The Babcock & Wilcox Company

Marshall H Cooper

Robert E Pocock

A detector for measuring free oxygen at ambient temperature in a combustible atmosphere which may be hazardous constructed as a differential thermocouple pair with the first thermocouple junction coated with a catalyst and the second thermocouple junction coated with a non-catalyst. Free oxygen in the combustible atmosphere reacts with the catalyst to liberate heat and thereby raise the temperature of the catalyst coated junction above that of the non-catalyst coated junction. Thus, the increase in temperature of the first thermocouple above that of the second thermocouple is indicative of the free oxygen in the combustible atmosphere.

Method for measuring free oxygen in a combustible atmosphere

A safety control system is disclosed for a coal pulverizer utilizing the measurements of net oxygen and carbon monoxide measurements of the pulverizer atmosphere. First levels of net oxygen and rate of carbon monoxide change are utilized in a control logic system to actuate alarms and automatic inerting of the pulverizer is accomplished utilizing a second level of net oxygen measurement and absolute carbon monoxide level in the pulverizer.

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Solon, OH, United States of America

Marshall H Cooper