Method of and apparatus for feeding a sample to a plasma of an inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometer
AssigneeForschungszentrum Julich GmbH
InventorsZdravka Zadgorska, Hubertus Nickel
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A sample is fed to an ICP-AES by applying suction to a mouth of the sample vessel extending into the central or inner capillary tube of the burner from an annular orifice or a plurality of spaced apart orifices. The amount of sample material is controlled by volume flow control or gas pressure control. The sample is in the form of a powder or vapor without dilution or entrainment of chemical contaminants.
Claims20
A method of feeding sample material to a plasma of an inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometer, comprising the steps of:
- (a) connecting a sample-containing vessel to an upright central capillary tube of an inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometer plasma torch so that an upwardly open mouth of said vessel communicates directly and extends into said tube while defining an all-around clearance around said mouth with said tube;
- (b) feeding a gas stream from below into said clearance to generate a rising flow of the gas around said mouth and along said tube in a sheath around an axis of the tube;
- (c) generating with said gas stream in said vessel by passage of said flow past said mouth, a suction inducing a sample contained in said vessel to flow upwardly along said axis within said sheath in said tube;
- and
- (d) entraining said sample with said gas into said plasma to meter said sample into said plasma.
A sample feeder for an inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometer, comprising:
- an upright central tube forming an inner capillary for an inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometer torch;
- means for connecting a sample-containing vessel to said upright central capillary tube of said inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometer plasma torch so that an upwardly open mouth of said vessel communicates directly and extends into said tube while defining an all-around clearance around said mouth with said tube;
- and
- means for feeding a gas stream from below into said clearance to generate a rising flow of the gas around said mouth and along said tube in a sheath around an axis of the tube, thereby generating with said gas stream in said vessel by passage of said flow past said mouth, a suction inducing a sample contained in said vessel to flow upwardly along said axis within said sheath in said tube and entraining said sample with said gas into said plasma to meter said sample into said plasma.
A sample feeder for an inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometer, comprising:
- an upright central tube forming an inner capillary for an inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometer torch;
- means for connecting a sample-containing vessel to said upright central capillary tube of said inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometer plasma torch so that an upwardly open mouth of said vessel communicates directly and extends into said tube while defining at least one rectilinear passage extending from a location upstream of said mouth to a location at said mouth for discharging gas into said tube substantially all around said mouth;
- and
- means for feeding a gas stream from below into said passage to generate a rising flow of the gas around said mouth and along said tube in a sheath around an axis of the tube, thereby generating with said gas stream in said vessel by passage of said flow past said mouth, a suction inducing a sample contained in said vessel to flow upwardly along said axis within said sheath in said tube and entraining said sample with said gas into said plasma to meter said sample into said plasma.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.