Apparatus and method for the determination of the relative proportions of gases
AssigneeLife Measurement Instruments
InventorsPhilip Dempster, John Payne
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present invention relates to a method of determining the relative proportions of gases in a mixture, such that the relative proportions of N gases are determined using N-1 sensors, not all of which are specific to a particular gas. In the preferred embodiment, oxygen and carbon dioxide are measured in the presence of nitrogen by measuring magnetic susceptibility and speed of sound. The described method of gas analysis leads to very fast response times and exceptional stability, making the technology suitable for breath-by-breath analysis of respired air. Notably, the method does not require high-temperature components, electrochemical cells, or consumable components.
Claims12
An apparatus for determining the relative proportion of gases within a gas mixture of three or fewer gases, including oxygen and carbon dioxide, the apparatus comprising:
- means for determining the physical or chemical measure of the oxygen within a gas mixture to form a first measurement using a constantly applied magnetic field,
- means for determining the speed of sound within the gas mixture to form a second measurement, and
- means for determining the proportion of the carbon dioxide by numerical calculation from the first and second measurements.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.