An automated, on-line, fluorescent X-ray analysis method, wherein the method is for on-line analysis and for automatic adjustment of on-line concentration of a specimen solution, which specimen solution is a manufacturing process fluid comprised of a solvent and a specimen solute to be analyzed dissolved in said solvent, the method comprising:
- providing a storage tank for containing the specimen solution and filling the specimen solution into the storage tank;
- supporting a porous sheet having a peripheral edge portion and a central portion on a sheet holder means so that only the peripheral edge portion of the porous sheet contacts the sheet holder means to provide a supported porous sheet;
- removing a predetermined, constant amount of the specimen solution from the storage tank and impregnating the supported porous sheet by dripping onto the central portion thereof the specimen solution to provide an impregnated sheet;
- drying the impregnated sheet to remove substantially all of the solvent therefrom and provide a dried sheet;
- positioning the dried sheet in a chamber and surrounding same with a predetermined atmospheric environment to provide a positioned sheet;
- irradiating the positioned sheet with primary X-rays to generate fluorescent X-rays from the specimen solute;
- detecting one of wavelength and intensity of the fluorescent X-rays from the specimen solute as an output signal from a fluorescent X-ray analyzer;
- ajdusting the concentration of the specimen solution remaining in the tank after the removal of the predetermined, constant amount of the specimen solution therefrom in response to the output signal from the fluorescent X-ray analyzer for the specimen solution by adding specimen solute to the specimen solution in the storage tank when the output signal is below a predetermined output signal, which predetermined output signal corresponds to a predetermined specimen solution concentration;
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- repeating the supporting, removing, impregnating, drying, positioning, irradiating, detecting, and adjusting steps, such that the on-line concentration of the specimen solution is automatically adjusted and maintained at a predetermined level to provide an adjusted specimen solution, and such that the adjusted specimen solution is supplied on-line to the manufacturing process which utilizes same.