Optical sensor device for local analysis of a combustion process in a combustor of a thermal power plant

1. An optical sensor device for local analysis of a combustion process in a combustor of a thermal power plant, the sensor comprising:

at least one wavelength selective optical element configured and arranged to operate at temperatures up to 1600° C. and to be exposed directly or indirectly to hot combustion gases when produced by said combustion process, said optical element comprising an array of nano- and/or microcrystalline fibers created by shear flow crystallization;

a mirror;

a detector;

a light source configured and arranged to emanate a light beam passing at least once through said at least one optical element and at least partially enters the detector;

wherein said at least one optical element comprises at least two optical elements on the same substrate onto which each array of nano- and/or microcrystalline fibers are created by shear flow crystallization while rotating said substrate about an axis or rotation, and said at least two optical elements are positioned on said substrate at different circular sections towards said axis; and

wherein said substrate is pivotably arranged about said axis of rotation so that the at least two optical elements are alignable one after the other to said light beam when emanating from said light source.

2. An optical sensor device according to claim 1 , wherein:

the mirror is arranged opposite to the light source relative to the optical element;

the detector is positioned at the same side of the optical element as the light source; and

the mirror includes a mirror surface from which said light beam can be at least partially reflected so that at least a reflected light beam fraction passes through said optical element in an opposite direction to be detected by the detector.

3. An optical sensor according to claim 2 , wherein said mirror surface is planar or parabolic and spaced from said optical element.

4. An optical sensor according to claim 2 , further comprising:

means for waveguiding provided at least between said light source and said optical element, at least for guiding light from said light source to said optical element, reflected light from said optical element to the detector, or both.

5. An optical sensor according to claim 4 , wherein said means for waveguiding is formed by shear flow crystallization.

6. An optical sensor according to claim 2 , further comprising said combustor, and wherein at least said optical element and said mirror are positioned in said combustor.

7. An optical sensor according to claim 1 , wherein said optical element is configured and arranged as a photonic filter-bank having a local maximum peak of photonic transmission.

8. An optical sensor according to claim 2 , wherein the combustor includes a wall having an opening therein, the sensor further comprising:

a measuring volume which borders the combustor wall, said measuring volume being encapsulated and communicating through the combustor wall opening with the combustor so that at least a portion of hot gases when in said combustor enters said measuring volume; and

wherein at least said optical element and said mirror are positioned in said measuring volume.

9. An optical sensor according to claim 8 , further comprising:

a high temperature resistant membrane which is selectively porous for chemical compounds, the membrane configured and arranged to cover said opening.

10. An optical sensor according to claim 1 , wherein the combustor includes a burner flame, and wherein said optical sensor is positioned downstream of the combustor burner flame.

11. An optical sensor according to claim 1 , wherein the sensor is configured and arranged to detect temperature, pressure, NO x pollutant emissions, CO emissions, unburned hydrocarbons, volatile organic compounds, nitrous oxides, sulphur oxides, and combinations thereof, inside said combustor.

12. An optical sensor according to claim 1 , wherein said array of nano- and/or microcrystalline fibers of the optical element is of controllable dimensions, and comprises a primary array of colloidal organic, metal oxides, metal, or inorganic nanoparticles, deposited onto amorphous, polycrystalline, or a single crystalline flat or curvature support using shear-flow crystallization under distinct crystallization conditions and post-crystallization thermal treatment, the fibers including closely packed and distinct crystallographically rationally orientated crystal packing relative to external faces thereof and distinct orientation of the fibers relative to crystallization cell geometry.

13. An optical sensor according to claim 12 , wherein the primary array of nano- and/or microcrystalline fibers are aligned.

14. An optical sensor according to claim 13 , wherein the primary array of nano- and/or microcrystalline fibers is aligned parallel into two-dimensional secondary arrays.

15. An optical sensor according to claim 14 , wherein the secondary arrays are configured and arranged to provide curvature gratings on at least one surface of said optical element for focusing and monochromatization of a light beam when passing through said optical element.

16. An optical sensor according to claim 15 , wherein said at least one surface of said optical element is spherical, ellipsoidal, toroidal, paraboloidal, or cylindrical.

17. An optical sensor according to claim 14 , wherein the secondary arrays are crystallized as a window that transmits a radiation of interest.

18. An optical sensor according to claim 14 , wherein said secondary arrays of the optical element are aligned in multilayers with different periods, each period for a different wavelength band.

19. An optical sensor according to claim 14 , wherein said secondary arrays comprise self aligned elements selected from the group consisting of nanotubes, nanorods, nanowires, and combinations thereof, onto a patterned optically transparent and high-temperature stable substrate.

20. An optical sensor according to claim 19 , wherein the patterned substrate comprises channels for self alignment of said self aligned elements, having a channel width between 2 to 10 μm and being separated laterally by a distance between 50 to 200 μm.

21. An optical sensor according to claim 19 , wherein said self aligned elements comprise molecular iodine or other molecular or atomic media exhibiting no substantial chemical interaction.

22. An optical sensor according to claim 13 , made by a process further comprising: treating the primary array after crystallization, to create a gradient of coalescence of the particles and a resultant gradient of microstructure and electron/heat transport properties along the array.

23. An optical sensor according to claim 22 , wherein treating the primary array after crystallization comprises external thermal treatment.

24. An optical sensor according to claim 1 , wherein said at least two optical elements differ in properties of optical wavelength transmission.

25. An optical sensor according to claim 1 , wherein said at least two optical elements are arranged equidistant from said axis of rotation.

26. A method of using an optical sensor, the method comprising:

providing an optical sensor comprising at least one wavelength selective optical element configured and arranged to operate at temperatures up to 1600° C. and to be exposed directly or indirectly to hot combustion gases when produced by said combustion process, said optical element comprising an array of nano- and/or microcrystalline fibers created by shear flow crystallization, a detector, a light source configured and arranged to emanate a light beam passing at least once through said at least one optical element and at least partially enters the detector, wherein said at least one optical element comprises at least two optical elements on the same substrate onto which each array of nano- and/or microcrystalline fibers are created by shear flow crystallization while rotating said substrate about an axis of rotation, and said at least two optical elements are positioned on said substrate at different circular sections towards said axis, and wherein said substrate is pivotably arranged about said axis of rotation so that the at least two optical elements are alignable one after the other to said light beam when emanating from said light source; and

passively filtering required parts of UV, visible, NIR, or IR spectra with said sensor, for actively qualitative and quantitative sensing change of gases inside a part of a gas turbine due to change in oxygen concentration and solid state conductivity inside portions of the sensor.