Raman Spectroscopy for Monitoring NOx and N2O in Combustion Products

The increasing adoption of alternative fuels such as hydrogen and ammonia in energy systems has created a growing need for advanced diagnostic techniques capable of monitoring combustion products with high specificity and flexibility. In this context, Raman spectroscopy represents a promising optical approach for gas analysis, as it enables the simultaneous detection of multiple species without requiring sample preparation. In this work, the performance of a cost-effective Raman-based system on quantitative detection of nitrogen oxides (NO and NO2) and nitrous oxide (N2O) is presented. The experimental setup is based on a multi-pass optical configuration designed to enhance the Raman signal and employs off-the-shelf components, including an uncooled CMOS detector. Calibration measurements were carried out using gas mixtures at known partial pressures, and gas concentrations were retrieved through a nonlinear least-squares fitting procedure applied to the measured spectra. The results show that the system provides linear and repeatable responses for NO and N2O over the investigated pressure ranges, with low mean errors and limited data dispersion, while NO2 performance could not be fully quantified in a comparable manner due to the high reactivity of the species under the tested conditions. Overall, the proposed system represents a viable and cost-effective solution for multi-species gas analysis in emerging combustion applications. This work aims to extend the industrial applicability of Raman spectroscopy to NOx and NO2 diagnostics.