CARBON MONOXIDE DETECTORS

Abstract: A carbon monoxide detector comprises a single monochromatic infra-red source (12) which is arranged to alternately direct light through two separate gas-containing test chambers (16, 18). A first (16) of the chambers is supplied with gas to be tested, which has an unknown carbon monoxide content. A catalytic burning chamber (32) is connected between the chambers (16, 18) to receive gas from the first chamber (16), burn the carbon monoxide in the gas to carbon dioxide, and supply the carbon monoxide free gas to the second chamber (18). A single infra-red light detector (24) is provided for receiving light as it comes alternately from the two chambers (16, 18). The light from the two chambers (16, 18) is compared to determine the amount of carbon monoxide present in the gas of the first test chamber (16). Since the same background gas is provided in both of the chambers (16, 18) and only a single infra-red source and detector are utilised, inaccuracies due to differences in background detection, infra-red source intensi­ ty and infra-red sensitivity are overcome.

Description: CARBON MONOXIDE DETECTORS This invention relates to carbon monoxide detectors. Carbon monoxide (CO) is known to absorb infra-red radiation. CO detectors have taken advantage of this phenomenon to determine the difference between infra-red radiation absorption in a test cell containing a gas to be tested and a reference cell containing a fixed composition of gas, for example nitrogen. Since the background gas in the test and reference cells are different, inaccuracies may enter the detection operation. The detection of carbon monoxide content is particularly important in flue gases generated in various industrial operations. One technique for detecting organic carbon as well as carbon monoxide in such industrial waste is disclosed in an article entitled "Continuous Method for Sampling Stack Gases for Total Carbon", G.G. Carels and R.C. Vincent, Environmental Science and Technology, Am. Chem. Soc., 1978, Vol. 12. This article mentions various techniques for detecting carbon monoxide, including the use of infra-red analysis. According to the invention there is provided a carbon monoxide detector comprising a source of infra-red radiation, a measuring chamber for receiving a gas to be tested for carbon monoxide, and a reference chamber for receiving a gas, characterised in that: a reaction chamber is connected between the measuring and reference chambers for converting carbon monoxide to carbon dioxide and for receiving gas from the measuring chamber and supplying gas which is free of carbon monoxide to the reference chamber; the measuring and reference chambers have infra-red transparent means defining first and second infra-red radiation paths therethrough; beam splitting means is associated with the source for directing infra-red radiation along the first and second paths; ; an infra-red detector is provided for detecting infra-red radiation of the first and second paths after the radiation has passed through the measuring and reference chambers, respectively; and circuit means is connected to the detector for determining a difference between the infra-red radiation of the first and second paths absorbed in the measuring and reference chambers, which difference is a function of the carbon monoxide concentration of gas supplied to the measuring chamber. A carbon monoxide detector forming a preferred embodiment of the invention and described hereinbelow utilises a single monochromatic infrared source which produces infra-red (IR) light that is absorbed by carbon monoxide molecules. In addition, a single IR detector is utilised. Both source and detector are commutated between a measuring absorption chamber in the form of a tube and a reference absorbing chamber in the form of a tube to eliminate inaccuracies resulting from change in background concentrations, IR source intensity, or IR detector sensitivity. Carbon monoxide containing gas such as flue gas is supplied to the measuring absorbing tube. The gas is then supplied through a catalytic chamber which converts carbon monoxide (CO) to carbon dioxide (cho2) and then to the reference absorbing tube or chamber. Since the flue gas itself is used as a reference gas, the interfering gases or background gases are the same for both tubes and therefore do not affect measurement accuracy. The preferred CO detector incorporates the following features. (i) There is a reflector in each of the first and second paths for reflecting IR radiation to a single detector. (ii) A Pockel effect chopper is provided in each IR transparent means for alternately supplying IR radiation to the first and second paths. (iii) The circuit means includes a log ratio circuit, the function thereof being: EMI2.1 where C1 is equal to the CO concentration in the measuring tube, A1 and A2 are calibration constants and IOUT-1 and IOUT-2 are the amounts of IR radiation along the first and second paths. (iv) The detector is simple in design, rugged in construction and economical to manufacture. The invention will now be further described, by way of illustrative and non-limiting example, with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which: Figure 1 is a diagram illustrating a carbon monoxide detector embodying the invention; and Figure 2 is a block diagram illustrating exemplary circuitry used in the detector of Figure 1 for determining carbon monoxide concentrations. Figure 1 shows a monoxide (CO) detector that includes an infra-red (IR) source 12 which is a monochromatic source of IR radiation that is significantly absorbed by CO. The source 12 is used to generate IR radiation of an intensity Is which is separated into two components ION 1 and IIN-2 by a beam splitter 14. The components IIN-1 and 1lN-2 are alternately passed through first and second absorbing chambers or tubes 16, 18 by means of a Pockel effect chopper 20 in front of each tube and an IR transparent window 22 at the opposite end of each tube. IR radiation components of intensities 1OUT-1 and IoUT 2 are then directed to a common IR detector 24 by means of IR reflectors 26 and 28. The intensities IOUT-1 and 1OuT-2 are then measured alternately by means of a phase sensitive detector 40 (Figure 2) synchronised with the Pockel effect choppers 20. In operation, flue gas or other CO-containing gas is supplied to the first (measuring) tube 16 over an inlet 30. The incoming flue gas must have sufficient available oxygen in it to convert all the CO to carbon dioxide (CO2). This is usually available for low concentrations of CO. However, under some operating conditions, it may be desirable to add some ambient air to the incoming flue gas before it reaches the first absorbing tube 16. The gas then flows from the tube 16 to a catalytic chamber 32 where all the CO is converted to CO2 in known fashion. Cefree gas with substantially the same background characteristic is then supplied to the second (reference) tube 18 over a connection 34, which gas finally flows out of the tube 18 via an outlet 36. According to Beer's Law: EMI4.1 where: I = the intensity of the IR radiation from the source 12; 5 K1 = a loss coefficient associated with the beam splitter 14, chopper 20, IR window 22, and reflector 26 for a first path through the tube 16 to the detector 24; K2 = a loss coefficient associated with the beam splitter 14, chopper 20, IR window 22, and reflector 28 for a second path through the tube 18 to the detector 24; g = an extinction coefficient for the particular wavelength being used; L1 = path length through the absorbing tube 16; L2 = path length through the absorbing tube 18; C1 = CO concentration in the absorbing tube 16; C2 = CO concentration in the absorbing tube 18; B1 = background gas concentration in the absorbing tube 16; and B2 = background gas concentration in the absorbing tube 18. From equations (1) and (2), the following relationships can be derived: EMI4.2 Since B2 Y B1yerand L1 = L2 by mechanical construction of the instrument, and since C2 = 0, then: EMI5.1 From Equation (5), where A1 and A2 are treated as calibration constants in adjusting the gain and zero of the CO detector instrument. Referring now to Figure 2, the IR detector 24, which alternately receives IR radiation along the first and second paths, supplies a signal to the phase sensitive detector (or synchronous demodulator) 40, which is controlled by a clock 42 that also functions to control the Pockel cell windows 20, 20. The demodulator 40 generates voltages E1 and E2 which are supplied to a log ratio module 44. The voltages E1 and E2 are proportional to the intensities I, and IoUT-2 respectively, of the IR radiation which travels along the first and second paths. The log ratio module 44 generates an Output voltage Eg, on a line 46, which equals log E E2/E1. This quantity, in turn, is directly proportional to the CO concentration C1 and can be used to operate an indicator. The Pockel effect described in Reference Data for Radio Enqineers, Howard W. Sams and Company. The log ratio module 44 can be of the type designated 4127 manufactured by the Burr-Brown Research Corporation of Tuscon, Arizona, U.S.A. EMI5.2

