SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR DETERMINING VELOCITY AND FLUX OF A GAS

摘要

Systems and methods for determining gas velocity based on phase differences of signals from two or more interaction paths in a gas analyzer system. A laser source, which can provide access to an absorption gas line, is expanded, or is split into two or more beams. These beams can be used to create two (or more) parallel sampling paths separated by a known distance. Gas travelling in the plane of the two beams of light will pass through the optical paths at two (or more) different times creating very similar signals that will be out of phase with each other. The amount of phase difference will be inversely proportional to the velocity of the gas.

主权项

1. A device for measuring the velocity of a gas, comprising:
a laser source that emits laser light; optical elements configured to split the emitted laser light into first and second co-linear beam paths ending at first and second detectors, respectively, the first and second beam paths separated by a first distance along a first direction perpendicular to the first and second beam paths; the first detector that detects laser light from the first beam path and outputs a first signal representing a first optical power in the first beam path; the second detector that detects laser light from the second beam path and outputs a second signal representing a second optical power in the second beam path; and an intelligence module, coupled with the first and second detectors and configured to receive the first and second signals and, based on the first distance, compute a velocity of the gas along the first direction.