Diagnostics of alkali and heavy metal release The results of a study on the availability and potential use of alkali sensors have recently been published by the European Commission, DG XII. The study was carried out under the EU's Non-nuclear Energy research programme (JOULE-THERMIE), to assess the current availability of... The results of a study on the availability and potential use of alkali sensors have recently been published by the European Commission, DG XII. The study was carried out under the EU's Non-nuclear Energy research programme (JOULE-THERMIE), to assess the current availability of instruments for the on-line measurement of alkali, one of the main corrosive agents in solid fuel conversion. The report begins with a detailed assessment of the current need for alkali detection and the reasons for its existence in the solid fuel conversion process. The fundamental aspects of the detection of alkali species and the relevant types of power plants for alkali measurement are also documented in the report. An additional section is devoted to the results of a survey of more than 50 selected companies and institutions, which aimed to provide a worldwide assessment of the state-of-the-art in alkali measurements. Details of three new European developments on the on-line diagnostics of alkali, the "Excimer laser induced fragmentation fluorescence (ELIF)", the "Plasma excited resonance line spectroscopy (PEARLS)" and the "Surface ionisation (SI)" techniques, are discussed in the report. Their future marketing potential with instrument and plant manufacturers, as well as plant operators - who could use these new developments in advanced coal fired power plants - is also assessed.
