Optical probe for process Raman spectroscopy and method of use

1. A probe, comprising:

a probe body having a center axis defining a proximal end and a distal end and including an aperture in the distal end;

a window affixed in the aperture, wherein the window is substantially optically transparent;

a flange adjoining the proximal end of the probe body and extending outwardly therefrom, the flange including a sealing surface and a sealing edge, wherein the flange separates an in-process portion of the probe from an ex-process portion of the probe, the in-process portion including at least the probe body, the sealing surface and the sealing edge; and

a collar adjoining the flange opposite the probe body in the ex-process portion of the probe,

wherein the probe body, flange and collar define an inner volume therethrough, the inner volume configured to accommodate an optic cable such that the optic cable can pass through the probe body, flange and collar as to be in optical communication with the window, and

wherein at least the in-process portion of the probe consists essentially of an austenitic stainless steel material, wherein the austenitic stainless steel material meets at least one of: ASTM UNS S31050, AISI 310 MoLN, EN X1CrNiMoN25-22-2 and EN 1.4466.

2. The probe of claim 1 , wherein the probe body, flange and collar are manufactured of the same austenitic stainless steel material.

3. The probe of claim 1 , wherein the probe body, flange and collar form one, integral part.

4. The probe of claim 1 , wherein the ex-process portion of the probe consists essentially of type 316 steel material.

5. The probe of claim 1 , further comprising:

a main body having a distal end and a proximal end, the main body defining a channel therethrough, wherein the channel is configured to accommodate at least the proximal end of the probe body into the proximal end of the main body, the channel further configured to enable the optic cable to pass into the main body and connect to the probe body; and

a process connection affixed to the main body at or near the proximal end of the main body, the process connection configured to enable the probe, in assembly, to be attached to a process connector of a process, wherein the flange of the probe seats against the process connection, and

wherein the probe is reversibly attached at or near the proximal end of the main body such that the probe body extends from the main body.

6. The probe of claim 5 , further comprising:

a fiber connection including an interlock connected to the distal end of the main body and configured to reversibly attach the optic cable to the probe.

7. The probe of claim 1 , wherein the sealing surface is adapted to seal against a complementary surface of a process container or of a flow cell configured to accommodate the probe body.

8. The probe of claim 1 , wherein the window is composed of sapphire.

9. A method for in-line quantitative analysis of at least one process stream of a urea synthesis process, the method comprising:

providing a spectroscopic system, comprising:

a narrow band light source adapted to generate excitation light of a suitable wavelength;

an optical probe, the probe including:

a probe body having a center axis defining a proximal end and a distal end and including an aperture in the distal end;

a window affixed in the aperture, wherein the window is substantially optically transparent;

a flange adjoining the proximal end of the probe body and extending outwardly therefrom, the flange including a sealing surface and a sealing edge, wherein the flange separates an in-process portion of the probe from an ex-process portion of the probe, the ex-process portion including at least the probe body, sealing surface and sealing edge; and

a collar adjoining the flange opposite the probe body,

wherein the probe body, flange and collar define an inner volume therethrough, the inner volume configured to accommodate an optic cable such that the optic cable can pass through the probe body, flange and collar and be in optical communication with the window, and wherein at least the in-process portion of the probe consists essentially of an austenitic stainless steel material;

a spectrometer configured to generate Raman spectra from scattered light conveyed to the spectrometer via the probe, the spectrometer including a detector;

the optic cable in optical communication between the probe and the spectrometer; and

a processor configured to control the spectroscopic system and to process and analyze the Raman spectra;

generating the excitation light using the light source and transmitting the excitation light via the probe to a process sample of at least one process stream of a urea synthesis process;

detecting the scattered light with the detector of the spectrometer via the probe and processing the scattered light to generate a Raman spectrum;

modeling the Raman spectrum using a chemometric model, the model including a conversion of a spectroscopy band corresponding to excitation of the carbonyl di-amide bond and of a spectroscopy band corresponding to excitation of atomic bonds in the carboxyl form, the modeling performed using the processor; and

determining a concentration of urea in the at least one process stream using the model of the Raman spectrum based on the modeled excitation of the carbonyl di-amide bond, wherein a concentration in the at least one process stream of carbon-containing molecules other than urea and having a carboxyl group is determined using the model of the Raman spectrum as an equivalent concentration of carbon dioxide corresponding to the excitation of the atomic bonds in the carboxyl form, the determining performed using the processor,

wherein urea is synthesized from ammonia and carbon dioxide using the urea synthesis process at a pressure in the range of 100 to 300 bar and a temperature in the range of 50 to 250° C.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the excitation of the carbonyl di-amide bond of molecules of urea is detected from a Raman shift of the excitation light in a frequency range of 900 to 1050 cm −1 ; and

wherein the carbon-containing molecules other than urea are detected from a Raman shift of the excitation light in a frequency range of 1000 to 1150 cm′.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the processor is further configured to determine a concentration of ammonia from a Raman shift of the excitation light in a frequency range of 1350 to 1750 cm −1 .

12. The method of claim 9 , wherein the austenitic stainless steel material meets at least one of: ASTM UNS S31050, AISI 310 MoLN, EN X1CrNiMoN25-22-2 and EN 1.4466.

13. The method of claim 9 , wherein the probe body, flange and collar are manufactured of the same austenitic stainless steel material.

14. A computer program product comprising a non-transitory, computer-readable medium storing instructions stored thereon that, when executed by at least one programmable processor, cause the at least one programmable processor to perform a Raman spectroscopic analysis by performing operations, comprising:

generating excitation light using a light source and transmitting the excitation light via a probe to a process sample of at least one process stream of a urea synthesis process;

detecting scattered light from the at least one process stream with a detector of a spectrometer via the probe and processing the scattered light to generate a Raman spectrum;

modeling the Raman spectrum using a chemometric model, the model including a conversion of a spectroscopy band corresponding to excitation of the carbonyl di-amide bond and of a spectroscopy band corresponding to excitation of the atomic bonds in the carboxyl form; and

determining a concentration of urea in the at least one process stream using the model of the Raman spectrum based on the modeled excitation of the carbonyl di-amide bond, wherein a concentration in the at least one process stream of carbon-containing molecules other than urea and having a carboxyl group is determined by using the model of the Raman spectrum as an equivalent concentration of carbon dioxide corresponding to the excitation of the atomic bonds in the carboxyl form,

wherein urea is synthesized from ammonia and carbon dioxide using the urea synthesis process at a pressure in the range of 100 to 300 bar and a temperature in the range of 50 to 250° C.

15. The computer program product of claim 14 , wherein the stored instructions include instructions for performing an operation including determining a concentration of ammonia from a Raman shift of the excitation light in a frequency range of 1350 to 1750 cm −1 .

16. The computer program product of claim 14 , wherein the stored instructions include instructions for performing operations including:

determining the concentration of urea from a detected Raman shift of the excitation light in a frequency range of 900 to 1050 cm −1 based on the modeled excitation of the carbonyl di-amide bond of molecules of urea; and

determining the equivalent concentration of carbon dioxide from a detected Raman shift of the excitation light in a frequency range of 1000 to 1150 cm −1 based on the modeled excitation of the atomic bonds in the carboxyl form of the carbon-containing molecules other than of urea.