Video and thermal imaging system for monitoring interiors of high temperature reaction vessels

1. An imaging system for real-time monitoring of an interior of a high temperature reaction vessel comprising:

an imaging fiber optic bundle having a light receiving end and a light output end;

a digital color camera comprising one of CCD and CMOS sensors and having a light receiving inlet in light transmission communication with said light output end and comprising one of primary color (RGB) and complimentary color (GMCY) filters placed over individual pixels of said sensors within said digital color camera in a BAYER mosaic layout;

focusing means for focusing light to be received by said light receiving end of said imaging fiber optic bundle, said focusing means comprising a wall disposed between said light receiving end and a light source, said wall forming a pinhole opening aligned with said light receiving end; and

processing means for processing said light received by said individual pixels to produce at least one of a video image and a thermal image of said interior of said high temperature reaction vessel.

2. The system of claim 1 further comprising viewing means for viewing said at least one of said video image and said thermal image operably connected with said processing means.

3. The system of claim 1 further comprising a relay lens disposed between said light outlet end of said imaging fiber optic bundle and said light receiving inlet of said digital color camera.

4. The system of claim 1 further comprising a housing disposed around said imaging fiber optic bundle, wherein said wall comprises one portion of said housing.

5. The system of claim 4 further comprising purge means for purging an inside of said housing.

6. The system of claim 4 further comprising cooling means for cooling an inside of said housing.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein said cooling means comprises a cooling jacket disposed on an exterior surface of said housing.

8. The system of claim 4 , wherein said light receiving end of said imaging fiber optic bundle is in direct communication with light exterior to said housing.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein said pinhole opening has a diameter in a range of about 1 μm to about 100 mm.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein said diameter is in a range of about 10 μm to about 100 μm.

11. A method for real-time monitoring of an interior of a combustor or gasifier comprising the steps of:

collecting light emitted by an interior surface of a refractory wall of said combustor or gasifier using an imaging fiber optic bundle having a light receiving end and a light output end;

capturing color information in said light from said light output end with one of primary color (RGB) filters and complimentary color (GMCY) filters placed over individual pixels of color sensors disposed within a digital color camera in a BAYER mosaic layout, producing one of RGB signal outputs and GMCY signal outputs; and

processing said signal outputs using intensity ratios of said one of said primary color filters and said complimentary color filters, producing at least one of video images and thermal images of said interior of said combustor or gasifier.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein said imaging fiber optic bundle is disposed within a housing and said light is focused by a pinhole formed by a wall of said housing disposed between said imaging fiber optic bundle and said interior surface of said refractory wall.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein an inside of said housing is purged using a purge gas.