Metrology
… to Find and Develop Solutions for Experimental Questions
Investigation of noise emissions (thermal acoustics) on an industrial furnace. Photo: OWI
The number of test results is not inferred from direct observation, but from the interpretation of measured data. Some values like flame shapes and flame colours, which can be observed through inspection glasses, are accessible by direct observation. But most of the time, test results are revealed in terms of temperatures, pressures or gas concentrations. As a result, engineers and experimental technicians are dependent on measurement devices which – figuratively speaking – are the eyes and ears of the experimenters.
The metrology-workgroup at OWI is responsible for the selection or development of adequate measurement devices and methods for new experimental questions as well as to provide measurement technologies.
The OWI provides measurement methods for various applications:
Combustion technology
- Exhaust gas measurements and fuel gas measurements (CLD, NDIR, FID, FTIR)
- Particulate matter and particle measurements
- Thermal acoustics (vibration analyzer)
- Ionisation and combined probes
- thermography
Fluid measuring technology
- impedance spectroscopy
- hot-wire enometer
Besides these methods, in which mostly commercially available measurement devices are used, particular measurement methods – including the necessary devices – are developed at OWI. The methods comprise, for instance, the determination of the ion density in flames, which enables the detection of variations of reaction rates, or impedance spectroscopy for identifying components of fuel blends.