A portable Laser Plasma Spectroscopy (LPS) system and process is provided for performing in situ, near-real time, remote elemental analysis and identification of deposits or other foreign material found on surfaces of machine parts, such as turbine compressor blades or the like, wherein identification of the elemental constituents of a particular deposit is obtained without incurring significant ablative damage to the machine part substrate material underlying the deposit.
In in-situ laser plasma spectroscopy (LPS) apparatus includes an enclosure for housing a laser energy source and associated signal coupling optics. A main fiber is attached to the enclosure at a first end of the main fiber, and attached to a probe at a second end of the main fiber. The main fiber is configured for transmitting input laser energy from the laser energy source to a target and for transmitting laser induced plasma emission signals back from the target. The probe has a single focal lens for directing the input laser energy from the main fiber to the target, and for directing the laser induced plasma emission signals from the target to the main fiber.
A system and method for performing laser plasma spectroscopy on a surface of a component, particularly to detect, analyze, and determine the extent of deposit build up on turbomachine components protected by coatings that are susceptible to damage from infiltration of deposits. The system includes a laser energy source and a probe interconnected with the laser energy source to receive a laser beam therefrom and then direct the laser beam onto the surface of the component and scan an area of the surface while the component remains stationary. The probe is further configured to collect radiation emitted from a laser-induced plasma generated by the laser beam at the surface of the component. The system is further equipped to transmit the radiation from the probe and spectrally analyze the radiation.
A sensor is provided for analyzing an object at a focal point of a lens. The sensor includes a focused radiant energy source directed at the lens. The focused radiant energy source transmits a first beam of energy to the lens, vaporizing a portion of the object at the focal point of the lens. A second beam of energy is emitted from the vaporization of the object. A spectrometer is positioned to receive the second beam of energy emitted from the object. The second beam of energy is at least partially transmitted anti-parallel to the first beam of energy.
An in-situ laser plasma spectroscopy (LPS) system for automated near real-time elemental depth profiling of a target including: an optical source configured to generate an optical beam, wherein the optical beam is pulsed; an optical probe system configured to deliver the optical beam from the optical source to a surface of a target to generate an ablation plasma; a time resolved spectral detection system configured to generate time resolved spectral data from emission signals from the ablation plasma; and a data acquisition and processing system configured to acquire the time resolved spectral data to determine, in combination with predetermined calibration data, an absolute elemental concentration as a function of depth in near real-time.
A system and method are disclosed for the detection of water vapor in a natural gas background. The system includes a light source operating in a wavelength range such as, 1.877-1.901 .mu.m, 2.711-2.786 .mu.m, or 920-960 nm, passes through the natural gas to be detected by a detector. In one embodiment, the light source is a tunable diode laser and the moisture level is determined by harmonic spectroscopy. In other embodiments, a VCSEL laser is utilized.
