Principle of Operation

Detail of self-aligning optical system.  Sample is drawn in through 'stinger' probe on right and passes through miniature absorption cell (silver cylinder located beaneath sample tubes). Infrared laser and detector complete the optical head assembly.  System is rugged, portable and most importantly, alignment-free.

The RFA-2000 operates on the principle of line-of-sight optical absorption in a low-volume flow cell located remotely from the measurement zone.  A small 1/16 inch diameter extractive suction tube is used to draw a sample at high flow velocities through a 12 mm pathlength cell with a 2 millisecond residence time.  The optical absorption signal can be quantitatively related to the hydrocarbon fuel vapor concentration using the Beer-Lambert law and published values for the optical absorption coefficient of most hydrocarbon fuels.   This technique is quantitative since the RFA-2000 privides a constant pathlength and measures the sample pressure, temperature and optical absorption signals simultaneosuly.

The RFA-2000 detects most hydrocarbon (HC) based fuels using infrared laser absorption at 3.39 microns.  Fuels compatible with the RFA-2000 include CH4, natural gas, propane, jet aircraft fuel, kerosene, gasoline, etc.

The main advantage of the RFA-2000 is that it is a complete system designed and built for portability, reliability and ease of use.   It will stay self-aligned optically and does not require expertise with optical diagnostic instrumentation.  It is truly a turnkey system.

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