Method and apparatus for controlling a gas-emitting process and related devices
AssigneeE. I. Du Pont de Nemours and Company
InventorsJohn Carl Steichen, Patricia A. Morris, John James Barnes
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Abstract
Disclosed herein is a method and apparatus for controlling a process, such as a chemical reaction, that emits a multi-component mixture of gases; and for controlling a device to which is transmitted a product of a chemical reaction that emits a multi-component mixture of gases.
Claims49
A method for controlling a process that emits a multi-component mixture of gases, wherein the mixture is comprised of various individual component gases each of which has an individual concentration within the mixture;
- wherein a subgroup of the mixture is comprised of at least two but less than all of the component gases of the mixture;
- wherein the members of a subgroup of gases together have a collective concentration within the mixture;
- and wherein the method comprises
- (a) providing at least first and second signals, the first signal being related to the individual concentration within the unseparated components of the emitted gas mixture of an individual component gas therein, and the second signal being related to the collective concentration within the unseparated components of the emitted gas mixture of a subgroup of the component gases therein;
- (b) inputting the signal(s) to a decision-making routine for controlling the process;
- and
- (c) outputting a signal from the decision-making routine for adjusting an operating characteristic of the process.
An apparatus for controlling a process that emits a multi-component mixture of gases, wherein the mixture is comprised of various individual component gases each of which has an individual concentration within the mixture;
- wherein a subgroup of the mixture is comprised of at least two but less than all of the component gases of the mixture;
- wherein the members of a subgroup of gases together have a collective concentration within the mixture;
- and wherein the apparatus comprises
- (a) an array of chemo/electro-active materials;
- (b) means for determining the electrical response of each chemo/electro-active material upon exposure of the array to the unseparated components of the emitted gas mixture;
- (c) means for determining (i) information related to the individual concentration within the emitted gas mixture of an individual component gas therein, and (ii) information related to the collective concentration within the emitted gas mixture of a subgroup of the component gases therein;
- and
- (d) a decision-making routine for controlling the process in view of the information determined about the composition of the emitted gas mixture.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.