Abstract: A method and system for measuring heat energy of a combustible fluid in which light having wavelengths in the near-infrared is directed into a test cell containing the combustible fluid and portions of the light not absorbed by the combustible fluid and passing out of the cell are spatially dispersed by wavelength, forming a light spectrum that is projected onto a detector. The light spectrum is digitized and inputted into a data processing unit in which it is compared to the actual spectrum of the light source stored in the system to determine the absorbance spectrum of the combustible fluid. The system is spectrally calibrated by identifying known spectral features of the combustible gas absorbance spectrum. To correct for deviations in the original light source spectrum, a light source calibration system is employed.

Abstract: A method and system for measuring heat energy of a combustible fluid in which light having wavelengths in the near-infrared is directed into a test cell containing the combustible fluid and portions of the light not absorbed by the combustible fluid and passing out of the cell are spatially dispersed by wavelength, forming a light spectrum that is projected onto a detector. The light spectrum is digitized and inputted into a data processing unit in which it is compared to the actual spectrum of the light source stored in the system to determine the absorbance spectrum of the combustible fluid. The system is spectrally calibrated by identifying known spectral features of the combustible gas absorbance spectrum. To correct for deviations in the original light source spectrum, a light source calibration system is employed.

Abstract: A method for spatially resolving flame temperatures in which a temperature-dependent wavelength region of a molecule radical spectrum and a normalization wavelength region of the molecule radical spectrum suitable for normalizing spectral data are identified. An algorithm based upon a relationship between a temperature-dependent intensity range within the temperature-dependent wavelength region at a plurality of temperatures and a normalized intensity range within the normalization wavelength region is formulated. Flame spectral data from a flame is obtained and the algorithm is applied to the flame spectral data, resulting in generation of a flame temperature profile of the flame.

Abstract: A method for spatially resolving flame temperatures in which a temperature-dependent wavelength region of a molecule radical spectrum and a normalization wavelength region of the molecule radical spectrum suitable for normalizing spectral data are identified. An algorithm based upon a relationship between a temperature-dependent intensity range within the temperature-dependent wavelength region at a plurality of temperatures and a normalized intensity range within the normalization wavelength region is formulated. Flame spectral data from a flame is obtained and the algorithm is applied to the flame spectral data, resulting in generation of a flame temperature profile of the flame.