JP2010243270A - Composite type multi-path cell and gas measuring instrument - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a composite type multi-path cell, which includes a novel structure, for simultaneously detecting a plurality of kinds of gas components, and a miniaturized gas measuring instrument for simultaneously detecting a plurality of kinds of the gas components with high precision. <P>SOLUTION: The composite type multi-path cell includes a standard optical measuring system forming a multiple reflecting light path constituted so that two reflecting mirrors having spherical or parabolic reflecting surfaces are arranged in a cell body in opposed relationship while the optical axes of them coincide with each other and the reflecting points of a laser beam on the respective reflecting surfaces are positioned so as to be arranged on the circular or oval track centering around the optical axes of the reflecting mirrors. The multiple reflecting light path is formed in the annular space region extending along the optical axes of the reflecting mirrors and another optical measuring system due to, for example, a non-dispersion type infrared absorbing method mutually independent of the standard optical measuring system is constituted in the columnar space region inside the annular space region. The gas measuring instrument includes the composite type multi-path cell. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to, for example, a composite multi-pass cell using laser light and a gas measuring device including the composite multi-pass cell.

Currently, for example, a gas using infrared absorption spectroscopy that detects the concentration of the detection target gas in accordance with the degree of attenuation of the amount of infrared light due to absorption of infrared light from the laser light source by the detection target gas (specific gas component) Many measuring instruments have been proposed.
In such a gas measuring instrument, for example, as the optical path length of infrared light in a measurement cell into which a gas to be inspected such as air in an ambient atmosphere is introduced, the sensitivity to a specific gas component in a low concentration range increases. For example, a configuration using a multiple reflection type measurement cell (hereinafter referred to as “Heliot type measurement cell”) using the operation principle of a so-called “Heliot cell” is proposed. (For example, refer to Patent Document 1).

The configuration of the Heriot-type measurement cell will be described with reference to FIG. 3. Two reflecting mirrors (21 having a spherical reflecting surface, which are arranged to face each other with their optical axes (L1, L2) being coincident with each other (21). , 31), and laser light emitted from the light source is incident on the cell body through an opening (not shown) formed in one of the reflecting mirrors (21), and is then reflected into the two reflecting mirrors (21 , 31), and then the light is output to the outside of the cell body again through the opening in one of the reflecting mirrors (21) and detected by the light receiving sensor (the incident position and the outgoing position coincide with each other). (See Non-Patent Document 1).
The multiple reflection optical path (MP) formed in the measurement cell is formed in an annular space region (A1) extending along the optical axes (L1, L2) of the reflecting mirrors (21, 31). The reflection points on the reflecting surfaces (21A, 31A) of the reflecting mirrors (21, 31) are arranged on, for example, a circular orbit (C1) centered on the optical axis (L1, L2) of the reflecting mirror (21, 31). Be positioned. In this example, in one reflector, the position of the reflection point is moved in a fixed direction with respect to the circumferential direction at predetermined intervals with multiple reflections, and is configured to circulate on the circular orbit (C1). Yes.
The magnitude of the optical path length in the multiple reflection optical path (MP) is determined appropriately by, for example, the focal length of the reflecting mirrors (21, 31), the separation distance between the reflecting mirrors (21, 31), the number of reflections, and other optical conditions. By setting to, it can be set according to the purpose.

Off-Axis Paths in Spiral Mirror Interferometers Herriot, H.C. Kogelnik, and R.K. Kompner (April 1964 / Vol. 3, No. 4 / APPLIED OPTICS)

JP 2006-58009 A

  Thus, in the Heliot type measurement cell, the multiple reflection optical path formed between the reflectors is one system, and the actual situation is that one gas component is the object of measurement. For example, the device itself It is desired that a plurality of types of gas components can be detected simultaneously without increasing the size of the gas.

