In-line detector system for real-time determination of impurity concentration in a flowing gas stream

An in-line detector system for real-time detection of impurity concentration in a flowing gas stream, comprising:

• a main flow conduit having inlet and outlet ends joinable in closed flow communication to a flowing gas stream for flow of the gas stream therethrough;
• a gas stream impurity sensor port joined in flow communication to an outlet end portion of the main flow conduit;
• a purifier unit for gas stream impurity removal, joined in inflow relationship to an inlet end portion of the main flow conduit;
• a switching valve disposed in the main flow conduit and switchable between (i) a first position interconnecting the purifier unit in outflow relationship to the impurity sensor port, for effecting flow of gas from the purifier unit to the sensor port, and (ii) a second position in which gas is prevented from flowing through the purifier unit.

A detector system, comprising:

• an impurity concentration sensor, at an outlet end portion of a gas flow passage having inlet and outlet ends, for determining concentration of impurity in the gas flowing through the opposite end portion of the gas flow passage;
• a purifier unit communicating in selectively engageable gas flow communication with an intermediate portion of the gas flow passage, for selective purification of gas flowed through the gas flow passage;
• a gas impurity addition unit in selectively engageable gas flow communication with an inlet end portion of the gas flow passage, for addition of impurity to gas flowed through the gas flow passage, to impart a known, selected concentration of impurity to the gas;
• and
• means for controllably selectively engaging the purifier unit and the gas impurity addition unit in gas flow communication with the gas flow passage.

A method of calibratingly sensing gas impurity concentration in a flowing gas stream with a gas impurity concentration sensor device, comprising:

• purifying at least a portion of a flowing gas stream to yield impurity-reduced gas;
• sensing gas impurity concentration of the impurity-reduced gas;
• introducing impurity to at least a portion of the flowing gas stream to impart a known, selected concentration of impurity thereto and yield impurity-enhanced gas;
• sensing concentration of the impurity-enhanced gas;
• and
• calibrating the gas impurity concentration sensor device from the impurity concentrations sensed in the impurity-reduced gas and impurity-enhanced gas.