INFRARED SENSING AND ANALYSIS IN INDUSTRIAL MEASUREMENTS

Spectroscopic measurements at infrared and visible wavelengths are wid ely used as a tool for laboratory analysis. Due to technological impro vements, more and more possibilities are opened for making similar met hodology feasible for direct on-line process measurements in harsh ind ustrial conditions or small portable equipment. New optoelectronic com ponents together with compact design can even be used to realize integ rated sensor-like analyser devices. Array and multiple-wavelength dete ctors reduce the need for mechanisms for wavelength multiplexing and o ffer the possibility of simultaneous measurement of several wavelength channels. The use of narrow-band semiconductor sources gives advantag es for modulation arrangements. Using array sources, electronic wavele ngth scanning becomes possible in some applications. The increased rea l-time signal-processing capability can be used to implement more comp lex measuring principles and efficiently compensate for disturbing eff ects. Instead of using only a few wavelengths, a whole spectral band a nalysis can be employed. As an example, real-time multielement analysi s, with complex calibration functions, becomes a feasible industrial m ethodology. The fields of application for infrared analysers can be fo und in chemical process industries, food industries, energy production , and environmental protection. Portable and integrated sensor-like an alyser components substantially increase application markets.