Method and apparatus for reductive decomposition and analysis of a sample
AssigneeShell Oil Company
InventorsAlan R. Forster, Gregory J. Kamla
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Methods and apparatus are provided for decomposing and analyzing a sample. The methods reduce a nebulized sample in a hydrogen-rich atmosphere; the analysis method then analyzes the reaction gases for preselected analyte(s). The decomposition apparatus employs a nebulizer operatively connected to a reduction tube; the analysis apparatus employs appropriate detector(s) to analyze the reduced gases from the reduction tube for preselected analyte(s).
Claims10
A method for analyzing a sample, comprising:
- nebulizing at least a portion of said sample,
- transporting said nebulized sample to a decomposition zone,
- decomposing said sample in a hydrogen-rich atmosphere of hydrogen and an inert gas at a temperature sufficient to ensure complete reduction of said sample.
- transporting said decomposed sample to a detection zone, and
- analyzing said decomposed sample for a preselected analyte.
Apparatus for analyzing a sample, comprising:
- means including an inert gas for nebulizing at least a portion of such sample to form an aerosol containing said portion of said sample and inert gas,
- means for transporting said aerosol to a decomposition zone,
- means for decomposing said aerosol in a hydrogen-rich atmosphere of hydrogen and said inert gas at a temperature sufficient to ensure complete reduction of said portion of said sample in said aerosol in said decomposition zone,
- means for transporting said portion of said sample from said decomposition zone to a detection zone, and
- means for analyzing said portion of said sample for said preselected analyte in said detection zone.
Apparatus for analyzing a sample, comprising:
- a reduction tube with an inlet sleeve having a hydrogen inlet adjacent said inlet sleeve for supplying excess hydrogen to said tube, and having at the opposite end from said inlet sleeve a discharge end containing therein a gas discharge outlet,
- a nebulizer sealingly connected to said inlet sleeve so as to discharge into said reduction tube an aerosol of said sample and an inert gas, and
- a detector for analyzing gases from said reduction tube for a preselected analyte connected to said discharge outlet.
Apparatus for decomposing a sample, comprising:
- a reduction tube having an inlet end having a hydrogen inlet adjacent said inlet end for supplying excess hydrogen to said tube, and having at the opposite end from said inlet end a discharge end containing therein a gas discharge outlet, and
- a nebulizer operatively connected to said reduction tube so as to discharge into said reduction tube an aerosol of said sample and an inert gas.
A method for decomposing a sample, comprising:
- nebulizing at least a portion of said sample,
- transporting said nebulized sample to a decomposition zone, and
- decomposing said sample in a hydrogen-rich atmosphere of hydrogen and an inert gas at a temperature sufficient to ensure complete reduction of said sample.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.