Infrared sensor with multiple sources for gas measurement
AssigneeMSA Technology, LLC
InventorsCHRISTOPHER D. STARTA, ROBERT E. UBER, THOMAS TRAUTZSCH, FREDERICK J. SCHULER
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Abstract
A closed path infrared sensor includes an enclosure, a first energy source within the enclosure, at least a second energy source within the enclosure, at least one detector system within the enclosure and a mirror system external to the enclosure and spaced from the enclosure. The mirror system reflects energy from the first energy source to the at least one detector system via a first analytical path and reflects energy from the second energy source to the at least one detector system via a second analytical path. Each of the first analytical path and the second analytical path are less than two feet in length.
Claims20
A closed path infrared sensor, comprising:
- an enclosure,
- a first energy source within the enclosure,
- at least a second energy source with the enclosure,
- at least one detector system within the enclosure, and
- a mirror system external to the enclosure and spaced from the enclosure, the mirror system reflecting energy from the first energy source to the at least one detector system via a first analytical path and reflecting energy from the second energy source to the at least one detector system via a second analytical path, each of the first analytical path and the second analytical path being less than two feet in length.
A method of detecting a gas, comprising:
- exciting a first energy source positioned within an enclosure such that energy from the first energy source impinges upon a mirror system positioned external to the enclosure and spaced from the enclosure, the mirror system reflecting energy from the first energy source to at least one detector system positioned within the enclosure via a first analytical path,
- exciting at least a second energy source positioned within an enclosure such that energy from the second energy source impinges upon the mirror system, the mirror system reflecting energy from the second energy source to the at least one detector system via a second analytical path, which is different from the first analytical path, each of the first analytical path and the second analytical path being less than two feet in length;
- and
- determining a concentration of the gas based upon an analytical signal output from the detector system corresponding to the first analytical path and an analytical signal output from the detector system corresponding to the second analytical path.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.