Development of integrated laser based sensors for active combustion control

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Project objective

Electric-arc-furnaces, EAF, are expected to be the dominant technology for steel production in Europe by 2010. A problem with EAF is emission of toxic hydrocarbons and large quantities of CO and H2, formed when melting scrap metal. These emissions can be reduced by post-combustion of the exhaust gases in the EAF, by injection of O2. The process furthermore provides energy feedback to the melt, which can result in large energy savings. The objective of this project is to develop an optical gas sensor, capable of monitoring exhaust gases on-line, which can be incorporated into an active control system to optimize the post-combustion process in EAF's. The optical gas sensor will allow non-intrusive, in-site measurements under operating conditions. It will be based on semiconductor lasers, which are cheap and robust light sources, and which can be used to target individual species. The aim is to develop a technique to monitor concentrations like CO, CO2, H2O, OH and temperature near the surface of the melt to control O2 injection. Near- or mid-IR absorption spectroscopy, using distributed-feedback diode or quantum-cascade lasers will be used to determine the concentrations and temperatures. Spectral simulations and FTIR measurements will be used to find optimal transitions for the species, and suitable laser sources for these transitions will be identified. The system will be tested in an EAF environment to eventually be integrated into an active control system.

Original text from CORDIS.

Participants

• University of Cambridge · CambridgeCoordinatorUnited Kingdom

Links

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