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TOTALLY OPTICAL TECHNIQUE FOR MONITORING AMBIENT NON-METHANE HYDROCARBONS
Citation:
Manos, D., H. Volltrauer, D. Burch, J. Chudy, AND J. Allen. TOTALLY OPTICAL TECHNIQUE FOR MONITORING AMBIENT NON-METHANE HYDROCARBONS. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, D.C., EPA/600/3-84/030 (NTIS PB84152800), 1984.
Description:
A method for measuring ambient levels of nonmethane hydrocarbons (NMHCs) has been developed and an instrument based on that method has been built. The instrument consists of a sample conditioner and an optical CO2-CO monitor. In the sample conditioner ambient air is scrubbed of CO2 and H2O and any NMHCs and CO present are catalytically oxidized to CO2. The CO2-CO monitor measures both the original CO present in the air as well as the CO2 resulting from conversion of NMHCs and the CO. The CO2 channel of the CO2-CO monitor measures the concentration of the CO2 produced, which is directly related to the concentration of NMHC.