Method of detecting a contraband substance
AssigneeBritish Aerospace Public Company Limited, Bracknell Division
InventorsNeil M. Reid, William R. Davidson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method of detecting contraband substances in freight cargo containers in which the container is agitated to disturb particulates therein, and air containing such particulates is then sampled and the particulates collected. The collected particulates include naturally occurring particulates which have absorbed vapors of the contraband substance during the entire time that the container has been closed, and also include particulates of the contraband substance itself. The collected particulates are heated to drive off vapors indicative of the contraband substance and the vapors are analyzed in a mass analyzer.
Claims23
A method of detecting a substance in a container, said substance being of the kind which emits particulates or which emits vapors that can be retained by non-volatile particulates, said method comprising the steps of:
- (1) ensuring that said container has been agitated substantially immediately before step (2) below to cause at least some of the particulates present within said container to become airborne within said container,
- (2) sucking air containing said airborne particulates from said container into a collector without vacuuming any surfaces in said container, and collecting at least some of said particulates in said air, such collection being without heating said particulates sufficiently to release vapor of said substance therefrom,
- (3) then after collecting said particulates, rapidly heating said collected particulates sufficiently to release vapor of said substance therefrom, and
- (4) analyzing said vapor for said substance.
Apparatus for detecting a substance in a freight container, said substance being of the kind with emits particulates or which emits vapors that can be retained by non-volatile particulates, said apparatus comprising:
- (1) collection means for collecting particulates,
- (2) suction means for sucking air, and airborne particulates in said air, from the volume of air within said container into said collection means to collect at least some of said airborne particulates from said container in said collection means,
- (3) means operable after collection of said airborne particulates for rapidly heating said collected particulates sufficiently to release vapors of said substance therefrom,
- (4) analyzer means for analyzing said vapors,
- (5) and means for conveying vapors released from said particulates from said collection means into said analyzer means for analysis thereof.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.