Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) Online Monitoring of NO, N2O, and CO2 during Oxygen-Enriched Combustion of Carbonaceous Materials

Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy has been used for online monitoring of the gaseous products, resulting from combustion of a small amount of carbonaceous material with a high nitrogen content. The combustion experiments were carried out using a fluidized-bed reactor connected online to a FTIR gas cell. Spectra were collected every 2 s during the transient combustion reaction, and with this information, very detailed and quantitative evolution profiles for NO, N2O, and CO2 were determined. This approach is an option for tracking combustion products in very fast reactions, such as those that take place in combustion reactions with enriched oxygen. The analytical methodology described herein includes sample preparation, selection of experimental parameters, and data processing. The procedure used in this research can be applied to the characterization of gaseous effluents in any continuous process.