US 8,552,368 B1Granted

Trace atmospheric gas analyzer low pressure ionization source

AssigneeLockheed Martin Corporation

InventorJohn A. Wood

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Abstract

A low pressure ionization source and method for detecting trace atmospheric gases with an instrument employing ionized target substances. The ionization source and method may employ electric potential ionization, photoionization, and/or ionization by alpha and/or beta particle irradiation. In one embodiment, an ionization source includes a fixture securable to the instrument, a chamber within the fixture, two sample entrance passageways into the chamber, an electrode receiver hole, a lamp receiver hole, and an ionized sample exit hole from the chamber. A gas sample entering the chamber via a sample entrance passageway is ionized by one of an electric potential induced by an electrode received in the electrode receiver hole or a light beam provided by a photoionization lamp received in the lamp receiver hole. At least a portion of the ionized gas sample exits the chamber via the sample exit hole to a detector/analyzer of the instrument.

Claims25

Dependent claims

A low pressure ionization source usable with an instrument employing ionized target substances to detect trace atmospheric gases in a gas sample, said source comprising:

a fixture securable to the instrument;
a chamber within said fixture;
at least one sample entrance passageway extending from an outer surface of said fixture to said chamber;
an electrode receiver hole extending from a first end of said fixture to said chamber, said electrode receiver hole being configured to receive an electrode therein;
a lamp receiver hole extending from an outer surface of said fixture to said chamber, said lamp receiver hole being configured to receive a lamp therein;
and
an ionized sample exit hole extending from said chamber to a second end of said fixture and proximal to a detector/analyzer unit of the instrument when the fixture is secured to the instrument, wherein the gas sample enters said chamber via said at least one sample entrance passageway and is ionized by a selected one of an electric potential and a light beam, wherein said electric potential is induced in said chamber between at least a portion of said fixture and an electrode receivable in said electrode receiver hole and said light beam is introduced in said chamber by a photoionization lamp receivable in said lamp receiver hole, and wherein at least a portion of the ionized gas sample exits said chamber via said exit hole to the detector/analyzer of the instrument.

4 more elements

A method of ionizing a gas sample for detection of trace atmospheric gases in the gas sample using an instrument, said method comprising:

securing a fixture to the instrument, wherein the fixture includes:
a chamber defined therein;
at least one sample entrance passageway extending from an outer surface of the fixture to the chamber;
an electrode receiver hole extending from a first end of the fixture to the chamber,
a lamp receiver hole extending from an outer surface of the fixture to the chamber;
and
an ionized sample exit hole extending from the chamber to a second end of the fixture and proximal to a detector/analyzer unit of the instrument when the fixture is secured to the instrument;
installing at least one of an electrode in the electrode receiver hole and a photoionization lamp in the lamp receiver hole;
introducing a gas sample into the chamber via the at least one entrance passageway;
and
ionizing at least a portion of the gas sample entering the chamber by operating a selected one of the electrode and the photoionization lamp, wherein the electrode induces an electric potential between at least a portion of the fixture and the electrode and the photoionization lamp introduces a light beam in the chamber, wherein at least a portion of the ionized gas sample exits from the chamber via the sample exit hole toward the detector/analyzer unit of the instrument.

8 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.