The present invention has been made based on the above circumstances, and an object thereof is to provide a composite multipass cell having a novel structure capable of simultaneously detecting a plurality of types of gas components.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a gas measuring instrument that can detect a plurality of types of gas components simultaneously and with high accuracy and can be configured as a miniaturized one.

The composite multi-pass cell of the present invention includes a cell body, and two reflecting mirrors having a spherical or parabolic reflecting surface disposed opposite to each other in a state where the optical axes coincide with each other in the cell body. A reference optical measurement system for forming a multiple reflection optical path in which a reflection point of the laser beam is arranged on a circular or elliptical orbit centering on the optical axis of the reflecting mirror on the reflecting surface of each reflecting mirror; Yeah,
The multiple reflection optical path in the reference optical measurement system is formed in an annular space region extending along the optical axis of the reflecting mirror, and the reference optical measurement is performed in a cylindrical space region inside the annular space region. Another optical measurement system independent of the system is configured.

  In the composite multi-pass cell of the present invention, another optical measurement system is a direct-light type that directly receives light from a light source by a non-dispersive infrared absorption method, or is received from a light source. Each of the two reflecting mirrors is composed of a reflection type that reflects the light using the reflection surface region on the optical axis side than the reflection surface region used by the reference optical measurement system and causes the light receiving sensor to receive the light. can do.

  Furthermore, in the composite multipath cell of the present invention, the light sources in each of the reference optical measurement system and the other optical measurement systems emit light having different wavelengths even if they irradiate light having the same wavelength. Either irradiation or any of them may be performed.

  The gas measuring device of the present invention is characterized by comprising the above-mentioned composite type multipass cell.

According to the composite multipath cell of the present invention, since two independent multiple reflection optical paths are formed in one cell body, for example, multiple types of gas components can be detected simultaneously.
As the light source in each of the reference optical measurement system and other optical measurement systems, one that emits light of different wavelengths can be used to obtain high gas selectivity and simultaneously detect multiple types of gas components can do.
In addition, by using light sources that emit light of the same wavelength as the light source in each of the reference optical measurement system and the other optical measurement system, the optical path length of the multiple reflection optical path and other optical measurements in the reference optical measurement system are used. By setting the optical path length from the light source to the light receiving sensor in the system to different sizes, a wide measurement range can be obtained for one gas component.

  According to the gas measuring instrument of the present invention, since the composite multi-pass cell is provided, a plurality of types of gas components can be detected at the same time. In addition, the gas detection can be performed with high accuracy.

It is explanatory drawing which shows the outline of a structure in an example of the composite multipass cell of this invention, Comprising: (a) Sectional drawing which shows the cross section along the optical axis of a reflecting mirror, (b) It is a left view. The multiple reflection optical path formed in the reference optical measurement system of the composite multipass cell shown in FIG. 1 is shown in a state in which a reflection point on the reflection surface of the other reflection mirror is projected. FIG. It is a perspective view for demonstrating the multiple reflection optical path formed in the reference | standard optical measurement system of the composite type | mold multipass cell shown in FIG. It is explanatory drawing which shows the outline of a structure in an example of the other optical measurement system of the composite multipass cell shown in FIG. It is a block diagram which shows the outline of a structure in an example of the gas measuring device of this invention. It is explanatory drawing which shows the outline of a structure in the other example of the other optical measurement system of the composite type multipass cell shown in FIG.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail.
FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing an outline of the configuration of an example of a composite multi-pass cell according to the present invention, where (a) a cross-sectional view showing a cross section along the optical axis of a reflector, and (b) a left side view. 2 shows the multiple reflection optical path formed in the reference optical measurement system of the composite multipass cell shown in FIG. 1 on the reflection surface of one reflection mirror and the reflection point on the reflection surface of the other reflection mirror. FIG. 3 is a perspective view for explaining a multiple reflection optical path formed in the reference optical measurement system of the composite multipass cell shown in FIG.
This composite multi-pass cell has the same focal length (curvature radius) at the cylindrical cell body 11 into which the gas to be inspected (sample gas) is introduced and at both end positions in the axial direction. The first reflecting mirror 21 and the second reflecting mirror 31 having spherical reflecting surfaces 21A and 31A are provided in a state of being held and fixed by the reflecting mirror holding member 40, and the first reflecting mirror 21 and the second reflecting mirror 31 are provided. Both reflecting mirrors 31 are arranged to face each other with their optical axes L1 and L2 being coincident with each other. Reference numerals 41 </ b> A and 41 </ b> B in FIG. 1 are openings communicating with the internal space of the cell body 11, one being a test gas introduction opening and the other being a test gas discharge opening.

