Ice nucleii counter technology
AssigneeKanomax FMT, Inc.
InventorDerek Oberreit
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method and system of measuring the size distribution of particles within dilute colloids, for example, through variation of the minimum ice-nucleation sizes of particles within the colloid. The system for measuring particles in fluids includes, a sample fluid inlet and an ice nuclei counter communicatively connected to the sample fluid inlet, the ice nuclei counter cooling the sample fluid and measuring particles which form crystals in the cooled fluid. The method for measuring particles in fluid includes the steps of providing a sample fluid, cooling the sample fluid, and measuring particles which form crystals in the cooled fluid.
Claims22
An apparatus for measuring the size distribution and concentration of low concentrations of very small particles in colloids, comprising,
- a sample fluid inlet;
- a particle concentrator connected to the sample fluid inlet, the particle concentrator being selected from the group consisting of a solvent evaporator, and a cross flow filter;
- an ice nuclei counter communicatively connected to the particle concentrator, the ice nuclei counter cooling a sample fluid input at the sample fluid inlet and measuring particles which form crystals in a cooled fluid generated by the ice nuclei counter, the ice nuclei counter comprising:
- a sheathing fluid inlet communicatively connected to the sample fluid inlet for sheathing the sample fluid in an immiscible sheathing fluid having a predetermined freezing point,
- a nucleation cell, having at least one wall surrounding the nucleation cell, for passage of the sheathed, sample fluid,
- a chiller for temporally, adjustably cooling the nucleation cell, and
- a detector for detecting crystals in a cooled and sheathed sample fluid in the ice nuclei counter:
- and
- wherein the sheathed sample fluid is cooled to a predetermined temperature which is lower than the freeing temperature of the sample fluid, whereby it is supercooled, and ice crystals are detected:
- and
- wherein the ice nuclei counter measures size distribution and concentration of particles in the sample fluid, and wherein the ice nuclei counter measures less than 20 nm in diameter.
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An apparatus for measuring the size distribution and concentration of low concentrations of very small particles in colloids, comprising,
- a. a sample fluid inlet;
- b. a particle concentrator connected to the sample fluid inlet, the particle concentrator being selected from the group consisting of a solvent evaporator, and a cross flow filter;
- c. an ice nuclei counter communicatively connected to the particle concentrator, the ice nuclei counter cooling the sample fluid and measuring particles which form crystals in the cooled fluid, the ice nuclei counter comprising:
- a sheathing fluid inlet communicatively connected to the sample fluid inlet for sheathing the sample fluid in an immiscible sheathing fluid having a predetermined freezing point,
- ii. a nucleation cell, having at least one wall surrounding the nucleation cell, for passage of the sheathed, sample fluid,
- iii. a chiller for temporally, adjustably cooling the nucleation cell, and
- iv. a detector for detecting crystals in the cooled, sheathed sample fluid;
- and
- wherein the sheathed sample fluid is cooled to a predetermined temperature which is lower than the freezing temperature of the sample fluid, whereby it is supercooled, and ice crystals are detected;
- wherein the ice nuclei counter measures the size distribution of particles and the concentration of particles, and wherein the ice nuclei counter measures particles less than 20 nm in diameter;
- and
- a sheathing fluid recovery assembly including a tank wherein sample fluid and sheathing fluid separate, sheathing fluid is drawn from the tank and recycled to the ice nuclei counter, and waste sample fluid drains from the assembly.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.