Development of techniques for monitoring gas-phase sodium species formed during coal combustion and gasification

Abstract The development of techniques suitable for on-line analysis of gas-phase molecular sodium species, resulting from the combustion and gasification of low-rank coals is described. In particular two techniques have been demonstrated, these are: (a) laser-induced photofragment fluorescence and (b) microwave spectroscopy. The photofragment technique can be applied in situ and yields excellent detection limits (