A light receiving sensor 28 that detects light emitted from the cell body 11 via the light source 26 and an appropriate reflection mirror 27 is disposed outside the cell body 11 on the first reflecting mirror 21 side. The laser light emitted from the light source 26 enters the cell body 11 through the opening 22 formed in the first reflecting mirror 21, is reflected by the two reflecting mirrors 21 and 31, and then again A first optical measurement system 25 is configured as a reference optical measurement system that is emitted to the outside of the cell body 11 through the opening 22 and received by the light receiving sensor 28 through the reflection mirror 27.
The opening 22 in the first reflecting mirror 21 is airtightly closed by a window plate member 45 having translucency from the back side of the reflecting mirror 21.

The light source 26 in the first optical measurement system 25 can be constituted by, for example, a near infrared semiconductor laser.
An example of the wavelength of the laser light from the light source 26 in the first optical measurement system 25 is shown in relation to the detection target gas. For example, the wavelength of the laser light used for detecting ¹² CO ₂ (carbon having a mass number of 12). 1 is 2.014 or 2.004 [μm], the wavelength of the laser light used for the detection of ¹³ CO ₂ (carbon atoms of mass number 13) is 2.040 [μm], in the detection of CH _4. 651 or 1.654 [μm], 1.568 [μm] for CO detection, 1.520 or 1.530 [μm] for C ₂ H ₂ detection, 1.517 [μm] for NH ₃ detection μm], 1.516 [μm] for detection of N ₂ O, 1.364 or 1.847 [μm] for H ₂ O, 1.747 or 1.743 [μm] for detection of HCl ].

In the multiple reflection optical path MP in the first optical measurement system 25, the reflection point on the reflecting surface 21A of the first reflecting mirror 21 (indicated by the reference numerals with (A) in FIGS. 2 and 3) Indicates the reflection order.) Is a circle having a radius R1 centered on the optical axis L1 of the reflecting mirror 21 including the light incident position (position where the opening 22 is formed) 0 (A) into the cell body 11. They are arranged on the track C1 so that the emission position 32 (A) coincides with the incident position 0 (A). Further, the reflection point on the reflecting surface 31A of the second reflecting mirror 31 (indicated by the reference numerals with (B) in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, the number indicates the reflecting order) is the first. The second reflecting mirror 31 is positioned so as to be aligned on a circular orbit C1 having a radius R1 with the optical axis L2 as the center.
The multiple reflection optical path MP in this embodiment is, for example, in one reflecting mirror 21 (31) where the position of the reflection point is constant in the circumferential direction (counterclockwise in FIG. 2) at every predetermined interval due to multiple reflection. ), Orbits, for example, 5 times on the circular orbit C1, and when the reflection point of the second reflecting mirror 31 is projected on the reflecting surface 21A of the first reflecting mirror 21 in the axial direction, One reflection point, for example, 15 (B) in the second reflection mirror 31 is positioned at a position between two reflection points, for example, 2 (A) and 28 (A), adjacent to each other in one reflection mirror 21. It is comprised so that.

  The optical path length of the multiple reflection optical path MP is not particularly limited. For example, the focal length (curvature radius) of the reflection mirrors 21 and 31, the separation distance between the reflection mirrors 21 and 31 (distance between center positions), and the number of reflections. And other optical conditions can be appropriately set according to the purpose by appropriately selecting them.

