Task-specific tailored multiple-reflection mirror systems for sensitivity enhancement of spectroscopic measurements: application for aircraft engine exhaust emission measurements with FT-IR spectro

Multi-path reflection mirror systems in White- or Herriott- type configuration have been widely used to enhance the absorption path-length and thus the sensitivity of laboratory spectroscopic systems, e.g. for smog chamber studies and molecular spectroscopy. Field studies, for instance using mobile tunable diode laser spectroscopy have widened the range of applications of these mirror systems for specific measurement tasks. In this paper a special designed White-type system mounted in two racks with 5 m base-length and adjustable optical path-length up to 74 passes is described. This system has been tested and successfully used to enhance the sensitivity of non-intrusive FT-IR measurements of aircraft engine exhaust emissions in the harsh environment of an engine test bed. The open cell around the engine plume including the transfer optics for the adaption of the spectrometers in a separate room allowed manual switching between passive FT-IR emission measurements, FT-IR absorption measurements with the cell, and, by covering the infrared source (globar) with a shutter, multi-path FT-IR emission measurements. Tests prior to the aircraft engine measurements were made to investigate the influence of different path- lengths, the position of the plume in the White cell, soot in the exhaust gas, and vibrations of the mirrors. The FT-IR spectra from all three measurement modes using the White cell during the engine measurements were found to be of good quality and the results of the analyses were comparable to the results from intrusive measurement systems.© (1999) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.