Method for measuring the concentration of nitrogen in argon by means of ion mobility spectrometry
AssigneeSaes Getters S.P.A.
InventorsLuca Pusterla, Robert Stimac, Antonio Bonucci, Marco Succi
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method for carrying out nitrogen analysis by ionization mobility spectroscopy, at concentrations of few parts per billion (ppb) in argon is described. The method involves the addition of hydrogen in concentration of at least 5 ppb and lower than 100 parts per million (ppm) to the argon to be analyzed; the hydrogen addition step is possibly preceded by a purification operation of the argon flow, so as to reduce the total concentration of impurities other than nitrogen under 1 ppb.
Claims18
A method for measuring nitrogen concentration in argon by means of ionization mobility spectroscopy comprising the steps of:
- providing an argon flow to be analyzed wherein the total concentration of impurities other than nitrogen is not higher than about 1 ppb;
- additioning hydrogen to said argon flow in such a quantity as to reach a concentration of hydrogen in the sample to be analyzed comprised between 0.005 and 100 part per million by volume;
- and
- analyzing the so produced mixture of gases with an IMS analyzer.
A method according to any of the preceding claims wherein the analysis step is carried out by establishing in the separation zone of the IMS instrument a flow of pure argon contrary to the direction of motion of the ions.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.