Thus, in this multipath cell, two independent optical measurement systems having different optical path lengths are formed in one cell body.
That is, the multiple reflection optical path MP in the first optical measurement system 25 is formed in an annular space region (cylindrical space region) A1 extending along the optical axis L1 (L2) of the reflecting mirror 21 (31). In the cylindrical space region A3 inside the annular space region A1, that is, the space region not used in the multiple reflection optical path MP of the first optical measurement system 25, one other optical measurement system (hereinafter referred to as “second optical”). "Measurement system") is located.

The second optical measurement system 35 is configured to detect a detection target gas by a non-dispersive infrared absorption method (NDIR). For example, as shown in FIG. The both ends of the first reflecting mirror 21 and the second reflecting mirror 31 are disposed so as to extend along the optical axes L1 and L2 while being fixed at the center of each of the second reflecting mirrors 31. The infrared light source 36 is provided on one end side in the cylindrical measurement cell portion forming member 39 and the light receiving sensor 38 is provided on the other end side. The light from the infrared light source 36 is directly received by the light receiving sensor 38. It is a direct light type light received by. In FIG. 4, reference numeral 37 denotes a reflecting member for reflecting the light emitted from the infrared light source 36 and irradiating the light receiving sensor 38 side.
The measurement cell portion forming member 39 is made of a material that is impermeable to infrared rays emitted from the infrared light source 36 and has a ventilation opening (not shown) that communicates the internal space with the internal space of the cell body 11. Is formed.

The infrared light source 36 in the second optical measurement system 35 irradiates the light having the same wavelength as the light source 26 in the first optical measurement system 25 even though it irradiates light having the same wavelength. Or any of them.
When the infrared light source 36 in the second optical measurement system 35 emits light having a wavelength different from that of the light source 26 in the first optical measurement system 25, a high gas selectivity can be obtained. The gas components of the seed can be detected at the same time. For example, a specific gas component and its interference gas component can be detected.
When the infrared light source 36 in the second optical measurement system 35 emits light having the same wavelength as that of the light source 26 in the first optical measurement system 25, the multiplexing in the first optical measurement system 25 is performed. Since there is a difference between the optical path length of the reflected optical path MP and the optical path length d from the infrared light source 36 to the light receiving sensor 38 in the second optical measurement system 35, a wide measurement range can be obtained for one specific gas component. Can do.

  As the infrared light source 36 constituting the second optical measurement system 35, for example, a filament lamp can be used.

  The optical path length d of the second optical measurement system 35 is set by the separation distance between the infrared light source 36 and the light receiving sensor 38, and the infrared light source 36 and the light receiving sensor 38 are positioned at both end positions of the measurement cell portion forming member 39. It is not necessary to be disposed, and accordingly, it can be appropriately set according to the purpose within the range of the axial length of the measurement cell portion forming member 39.

A configuration example of the composite multi-pass cell having the above configuration will be described. The first reflecting mirror 21 and the second reflecting mirror 31 have a focal length of 360 mm, a radius of curvature of 720 mm, and an outer peripheral edge of the reflecting surface 21A (31A). The diameter (the diameter of the effective reflection surface) is φ45 mm, the separation distance between the reflecting mirrors 21 and 31 (the distance between the center positions) is 320 mm, and the multiple reflection optical path MP in the first optical measurement system 25 has 31 reflections. Rotation (16 reciprocations), the radius R1 of the circular orbit C1 where the reflection point is located on the reflecting surfaces 21A and 31A of the reflecting mirrors 21 and 31 is 20 mm, the optical path length is about 10.24 m, and the second optical The measurement cell part forming member 39 in the measurement system 35 has an outer diameter of 15 mm and an optical path length d of about 320 mm.
The innermost position of the annular space region A1 where the multiple reflection optical path MP is formed in the first optical measurement system 25 is a position about 17.6 mm from the optical axis L1 (L2) of the reflecting mirror 21 (31). Yes, the beam diameter of the laser beam is about φ3 mm. Therefore, the multiple reflection optical path MP in the first optical measurement system 25 is obstructed by the arrangement of the measurement cell portion forming member 39 in the second optical measurement system 35. The two optical measurement systems 25 and 35 are configured as independent from each other.

