Utilizing hyperspectral imagery to identify highly-reactive volatile organic compounds in combustion flare emissions

The petroleum refining process utilizes the open-flame combustion of hydrocarbons by industrial flares to dispose of waste gas streams. These flares emit substantial quantities of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. Efficient, but incomplete, combustion will also result in the emission of trace amounts of ozone-forming highly-reactive volatile organic compounds (HR-VOCs) and human carcinogens. There currently exists a need for continuous and autonomous monitoring and control technology to minimize emissions of HR-VOCs and human carcinogens from flare emissions. Monitoring flare emission is challenging due to the low concentrations of the species of interest and varying environmental conditions. We outline the acquisition of the spectroscopy necessary to interpret hyperspectral imagery obtained from observing combustion flares. We utilize spectroscopic databases when they exist and quantum chemistry computations when they do not. Comparisons of analytic results to experimental measurements are provided for a small number of molecules.