Elevated temperature reference spectra

A compilation of infrared spectra at elevated temperatures is required for the accurate quantification of gas concentrations for Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) extractive sampling of stack gases and FTIR in-situ process monitoring. Analysis of high temperature gases utilizing ambient temperature reference spectra can result in significant quantification errors. The US Air Force`s Arnold Engineering Development Center (AEDC) is currently assisting the EPA in measuring reference spectra and making existing and new data available to the public through two ongoing efforts. One of these efforts is the measurement of elevated temperature infrared reference spectra of the low vapor pressure hazardous air pollutants (HAP) compounds, as well as spectral interfering compounds. The equipment and procedures used for the elevated temperature reference spectra measurements is described as well as some of the challenges encountered in these measurements. Examples of the reference spectra are also presented. To make the reference spectra developed by AEDC and other EPA programs easily accessible, AEDC has also been tasked to maintain a site on the World Wide Web containing reference spectra, reports, and software tools of interest to the optical sensing community. This web site has seen increased use during the three years that it has been in more » existence with users from academia, commercial, and government, both domestic and foreign. The site has undergone several improvements since inception and actively solicits inputs for further improvements from its users. A description of this web site and recent improvements and additions is given in this paper. « less