System for detecting gaseous contaminants in air

Claim 1

A SYSTEM FOR DETECTING THE PRESENCE, IN AN AIR ATMOSPHERE, OF PARTICULATE COMBUSTION PRODUCTS AND A SELECTED GASEOUS CONTAMINANT, SAID SYSTEM COMPRISNG THE COMBINATION OF A FIRST ELECTRODE AND A SECOND PERFORATE ELECTRODE DEFINING A CHAMBER WITHIN WHICH SAID FIRST ELECTRODE IS DISPOSED AND WHICH IS OPEN TO AMBIENT ATMOSPHERE, A RADIOACTIVE SOURCE FOR DISSOCIATING AIR MOLECULES WITHIN SAID CHAMBER, CIRCUIT MEANS CONNECTED ACROSS SAID ELECTRODES FOR ESTABLISHING CURRENT FLOW THEREBETWEEN WHEN AIR MOLECULES ARE DISSOCIATED WITHIN SAID CHAMBER, AND MEANS FOR INTRODUCING TO SAID CHAMBER A VAPOR HAVING THE PROPERTY OF CHEMICALLY REACTING WITH SAID GASEOUS CONTAMINANT TO FORM PARTICLES.

Claim 2

A SYSTEM FOR DETECTING THE PRESENCE, IN AN AIR ATMOSPHERE, OF PARTICULATE COMBUSTION PRODUCTS AND A SELECTED GASEOUS CONTAMINANT, SAID SYSTEM COMPRISNG THE COMBINATION OF A FIRST ELECTRODE AND A SECOND PERFORATE ELECTRODE DEFINING A CHAMBER WITHIN WHICH SAID FIRST ELECTRODE IS DISPOSED AND WHICH IS OPEN TO AMBIENT ATMOSPHERE, A RADIOACTIVE SOURCE FOR DISSOCIATING AIR MOLECULES WITHIN SAID CHAMBER, CIRCUIT MEANS CONNECTED ACROSS SAID ELECTRODES FOR ESTABLISHING CURRENT FLOW THEREBETWEEN WHEN AIR MOLECULES ARE DISSOCIATED WITHIN SAID CHAMBER, AND MEANS FOR INTRODUCING TO SAID CHAMBER A VAPOR HAVING THE PROPERTY OF CHEMICALLY REACTING WITH SAID GASEOUS CONTAMINANT TO FORM PARTICLES.

Claim 3

A system for detecting the presence in air of particulate combustion products and a gaseous contaminant selected from the group consisting of SO2, NO2, HCl, HF, BrF3, and F2, said system comprising a particle detector having an first electrode and a second electrode, said second electrode forming a closed ionization chamber within which said first electrode is disposed, a radioactive source within said closed ionization chamber, a third electrode having an opening therein and surrounding an extension of said second electrode, said third electrode and said extension forming an ionization chamber which is open to ambient air, a radioactive source within the open ionization chamber for dissociating air molecules therein, and means for introducing to the interior of the open ionization chamber a vapor having the property of reacting chemically with said gaseous contaminant to form particLes.

Claim 4

A system for detecting the presence in air of particulate combustion products and a gaseous contaminant selected from the group consisting of SO2, NO2, HCl, HF, BrF3, and F2, said system comprising a particle detector having an first electrode and a second electrode, said second electrode forming a closed ionization chamber within which said first electrode is disposed, a radioactive source within said closed ionization chamber, a third electrode having an opening therein and surrounding an extension of said second electrode, said third electrode and said extension forming an ionization chamber which is open to ambient air, a radioactive source within the open ionization chamber for dissociating air molecules therein, and means for introducing to the interior of the open ionization chamber a vapor having the property of reacting chemically with said gaseous contaminant to form particLes.