Monitoring Fuel Thermal Conversion Using LIBS and Spontaneous Emission Techniques

The use of laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) has helped spearhead new developments in the field of fuel thermal conversion monitoring. Meirong Dong, lecturer at South China University of Technology and the Guangdong Province Engineering Research Center of High Efficient and Low Pollution Energy Conversion, led a team comprised of researchers to document and study the role of atomic emission spectroscopy (AES) in understanding the intricacies of fuel thermal conversion monitoring. Their findings were published in the journal Spectrochimica Acta Part B: Atomic Spectroscopy (1).

The review published in the journal examined the application of LIBS across various stages of the thermal conversion process (1). From scrutinizing raw energy materials such as coal and biomass before combustion to dissecting the combustion process itself and analyzing post-combustion residue like fly ash, the study highlights the versatility of LIBS in fuel analysis.

An important finding highlighted in the review article covered how LIBS has been used to analyze raw energy materials (1). LIBS can assess materials in different forms like rock, pellets, and particle flow. The researchers also developed a suite of online instruments to study the properties of energy materials more closely, which have provided them with new insights into their composition and behavior (1).

The study also explores the integral role LIBS plays in the combustion process. This sophisticated approach outshines conventional detection technologies, offering a multifaceted understanding of combustion states in real-time (1).

The study also sheds light on LIBS' prowess in detecting unburned carbon in fly ash, contributing significantly to understanding post-combustion residues and their environmental impact (1).

The authors conclude their study by emphasizing the importance of optical measurement techniques in enabling in situ, continuous monitoring of multiple parameters during fuel utilization (1). Optical measurement technologies are non-contact and overcome the limitations of traditional conventional detection methods (1). The result is that they can conduct more efficient and cleaner fuel utilization as a result (1).

The findings underscore a paradigm shift in fuel thermal conversion monitoring, paving the way for enhanced efficiency, reduced pollution, and a deeper comprehension of energy conversion processes. The insights that this study provides offers a pathway to the further evolution of technology in the realm of fuel utilization and energy conversion.

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Reference

(1) Dong, M.; Cai, J.; Liu, H.; Xiong, J.; Rao, G.; Yao, S.; Lu, J. A review of laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy and spontaneous emission techniques in monitoring thermal conversion of fuels. Spectrochim. Acta Part B: At. Spectrosc. 2023, 210, 106807. DOI: 10.1016/j.sab.2023.106807