Automated, on-demand ion mobility spectrometry analysis of gas chromatograph effluents
AssigneeThe United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army
InventorsJames A. Genovese, Charles S. Harden, A. Peter Snyder
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Abstract
A chemical sampling apparatus including an interface between a miniature mobility spectrometer and a gas chromatography system. The apparatus has a gas chromatography an ion mobility spectrometer and an input for inputting a regulated flow of a gas to be analyzed to the gas chromatograph. An interface is positioned between the gas chromatograph and the ion mobility spectrometer. The interface accepts and analyzes eluted gas from the gas chromatograph and selectively inputs the eluted gas to the ion mobility spectrometer only when an eluted gas condition to be analyzed is detected.
Claims7
An apparatus for detecting the presence of and analyzing a component in a gas which comprises,
- (a) a gas chromatography;
- (b) an ion mobility spectrometer;
- (c) means for inputting a regulated flow of a gas to be analyzed to the gas chromatograph;
- and
- (d) an interface positioned between the gas chromatograph and the ion mobility spectrometer;
- (e) said interface including a detector for analyzing eluted gas from the gas chromatography, valve means directly connected to the ion mobility spectrometer for normally exhausting the analyzed eluted gas from said detector to preclude the analyzed eluted gas from entering the ion mobility spectrometer, and control means operatively connected to said detector and said valve means for selectively inputting a portion of the analyzed eluted gas to the ion mobility spectrometer for analysis in response to a detection signal from the detector corresponding to a component to be analyzed in the eluted gas.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.