As described above, the composite multi-pass cell as described above is suitably used, for example, for a gas measuring instrument using infrared absorption spectroscopy.
As shown in FIG. 5, the gas measuring instrument of the present invention includes a gas detection unit 50 configured by the composite multipass cell, a light source 26 that constitutes the first optical measurement system 25 in the composite multipass cell, and The function of controlling the operation of each of the infrared light sources 36 constituting the second optical measurement system 35 and the function of calculating the concentrations of the two types of gas components based on the detection signals from the light receiving sensors 28 and 38. And a control means 55 having
In the gas detection, the light source control unit 56 in the control means 55 controls the magnitude of the current supplied to the light source 26 in the first optical measurement system 25, for example. Light enters the cell main body 11, thereby forming a multiple reflection optical path MP, and the infrared light source 36 in the second optical measurement system 35 is driven to blink, for example, at a predetermined period. The first optical measurement system is supplied into the cell body 11 and introduced into the internal space of the measurement cell portion forming member 39 by natural diffusion through the ventilation opening in the measurement cell portion forming member 39. 25 is absorbed by the first detection target gas having absorption characteristics in the vicinity of the wavelength thereof, so that the light receiving sensor 28 The emitted infrared light amount is reduced, and the gas concentration corresponding to the degree of attenuation of the infrared light amount is detected by the signal processing unit 57 in the control means 55, and the infrared light related to the second optical measurement system 35 is in the vicinity of the wavelength. The amount of infrared light detected by the light receiving sensor 38 is reduced by being absorbed by the second detection target gas of a different type from the first detection target gas having absorption characteristics, and according to the degree of attenuation of the infrared light amount. The detected gas concentration is detected by the signal processing unit 57 in the control means 55.

Thus, according to the composite multipass cell having the above-described configuration, the two optical measurement systems 25 and 35 independent from each other are formed in one cell body 11, and for example, the first optical measurement system As the light source 26 in 25 and the infrared light source 36 in the second optical measurement system 35, those which irradiate laser beams having different wavelengths can be used, so that high gas selectivity can be obtained and included in the gas to be inspected. Two types of gas components can be detected at the same time, and in the multiple reflection optical path of the first optical measurement system, the required optical path length is secured without being obstructed by the second optical measurement system. Can be configured.
For example, as the light source 26 in the first optical measurement system 25, for example, an infrared light source (near infrared laser) having a center wavelength near 1.651 μm is used. As the infrared light source 36 in the second optical measurement system 35, for example, the center wavelength is When an infrared light source having a size of 4.3 μm is used, CH ₄ can be detected by the first optical measurement system 25 and CO ₂ can be detected by the second optical measurement system 35. For example, a specific gas component and its interference gas component can be detected.

  Therefore, according to the gas measuring instrument comprising the composite multi-pass cell, the composite multi-pass cell is formed with two independent optical measurement systems 25 and 35 to detect two kinds of gas components simultaneously. Therefore, the gas measuring device itself can be configured as a small one while being capable of detecting a plurality of types of gas components at the same time. In the optical measurement systems 25 and 35, a required optical path length can be ensured without being obstructed, so that the desired gas detection can be performed with high accuracy.

