Apparatus for gas-monitoring and method of conducting same

A method of monitoring a gas, which comprises

• simultaneously flowing said gas through a plurality of means for trapping gaseous species, each of said trapping means being adapted so that its selectivity in trapping of gaseous species differs from such selectivity of the other means in said plurality;
• selectively subjecting each means of said plurality to conditions effecting release of any gaseous species trapped thereby while maintaining the other means of said plurality in a condition suitable for said selective trapping of gaseous species;
• contacting the gas issuing from each of said plurality of trapping means with each of a plurality of means for sensing said gaseous species, said sensing means being adapted so that its selectivity of sensing said gaseous species differs from such selectivity of the other sensing means.

Apparatus for monitoring a gas, which comprises an array of tubes containing a sorbent mass the selectivity of the sorbent mass in each said tube to trapping of gaseous species being different from such selectively of the sorbent mass in each of the other tubes in said array, said array of tubes being disposed in substantially parallel relationship such that there is flow of said gas through each of said tubes simultaneously;

• a portion of the exterior of each of said tubes being coateed with a thin film resistance heater formed of a resistive ink;
• and
• an array of piezoelectric sensors, each of said sensors being adapted so that its selectively to sensing said gaseous species differs from such selectivity of the other sensors, each of said sensors in said array being disposed for contact with said gas issuing from each of the array of said tubes.

A method of monitoring a gas, which comprises

• simultaneously flowing said gas through an array of tubes containing sorbent mass, the selectivity of the sorbent mass in each said tube to trapping of gaseous species being different from such selectivity of the sorbent mass in each of the other of said tubes;
• successively subjecting each of the tubes of said array to conditions effecting release of any gaseous species trapped thereby while maintaining the other tubes of said array in a condition suitable for said selective trapping of gaseous species;
• contacting the gas issuing from each of said array of tubes with each of an array of piezoelectric sensors, the selectivity of each said sensor to sensing said gaseous species differing from such selectivity of each of the other sensors in said array.