Modulated hydrogen ion flame detector
AssigneeThe United States of America as represented by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Office of General Counsel-Code GP
InventorJohn Dimeff
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Abstract
In a hydrogen flame detector there is provided a means for modulating the density of a gas stream prior to its introduction into the detector flame. A detector, responsive to the resulting modulation of the flame, is provided for producing an output signal having a component fluctuating at the frequency of modulation. A cross-correlator, responsive to the output signal and a signal at the frequency of modulation, is provided for producing a resultant signal proportional to the cross-correlation between its two input signals. A means is further provided for recording or otherwise utilizing the resultant signal thus produced.
Claims4
In a hydrogen flame detector having a means forming a chamber for receiving a mixture of a known gas and an unknown gas;
- a means forming a nozzle at one end of said chamber for providing a flame of said mixture of gases;
- and an electrode means for collecting ions of said unknown gas generated in said flame, the improvement comprising:
- a means for modulating the density of said mixture of gases in said chamber at a predetermined frequency prior to their introduction into said flame, said modulation of said mixture serving to modulate said ions of said unknown gas at said predetermind frequency;
- a means coupled to said electrode means for providing an output signal in response to said modulated ions having a component fluctuating at said predetermined frequency;
- a means responsive to said modulating means for generating a reference signal having a component fluctuating at said predetermined frequency;
- a means responsive to said output and said reference signals for providing a resultant signal corresponding to the cross-correlation between said first and said second output signal;
- and
- a means coupled to said resultant signal generating means for utilizing said resultant signal.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.