Method and apparatus for molten material analysis by laser induced breakdown spectroscopy
AssigneesNational Research Council of Canada, Noranda Inc.
InventorsJohn M. Lucas, Mohamad Sabsabi, René Héon
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Abstract
An apparatus and a method are disclosed for use with Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) systems that can be applied to the real time analysis of molten materials or liquid. Since it is difficult to prepare a surface representative of the bulk when dealing with high temperature molten material, the invention, in one aspect, uses a forced gas flow through a tube insertable inside the molten material to generate a bubble. The inner surface of the bubble is a representative of the composition of the material. LIBS performed on such a surface produces an accurate real time analysis of material, even when other processing of material, e.g., copper smelting, etc., is being conducted.
Claims39
A method of analyzing a molten or liquid material by laser induced spectrography, comprising steps at
- preparing a prepared portion of the material representative of its composition by a flow of a gas injected under pressure through a tube to produce a bubble inside the material, the inner surface of the bubble being the prepared portion of the material;
- sending at least one laser pulse through the tube to the prepared portion to produce a plasma of the material;
- transmitting radiation generated by the plasma through the tube to a spectrum analyzer, and
- analyzing a spectrum of the transmitted radiation to determine a composition of the material.
A laser induced spectrography apparatus for analyzing a molten or liquid material, comprising:
- a tube for injecting a gas under pressure into the material to prepare a portion of the material representative of its composition, said tube having a transparent window at one end;
- a laser source for sending a pulsed laser beam through tho tube and the window toward the prepared portion to produce a plasma of the material;
- an optical arrangement for transmitting radiation from the plasma through the tube and window, and
- a spectrum analyzer for analyzing the radiation to determine a composition of the material.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.