Thermocentrifugometric analysis

A thermocentrifugometric analyzer for measuring the continuous mass change of a test material subjected to at least one selected temperature and fluid, said analyzer comprising:

• a. a rotating shaft and means for rotating said shaft around a first axis of rotation;
• b. a support means rotatable mounted on said shaft for rotation about a second axis of rotation, said second axis of rotation being perpendicular to said first axis of rotation;
• c. a test material holding means extending outwardly from said support means to support a test material while it is rotated about said first axis of rotation;
• d. a reference material holding means extending outwardly from said support means to support a know reference material while it is rotated about said first axis of rotation;
• e. enclosure means for subjecting the test material to at least one preselected temperature and fluid;
• f. means for measuring the angle of rotation of said support means about said second axis of rotation while said test material and said reference material are rotated about said first axis of rotation and subjected to said preselected temperature and fluid;
• whereby the change in mass of said tested material by be measured by a derivative value of said angle of rotation.

A thermocentrifugometric analyzer for measuring the mass change of a test material subject to at least one selected temperature and fluid, said analyzer comprising:

• a. a rotatable means and means for rotating said means around a first axis of rotation;
• b. a rotor means rotatably mounted on said rotable means for rotation about a second axis of rotation perpendicular to said first axis of rotation;
• c. a test sample holding means extending outwardly from said support means to support a test material while it is rotated about said first axis of rotation;
• d. a reference material holding means extending outwardly from said support means to support a known reference material while it is rotated about said first axis of rotation;
• e. enclosure means for subjecting the test material to at least one preselected temperature and fluid;
• f. null motor means connected to said rotor means to generate a counter rotating force around said second axis of rotation to restore said support means to a null position;
• g. control means responsive to rotation of said rotor about said second axis to activate said null motor neans and restore said rotor to a null position about said second axis of rotation;
• whereby the change in mass of said tested material by be measured as a derivative value of said counter rotational force applied by the null motor.

A thermocentrifugometric analyzer for measuring the mass of a test material, said analyzer comprising:

• a. a rotating shaft and means for rotating said shaft about a first axis of rotation;
• b. support means mounted adjacent said rotating shaft for rotation about a second axis of rotation, said second axis of rotation being rotated to described a circumferential plane perpendicular to the axis of rotation of said rotating shaft;
• c. a sample receiving means for receiving said test material, said sample receiving means being mounted on said support means for angular rotation about a second axis of rotation as said support means is rotated about said first axis of rotation;
• d. means for biasing said sample receiving means to a preselected angular orientation with respect to the circumferential plane of said rotating support means;
• e. means for measuring the angular movement of said sample receiving means about said second axis of rotation as the mass of the test material is subjected to centrifugal force;
• whereby the mass of said test material may be measured by a derivative value of said angular rotation.

A thermocentrifugometric analyzer for measuring the mass of a test material, said analyzer comprising:

• a. a rotating shaft and means for rotating said shaft around a first axis of rotation;
• b. a support means rotatably mounted on said shaft for rotation about a second axis of rotation, said second axis of rotation being perpendicular to said first axis of rotation;
• c. a test material holding means extending outwardly from said support means to support a test material while it is rotated about said first axis of rotation;
• d. a reference material holding means extending outwardly from said support means to support a known reference material while it is rotated about said first axis of rotation;
• e. means for measuring the angle of rotation of said support means about said second axis of rotation when said test material and said reference material are rotated about said first axis of rotation;
• whereby the mass of said tested material may be measured by a derivative value of said angle of rotation.

A method for measuring a change in mass of a test sample when the sample is subjected to at least one selected temperature and fluid, said process comprising:

• a. rotating a test sample about an axis to subject the sample to centrifugal force;
• b. subjecting the test sample to at least one selected temperature and fluid to effect a change in mass of the test sample;
• c. measuring a displacement force generated about a second axis during the rotation of the test sample about the first axis to determine a change in mass during an interval of time;
• whereby any change in mass in the test sample may be measured by a derivative value of the displacement forces generated at the beginning and end of said time interval.

A thermocentrifugometric analyzer for measuring the mass change of a test material subjected to at least one selected temperature and fluid, said analyzer comprising:

• a. a rotating shaft and means for rotating said shaft around a first axis of rotation;
• b. a test material holding means extending outwardly from said shaft to hold a test material while it is rotated about said axis of rotation, said holding means being rotatable about a second axis of rotation;
• c. an enclosure means for subjecting the test material to preselected temperature and fluid variables to effect a change of mass of said sample;
• d. means for measuring a displacement force generated by said test material holding means about said second axis when said test material is rotated about said axis of rotation and is subjected to at least one selected temperature and fluid.

A thermocentrifugometric analyzer for measuring the mass change of a test material, said analyzer comprising:

• a. a rotatable support means and drive means for rotating said support means about a first axis of rotation;
• b. a null motor mounted on said support means, said null motor having a rotor describing a second axis of rotation perpendicular to said first axis;
• c. test material holding means mounted on said rotor and extending outwardly from said first axis of rotation;
• d. control means for detecting angular rotation about said second axis and energizing said null motor to return said rotor and test material holding means to a predetermined nulled position;
• e. means for measuring the mass change of said test material said means responsive to a drive current supplied to said null motor by said control means to determine the mass change.