Chemiluminescence air pollutants monitoring device

Claim 2

A luminol-chemiluminescence type reaction air pollutants monitoring apparatus comprising: A. a composite reaction cell assembly; B. a plurality of separate microreactor test cells in said composite assembly; C. means for simultaneously introducing specimen samples of an ambient air mass into each said cell; D. means for introducing aqueous solutions of chemical compounds which produce chemiluminescence light evolution during reaction with the pollutants into the air stream to each said cell; E. selective adsorption means interposed in the air streams to each said cEll to separate different respective gaseous components to be measured; F. a single photo-multiplier tube positioned proximate all said cells; and G. monotoring means mounted intermediate said cell assembly and said photo-multiplier tube operable to sequentially discretely expose each said cell to said photo-multiplier tube for discrete reception by said photo-multiplier tube of emitted produced light from each said cell.

Claim 3

Apparatus as in claim 1, said test cells consisting of light transmitting material for passage therethrough of produced light to said photo-multiplier tube.

Claim 4

Apparatus as in claim 2, said reaction cell assembly including a housing body, said test cells comprising U-shaped tubes spacedly mounted in said housing, a leg of each tube being connected to the ambient air introducing means and to the aqueous solutions introducing means.

Claim 5

Apparatus as in claim 3, said test cells being five in number and spacedly arranged in said housing, said selective adsorption means comprising columns equal in number to said cells and respectively containing ascarite-ferrous sulfate-chromic oxide, ferrous sulfate-chromic oxide, chromic oxide, ferrous sulfate and charcoal respectively operable to produce gaseous outputs of nitrogen dioxide, nitric oxide and nitrogen dioxide, ozone, sulfur dioxide, and filtered air for background samples.

Claim 6

Apparatus as in claim 4, including a multi segment neutral density filter interposed between said cell assembly and said photo-multiplier tube, the filter segments being operable to extend the sensitivity range of a photo-multiplier sensor detecting emitted light from said cells.

Claim 7

Apparatus as in claim 5, said means to sequentially expose each said cell comprising a rotary shutter having an aperture, said rotary shutter being rotatably mounted, drive means for said rotary shutter, and means for sequential phasing operational movement of the shutter for activating sequentially said test cells for light transmission to said photo-multiplier tube.

Claim 8

Apparatus as in claim 6, and including a five toothed ratchet wheel and a release index pawl for controlled movement of said ratchet wheel, said ratchet wheel being connected to said shutter and operable for sequential rotational movement thereof to position said aperture at a said test cell in open communication with said photo-multiplier tube.

Claim 9

Apparatus as in claim 7 and including means for sequentially operatively engaging said ratchet wheel and said shutter permitting rotation of said shutter.

Claim 10

Apparatus as in claim 3 and including an exhaust liquid-gas separator from said cells connected to the other of the legs of said U-shaped tubes and a single vacuum pump for transporting liquid and air through the exhaust, sampled air passing through said vacuum pump and liquid being separated therefrom.

Claim 11

Apparatus as in claim 4 and test signal readout means for receiving and correlating signals from said photo-multiplier tube for each said cell discretely for quantitative analysis of specific pollutants contained in air samples introduced into said test cells.

Claim 12

A luminol-chemiluminescence type reaction air pollutants monitoring apparatus comprising: A. a composite reaction cell assembly; B. five discrete test cells spacedly arranged in said assembly; C. said test cells consisting of U-shaped tubes of light transmitting material; D. means for simultaneously introducing samples of ambient air into a leg of each cell tube; E. means for introducing aqueous solutions of chemical compounds which produce chemiluminescence light evolution during reaction with pollutants into the leg of the tube of each said cell having the air stream introduced therein; F. selective adsorption means interposed in the air streams to each said cell to separate gaseous components to be measured, and including: i. columns equal in number to said cells and respectively containing ascarite-ferrous sulfate-chrOmic oxide, ferrous-sulfate-chromic oxide, chromic oxide, ferrous sulfate and charcoal respectively operable to produce gaseous outputs of nitrogen dioxide, nitric oxide and nitrogen dioxide, ozone, sulfur dioxide, and filtered air for background samples; G. a photo-multiplier tube positioned proximate all said cells; and H. means mounted intermediate said cell assembly and said photo-multiplier tube operable to sequentially discretely expose each said cell to said photo-multiplier tube for discrete reception of emitted produced light from each said cell.

Claim 13

A luminol-chemiluminescence type reaction air pollutants monitoring apparatus comprising: A. a composite reaction cell assembly; B. five discrete test cells spacedly arranged in said assembly; C. said test cells consisting of U-shaped tubes of light transmitting material; D. means for simultaneously introducing samples of ambient air into a leg of each cell tube; E. means for introducing aqueous solutions of chemical compounds which produce chemiluminescence light evolution during reaction with pollutants into the leg of the tube of each said cell having the air stream introduced therein; F. selective adsorption means interposed in the air streams to each said cell to separate gaseous components to be measured, and including: i. columns equal in number to said cells and respectively containing ascarite-ferrous sulfate-chrOmic oxide, ferrous-sulfate-chromic oxide, chromic oxide, ferrous sulfate and charcoal respectively operable to produce gaseous outputs of nitrogen dioxide, nitric oxide and nitrogen dioxide, ozone, sulfur dioxide, and filtered air for background samples; G. a photo-multiplier tube positioned proximate all said cells; and H. means mounted intermediate said cell assembly and said photo-multiplier tube operable to sequentially discretely expose each said cell to said photo-multiplier tube for discrete reception of emitted produced light from each said cell.

Claim 14

Apparatus as in claim 11, including a multi segment neutral density filter interposed between said cell assembly and said photo-multiplier tube, the filter segments being operable to extend the sensitivity range of a photo-multiplier sensor detecting emitted light from said cells.

Claim 15

Apparatus as in claim 12, said means to sequentially expose each said cell comprising a rotary shutter having an aperture, said rotary shutter being rotatably mounted, drive means for said rotary shutter, and means for sequential phasing operational movement of the shutter for activating sequentially said test cells for light transmission to said photo-multiplier tube.

Claim 16

Apparatus as in claim 13, and including a five toothed ratchet wheel and a release index pawl for controlled movement of said ratchet wheel, said ratchet wheel being connected to said shutter and operable for sequential rotational movement thereof to position said aperture at a said test cell in open communication with said photo-multiplier tube.

Claim 17

Apparatus as in claim 14, and including means for sequentially operatively engaging said ratchet wheel and said shutter permitting rotation of said shutter.

Claim 18

Apparatus as in claim 11 and including an exhaust liquid-gas separator from said cells connected to the other of the legs of said U-shaped tubes and a single vacuum pump for transporting liquid and air through the exhaust, sampled air passing through said vacuum pump and liquid being separated therefrom.

Claim 19

Apparatus as in claim 11 and test signal readout means for receiving and correlating signals from said photo-multiplier tube for each said cell discretely for quantitative analysis of specific pollutants contained in air samples introduced into said test cells.