Patent ID: 6618687
Filing Date: 2003-09-09
Classification: G01K

Abstract:
A method of estimating remaining absorptive capacity of a gas absorber that absorbs a gas during an exothermic or endothermic reaction therewith, said method comprising the steps of:disposing said gas absorber in a flow of said gas, wherein said gas flows into said gas absorber at an inlet thereof and flows through said gas absorber along a flow path, and wherein a reaction gas is produced by said reaction, said reaction gas exiting said gas absorber at an outlet thereof; distributing a plurality of temperature sensors along said flow path wherein said plurality of temperature sensors includes a first temperature sensor positioned at said inlet and subsequent temperature sensors spaced apart along said flow path; measuring a temperature at each of said plurality of temperature sensors; determining temperature differences between each of said subsequent temperature sensors and said first temperature sensor; normalizing each of said temperature differences to a largest one of said temperature differences wherein corresponding normalized temperature differences are generated; and comparing said normalized temperature differences with an experimentally-determined calibration function to determine the remaining absorptive capacity of said gas absorber.