Open AccessMONITORING POWER PLANT EFFICIENCY USING THE MICROWAVE-EXCITED PHOTOACOUSTIC EFFECT TO MEASURE UNBURNED CARBON
Author(s) -
Robert C. Brown,
Robert J. Weber,
Andrew A Suby
Publication year - 2002
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Reports
DOI - 10.2172/793671
Subject(s) - microwave , measure (data warehouse) , signal (programming language) , line (geometry) , power (physics) , sample (material) , noise (video) , range (aeronautics) , acoustics , computer science , engineering , telecommunications , physics , aerospace engineering , geometry , mathematics , quantum mechanics , database , artificial intelligence , image (mathematics) , thermodynamics , programming language
Three test instruments are to be used to determine the abilities of photo-acoustic technology for the ultimate purpose of measuring unburned carbon in fly ash in an on-line configuration. The first test instrument is in a single microwave frequency system previously constructed to measure photo-acoustic signals in an off-line configuration. This system was assembled and used to begin testing parameters thought to be influential in the resulting photo-acoustic signal output. A standard modulation frequency was chosen based upon signal to noise data gained from experimentation and sample heterogeneity was tested and found not to be influential. Simultaneously, a second instrument is to be constructed based in part on lessons learned with the first instrument, and to expand the capabilities of the first instrument. Improvements include a control loop to allow more constant microwave power output and an ability to operate over a range of microwave frequencies. To date, the design of the second instrument has been completed and components ordered. The third instrument will be designed based on the experiences of the first two instruments and will operate in an on-line carbon-in-ash monitoring system for coal-fired power plants