Note: A heated-air curtain design using the Coanda effect to protect optical access windows in high-temperature, condensing, and corrosive stack environments

Gustavious Paul Williams; Thomas L Keenan; James Herning; Clare Kimblin; John DiBenedetto; Glen Anthony

doi:10.1063/1.3514098

Note: A heated-air curtain design using the Coanda effect to protect optical access windows in high-temperature, condensing, and corrosive stack environments

Rev Sci Instrum. 2011 Jan;82(1):016105. doi: 10.1063/1.3514098.

Authors

Gustavious Paul Williams¹, Thomas L Keenan, James Herning, Clare Kimblin, John DiBenedetto, Glen Anthony

Affiliation

¹ National Security Technologies, LLC, Las Vegas, Nevada 89030, USA.

PMID: 21280868
DOI: 10.1063/1.3514098

Abstract

We present an air knife design for creating a heated air curtain to protect optical infrared access windows in high-temperature, condensing, and corrosive stack environments. The design uses the Coanda effect to turn the air curtain and to attach the air curtain to the window surface. The design was tested and verified on our 24 m stack and used extensively over a 6 yr period on several release stacks. During testing and subsequent use no detrimental changes to access window materials have been noted. This design allows stack monitoring without significantly affecting the stack flow profile or chemical concentration.