Method and apparatus for testing of a lqiuid to determine a minor admixture of a lower boiling point material

Claim 3

The method of claim 1 wherein said dimensional value corresponding to the same predetermined volume of a pure liquid was obtained by passing said pure liquid through said heating device for said predetermined period of time to bring said pure liquid to said predetermined temperature and then passing said heated pure liquid through said constricted opening and measuring the said dimensional value thereof.

Claim 4

The process of claim 2 wherein said velocity of the liquid stream of said pure liquid is between 0.2 and 2 m/s.

Claim 5

The method of claim 1 wherein oil is said major component and wherein water is said minor component and wherein said predetermined period of time is a period of up to ten seconds.

Claim 6

The method of claim 4 wherein said constricted opening is a nozzle positioned such that the said liquid stream exits from said nozzle in substantially an upward vertical direction to form said unsupported liquid jet, and wherein the height of said jet is measured.

Claim 7

The method of claim 5 wherein the height of said jet is determined by a temperature sensor positioned at a predetermined distance from said nozzle.

Claim 8

The method of claim 6 carried out in a continuous manner.

Claim 9

The method of claim 1 wherein said dimension being measured comprises the length of said unsupported liquid jet.

Claim 10

Apparatus for determining the amount of a minor liquid component in a liquid comprising a major component and said minor component, said minor component having a lower boiling point than said major component, comprising: heating means; pumping means coupled to said heating means for pumping a predetermined volume of said liquid being tested through said heating means wherein said liquid being tested is heated during a predetermined period of time to a predetermined temperature which is above the boiling point of said minor liquid component and below the boiling point of said major liquid component, whereby any minor liquid component contained in said liquid being tested is vaporized, said predetermined period of time being insufficient for separation of said vaporized minor component from said major component; nozzle means defining a constricted opening coupled to an outlet of said heating means and oriented to produce an unsupported liquid jet at the outlet thereof; and means for measuring a dimension of said unsupported liquid jet and for comparing said measured dimension with a predetermined dimensional value corresponding to a liquid jet produced for the same predetermined volume of a liquid consisting of said major component passed through said nozzle means after having been heated in said heating means under the same conditions.

Claim 11

Apparatus for determining the amount of a minor liquid component in a liquid comprising a major component and said minor component, said minor component having a lower boiling point than said major component, comprising: heating means; pumping means coupled to said heating means for pumping a predetermined volume of said liquid being tested through said heating means wherein said liquid being tested is heated during a predetermined period of time to a predetermined temperature which is above the boiling point of said minor liquid component and below the boiling point of said major liquid component, whereby any minor liquid component contained in said liquid being tested is vaporized, said predetermined period of time being insufficient for separation of said vaporized minor component from said major component; nozzle means defining a constricted opening coupled to an outlet of said heating means and oriented to produce an unsupported liquid jet at the outlet thereof; and means for measuring a dimension of said unsupported liquid jet and for comparing said measured dimension with a predetermined dimensional value corresponding to a liquid jet produced for the same predetermined volume of a liquid consisting of said major component passed through said nozzle means after having been heated in said heating means under the same conditions.

Claim 12

Apparatus according to claim 9 wherein said measuring means comprises means for measuring the height of said unsupported liquid jet, said height being a function of the amount of said minor liquid component in said liquid being tested.

Claim 13

Apparatus according to claim 9 wherein said measuring means comprises a measuring chamber, said nozzle means being positioned in the lower portion of said measuring chamber and oriented such that said unsupported liquid jet is directed in substiantially an upward vertical direction, said measuring means further comprising means for measuring the height of said unsupported liquid jet, said height being a function of the amount of said minor liquid component in said liquid being tested.

Claim 14

The apparatus of claim 11 wherein said heat measuring means comprises a temperature sensor which is connected to a recording device of a signalling device.

Claim 15

The apparatus of claim 12 wherein said measuring means includes means for varying the distance of said temperature sensor from said nozzle.

Claim 16

The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said heating means comprises a heating coil heated by resistance heating.

Claim 17

The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said pumping means comprises an auxiliary pump and a controlled constant volume pump connected sequentially to said heating means and containing an overflow pipe between said pumps.

Claim 18

The apparatus of claim 15 containing a return line from said measuring means which is connected to said constant volume pump through an interruptable valve means.

Claim 19

The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said heating means is connected to a temperature regulator whereby the heat input of said heating means may be controlled thereby controlling the temperature of the liquid to be heated by said heating means.