Remote analysis using aerosol sample transport
OwnerDaniel R. Wiederininventor
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Abstract
Systems and methods are disclosed that use a nebulizer for remote aerosol generation and then transport the aerosol by way of, for example, an argon gas stream through tubing. By transporting the chemical to be analyzed in aerosol form, transport time is reduced from about 30 minutes to less than one minute, using a relatively small amount of sample, and enabling the accurate, remote analysis of a variety of chemicals, including relatively high pH chemicals.
Claims46
A remote chemical analysis system comprising:
- a detector;
- at least one remote nebulizer operable to provide an aerosolized sample to at least one length of aerosol transport tubing;
- and
- the length of aerosol transport tubing operable to transport the aerosolized sample over a distance greater than approximately two meters to the detector.
A remote chemical analysis system comprising:
- a detector;
- at least one remote nebulizer operable to provide an aerosolized sample to at least one aerosol transport line;
- the aerosol transport line operable to contain the aerosolized sample and to selectively transport the aerosolized sample over a distance greater than two meters through an aerosol manifold to the detector;
- and
- a nebulizer controller operable to selectively enable the remote nebulizer to provide the aerosolized sample to the detector.
A remote chemical analysis system comprising:
- a detector;
- at least one remote nebulizer operable to provide an aerosolized sample to at least one aerosol transport line;
- the aerosol transport line operable to contain the aerosolized sample and to transport the aerosolized sample over a distance greater than two meters through an aerosol control valve to the detector;
- and
- a gas source operable to provide gas to the aerosol transport line to transport the aerosolized sample to the detector.
A method of remotely monitoring purity of a chemical, the method comprising:
- receiving a sample of the chemical to analyze;
- converting the sample to an aerosol;
- transporting the aerosol through at least two meters of aerosol transport tubing to a detector;
- and
- determining a concentration of at least one elemental contaminant in the chemical.
A remote auto-sampling system comprising:
- means for extracting a sample of a chemical to analyze;
- means for converting the sample into aerosol form, resulting in an aerosolized sample;
- means for transporting the aerosolized sample through at least two meters of aerosol transport line to a means for analyzing the chemical;
- and
- means for determining a concentration of trace elemental contaminants in the chemical.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.