of claim 15 which enclosure is rectangular in shape having four side panels, a bottom panel and a top panel which serves as a door.

17. The flue gas monitoring system of claim 15 wherein at least one of the displaying means for displaying the concentration of the target gas is located on the front panel of the enclosure.

18. The flue gas monitoring system of claim 17 wherein all means for displaying the concentration of all target gases is located on the front panel of said enclosure.

19. The flue gas monitoring system of claim 18 wherein the displaying means are lights that are activated in response to a predetermined concentration of the respective target gas.

20. The flue gas monitoring system of claim 18 wherein at least one of the displaying means is an analog gauge.

21. The flue gas monitoring system of claim 18 wherein at least one of the displaying means is a digital read-out device.

22. The flue gas monitoring system of claim 17 wherein the displaying means are lights that are activated in response to a predetermined concentration of the respective target gas.

23. The flue gas monitoring system of claim 15 wherein there is provided a by-pass means capable of causing the flue gas sample to by-pass the electrochemical cell capable of sensing SO₂.