Claims: CLAIMS 1. A carbon monoxide detector comprising a source (12) of infra-red radiation, a measuring chamber (16) for receiving a gas to be tested for carbon monoxide, and a reference chamber (18) for receiving a gas, characterised in that: a reaction chamber (32) is connected between the measuring and reference chambers (16, 18) for converting carbon monoxide to carbon dioxide and for receiving gas from the measuring chamber (16) and supplying gas which is free of carbon monoxide to the reference chamber (18); the measuring and reference chambers (16, 18) have infra-red transparent means defining first and second infra-red radiation paths therethrough; beam splitting means is associated with the source (12) for directing infra-red radiation along the first and second paths; ; an infra-red detector (24) is provided for detecting infra-red radiation of the first and second paths after the radiation has passed through the measuring and reference chambers (16, 18), respectively; and circuit means is connected to the detector (24) for determining a difference between the infra-red radiation of the first and second paths absorbed in the measuring and reference chambers (16, 18), which difference is a function of the carbon monoxide concentration of gas supplied to the measuring chamber (16). 2. A carbon monoxide detector according to claim 1, wherein the beam splitting means comprises a beam splitter (14) for receiving infra-red radiation from the source (12) and supplying half of the radiation to the measuring chamber (16) and half of the radiation to the reference chamber (18). 3. A carbon monoxide detector according to claim 1 or claim 2, including an infra-red reflector (26, 28) in each of the first and second paths for reflecting infra-red radiation to the infra-red detector (24). 4. A carbon monoxide detector according to claim 1, claim 2 or claim 3, wherein the reaction chamber (32) comprises a catalytic chamber for catalytically converting carbon monoxide to carbon dioxide. 5. A carbon monoxide detector accroding to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the circuit means comprises circuit elements for establishing the carbon monoxide concentration (C1) according to the function EMI7.1 where A1 and A2- are calibration constants, IoUT 2 is the intensity of the infra-red radiation supplied to the detector (24) from the second path and loUT 1 is the intensity of the infra-red radiation supplied to the detector (24) along the first path. 6. A carbon monoxide detector according to any one-of the preceding claims, wherein each of the infra-red transparent means includes a Pockel effect chopper (20) for transmitting infra-red radiation to the measuring and reference chambers (16, 18), respectively, at sequentially different times.

Inventors: ABROMAITIS, ANDRE THOMAS, KEYES, MARION A. IV
Applicants: THE BABCOCK & WILCOX COMPANY
Application year: 1983
Main classification: G01N21
IPC codes: G01N21, G01N33