As mentioned above, although embodiment of this invention was described, this invention is not limited to said embodiment, A various change can be added.
For example, in the above embodiment, in the second optical measurement system 35 by NDIR, the measurement cell part forming member 39 is not necessarily required, and the infrared rays emitted from the infrared light source 36 are collected using, for example, an appropriate optical lens. The light receiving sensor 38 may be configured to receive light and receive light.
The configuration of the second optical measurement system 35 is not particularly limited. For example, as shown in FIG. 6, for example, from the infrared light source 36 disposed at the outer position on the second reflecting mirror 31 side. The light is reflected by using the reflection surface area that is not used in the formation of the multiple reflection optical path MP of the first optical measurement system 25 in the two reflection mirrors 21 and 31, and is arranged on the same reflection mirror side as the infrared light source 36. The light receiving sensor 38 can receive the reflected light.
Furthermore, the second optical measurement system 35 may be composed of an optical measurement system other than NDIR, for example, a system using laser light. In such a configuration, as the light source in the first optical measurement system and the light source in the second optical measurement system, those that irradiate laser beams having different wavelengths are used, for example, ¹² CO ₂ and ¹³ Measurement of isotopes such as CO ₂ can also be performed. In addition, as a light source in the first optical measurement system and a light source in the second optical measurement system, those that irradiate laser beams having the same wavelength are used, thereby obtaining a wide measurement range for one gas component. be able to.

Furthermore, the multiple reflection optical path MP in the first optical measurement system 25 does not have to be configured so that the position of the reflection point on the reflection surface of the reflection mirror circulates. For example, the position of the reflection point is in the circumferential direction. On the other hand, it may be configured so that the light is sequentially arranged in a predetermined direction, and after being appropriately reflected a number of times, the light is finally emitted from the opening that forms the incident position.
Furthermore, the configuration of the reflecting mirror, the size of the separation distance between the two reflecting mirrors, the number of reflections, the size of the optical path length in the multiple reflection optical path, and other specific configurations are not limited to the above embodiments. It can be set appropriately according to the purpose.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 11 Cell main body 21 1st reflective mirror 21A Reflective surface 22 Opening part 25 1st optical measurement system 26 Light source 27 Reflective mirror 28 Light reception sensor 31 2nd reflective mirror 31A Reflective surface 35 2nd optical measurement system 36 Infrared light source 37 Reflective member 38 Light receiving sensor 39 Measurement cell part forming member 40 Reflective mirror holding member 41A, 41B Opening 45 Window plate member 50 Detection part 55 Control means 56 Light source control part 57 Signal processing part L1 Optical axis L1 of the first reflective mirror L2 Optical axis of second reflecting mirror MP Multiple reflection optical path in first optical measurement system A1 Annular space region (cylindrical space region)
A3 cylindrical space region

Claims (6)

A cell body, two reflecting mirrors having a spherical or parabolic reflecting surface arranged in a state in which the optical axes coincide with each other in the cell body, and on the reflecting surface of each reflecting mirror A reference optical measurement system that forms a multiple reflection optical path positioned so that the reflection point of the laser beam is aligned on a circular or elliptical orbit centering on the optical axis of the reflector,
The multiple reflection optical path in the reference optical measurement system is formed in an annular space region extending along the optical axis of the reflecting mirror, and the reference optical measurement is performed in a cylindrical space region inside the annular space region. A composite multi-pass cell, wherein another optical measurement system independent of the system is configured.   2. The composite multipath according to claim 1, wherein the other optical measurement system is a direct light type that receives light from a light source directly by a light receiving sensor by a non-dispersive infrared absorption method. cell.   Another optical measurement system uses a non-dispersive infrared absorption method to transmit light from the light source to a reflection surface region on the optical axis side of the reflection surface region used by the reference optical measurement system in each of the two reflecting mirrors. 2. The composite multi-pass cell according to claim 1, wherein the composite multi-pass cell is of a reflected light type that is reflected by being utilized and received by a light receiving sensor.   4. The composite multipass cell according to claim 1, wherein the reference optical measurement system and the other optical measurement system include light sources that emit light having different wavelengths. 5.   The composite multipass cell according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the reference optical measurement system and the other optical measurement system include light sources that emit light having the same wavelength.   A gas measuring instrument comprising the composite multi-pass cell according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

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