Flame head for flame photometric detector used in gas chromatography

A flame head comprising:

• a body having a longitudinal passage extending therethrough;
• a fused quartz flame barrier tube having opposite ends disposed in said passage and defining at least a portion of a combustion chamber therein;
• a burner tip communicating with one end of said barrier tube, said burner tip having a central passage therethrough coaxially aligned with the longitudinal axis of the longitudinal passage of said body and having a plurality of passages circumferentially spaced around said central passage, the axes of said central passage and said circumferentially spaced passages converging at a point within said barrier tube;
• means communicating between said central passage of said burner tip and a source of fuel and a source of fluid to be analyzed;
• fiber-optic light transmission means having a terminal end thereof positioned adjacent the exterior of said barrier tube and extending therefrom through said body to a remote location for transmitting light from said combustion chamber to the remote location;
• a purge passage communicating between the exterior of said barrier tube adjacent the terminal end of said fiber-optic light transmission means and the ends of said circumferentially spaced passages remote from said barrier tube;
• means communicating between said purge passage and a source of oxygen;
• means adjacent the end of said flame barrier opposite said burner tip for igniting gases in said combustion chamber;
• and
• an exhaust passage communicating between the interior of said combustion chamber and the exterior of said body.

A flame photometric detector for monitoring process stream effluent fluid from a chromatographic column during the operation of the process, comprising:

• a body;
• a combustion chamber having opposite ends and housed in said body;
• a translucent barrier tube in said body defining at least a portion of said combustion chamber;
• a burner tip communicating with one end of said combustion chamber, said burner tip having a central passage therethrough substantially aligned with said combustion chamber and having a plurality of peripheral passages therethrough circumferentially spaced about said central passage;
• first conduit means communicating between said central passage of said burner tip and said chromatographic column for conducting effluent fluid from said chromatographic column to said combustion chamber via said central passage of said burner tip;
• second conduit means communicating between said central passage of said burner tip and a source of fuel for conducting fuel to said combustion chamber via said central passage of said burner tip;
• light fiber-optic transmission means having first and second end portions with the first end portion thereof positioned adjacent the exterior of said barrier tube for transmitting light emitted from the interior of said barrier tube to the second end portion of said fiber-optic light transmission means;
• photomultiplier means in light receiving communication with the second end portion of said light transmission means for receiving light therefrom and providing a signal output in response thereto;
• detection means connected to said photomultiplier means for receiving the signal output from said photomultiplier means and detecting the presence of at least one component in said effluent fluid in response to said signal output;
• oxygen passage means in said body communicating between said peripheral passages of said burner tip and a source of air for conducting oxygen to said combustion chamber via said peripheral passages;
• and
• exhaust passage means communicating between said combustion chamber and the exterior of said body for conducting products of combustion therethrough.

A flame photometric detector system for analyzing process stream effluent fluid from a chromatographic column during operation of process, comprising:

• a photodetection flame head comprising:
• a body having a combustion chamber therein;
• a translucent barrier tube in said body, the interior of said barrier tube surrounding at least a portion of said combustion chamber;
• a burner tip communicating with said combustion chamber and having a central passage therethrough communicating with the interior of said combustion chamber, and a plurality of peripheral passages therethrough and circumferentially spaced about said central passage, said peripheral passages communicating with the interior of said combustion chamber;
• fiber-optic light transmission means having first and second end portions with the first end portion thereof positioned adjacent said barrier tube for transmitting light emitting therefrom to the second end portion of said fiber-optic light transmission means;
• inlet passage means communicating between the peripheral passages of said burner tip and the exterior of said barrier tube;
• and
• exhaust passage means communicating between said combustion chamber and the exterior of said body;
• means for conducting fuel to the central passage of said burner tip;
• means for conducting said effluent fluid to the central passage of said burner tip;
• photomultiplier means in light receiving communication with the second end portion of said fiber-optic light transmission means for receiving light therefrom and providing a signal output in response thereto;
• detection means connected to said photomultiplier means for receiving the signal output from said photomultiplier means and detecting the presence of at least one component of said effluent fluid in response thereto;
• and
• means for conducting oxygen to said inlet passage means.