Book dossier

Industrial applications of laser diagnostics

by Yoshihiro Deguchi

"With numerous real-world industrial examples, this cohesive work reviews current laser-based techniques as applied to industrial monitoring and diagnostics. It covers regulations, safety and environmental issues, and a range of modern applications in industrial physics and engineering. The book focuses on laser-induced fluorescence, laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy, tunable diode laser absorption spectroscopy, time-of-flight mass spectroscopy, and optical fiber sensing technology. It also explores industrial products that address environmental and safety requirements"-- "Preface Recent years have seen tighter regulations of harmful substances such as NOx, CO, heavy metals, particles, and environmental emissions from cars as well as several types of commercial plant discharges. It is also a major challenge to reduce anthropogenic carbon dioxide emissions. Behind the trend is the fact that increased carbon dioxide in the air is a leading cause of global warming and adversely affects natural ecosystems. Further, the demands for lowering the burdens on the environment continue to grow steadily. It is thus becoming more important to understand emission characteristics to minimize environmental disruption and improve the efficiency of industrial machinery and plant processes. Considering the above situation, it is also equally important to monitor controlling factors in order to improve the operation of industrial machinery and plants. There are several methods to detect the parameters of these emissions and controls, consisting of well-known "industrial standards." These standard methods are well established and easily accessible, although they are limited in terms of meeting industrial needs because of slow response, low sensitivity, complicated preconcentrations, and similar factors. In contrast, laser diagnostics make it possible to monitor these parameters in the in situ and real-time mode because of their fast response, high sensitivity, and noncontact features. Among the many techniques now being proposed, several methods such as tunable diode laser absorption spectroscopy have been intensively employed to meet practical industrial requirements. However, recent advances in laser diagnostics have not shown substantial progress from a practical application standpoint"--