Apparatus and method for maintaining a stable electrolyte in oxygen analysis

Claim 1

IN AN ELECTROLYTIC CELL IN WHICH A COMPONENT INTRODUCED INTO THE CELL IS REDUCED AT ONE CELL ELECTRODE AND OXIDIZED AT THE OTHER CELL ELECTRODE AND WHERE A NEUTALIZATION REACTION OCCURS FORMING NEUTRALIZATION PRODUCTS BECAUSE OF THE INTRODUCTION OF COMPONENTS OTHER THAN THE COMPONENTS TO BE MEASURED, THREREBY REDUCING THE IONIC TRANSFER CAPACITY OF THE ELECTROLYTE, THE IMPROVEMENT WHICH COMPRISES: A. FIRST MEANS TO GENERATE AN ELECTROLYTE CURRENT BETWEEN THE CELL ELECTRODES; B. A RESERVOIR OF ELECTROLYTE IN COMMUNICATION WITH THE ELECTROLYTE OF THE CELL; C. A FIRST ELECTRODE DISPOSED IN THE ELECTROLYTE OF THE RESERVOIR; D. A SECOND ELECTRODE DISPOSED IN THE ELECTROLYTE OF THE CELLE. SECOND MEANS TO GENERATE AN ELECTROLYSIS CURRENT BETWEEN THE FIRST AND SECOND ELECTRODES SAID SECOND MEANS INDEPENDENT OF THE FIRST MEANS WICH CURRENT RESULTS IN A PH GRADIENT BETWEEN FIST AND SECOND ELECTRODES AND WHICH CURRENT EFFECTS THE MIGRATION OF IONIC SPECIES THAT MAY CAUSE NEUTRALIZATION PRODUCTS TO BE FORMED IN THE ELECTROLYTE OF THE CELL TO THE FIRST ELECTRODE, THE ZONE ABOUT THE FIRST ELECTRODE HAVING A CONCENTRATION OF HYDROGEN IONS SUCH THAT THE IONIC SPECIES WHICH TEND TO FORM NEUTRALIZATION PRODUCTS REMAIN SEGREGATED FROM THE ELECTROLYTE OF THE ELECTROLYTIC CELL; AND F. MEANS TO INHIBIT THE BACK DIFFUSION OF SAID IONIC SPECIES FROM THE ZONE ABOUT THE FIRST ELECTRODE TO THE ELECTROLYTE OF THE CELL.

Claim 7

A METHOD OF STABILIZING AN ELECTROLYTE IN AN ELECTROLYTIC CELL IN WHICH UNWANTED IONIC SPECIES ARE FORMED DURING AN ELECTROCHEMICAL OPERATION WHICH INCLUDES: A. PROVIDING AN ELECTROLYTIC CELL HAVING A PAIR OF SENSING ELECTRODED DISPOSED THEREIN, THE ELECTRODES SPECIFIC FOR A COMPONENT TO BE ANALYZED IN A FLUID STREAM, THE ELECTRODES COMPLETING A FIRST ELECTROLYTIC PATH; B. PROVIDING A RESERVOIR OF ELECTROLYTE IN COMMUNICATION WITH THE ELECTROLYTE OF THE CELL AND INCLUDING A SECOND PAIR OF ELECTRODES, ONE OF SAID ELCTRODES DISPOSED IN THE RESERVOIR OF ELECTROLYTE OF THE CELL, WHICH PAIR OF ELECPOSED IN THE ELECTROLYTE OF THE CELL, WHICH PAIR OF ELECTRODES PROVIDES A SECOND ELECTROLYTIC PATH, THE FUNCTION OF WHICH PATH IS INDEPENDENT OF THE FUNCTION OF THE FIRST ELECTROLYTIC PATH; C. IMPOSING AN ELECTRICAL CURRENT BETWEEN THE SECOND PAIR ELCTRODES RESULTING IN A PH GRADIENT BETWEEN THE ELECTROLYTE OF THE RESERVOIR AND THE ELECTROLYTE OF THE CELL TO PROVIDE FOR THE MIGRATION OF OTHER IONIC SPECIES WHICH ARE INTRODUCED INTO THE ELECTROLYTE TO THE RESERVOIR WHICH SPCIES DO NOT DIRECTLY AFFECT REACTIONS AT THE SENSING ELCTRODE; AND D. RESTRICTING THE BACK DIFFUSION OF THE UNWANTED IONIC SPECIES FROM THE RESERVOIR INTO THE CELL, WHEREBY THE UNWANTED IONIC SPECIES REMAIN SEGREGATED FROM THE ELECTROLYTE OF THE ELECTROLYTIC CELL.

Claim 8

A METHOD OF STABILIZING AN ELECTROLYTE IN AN ELECTROLYTIC CELL IN WHICH UNWANTED IONIC SPECIES ARE FORMED DURING AN ELECTROCHEMICAL OPERATION WHICH INCLUDES: A. PROVIDING AN ELECTROLYTIC CELL HAVING A PAIR OF SENSING ELECTRODED DISPOSED THEREIN, THE ELECTRODES SPECIFIC FOR A COMPONENT TO BE ANALYZED IN A FLUID STREAM, THE ELECTRODES COMPLETING A FIRST ELECTROLYTIC PATH; B. PROVIDING A RESERVOIR OF ELECTROLYTE IN COMMUNICATION WITH THE ELECTROLYTE OF THE CELL AND INCLUDING A SECOND PAIR OF ELECTRODES, ONE OF SAID ELCTRODES DISPOSED IN THE RESERVOIR OF ELECTROLYTE OF THE CELL, WHICH PAIR OF ELECPOSED IN THE ELECTROLYTE OF THE CELL, WHICH PAIR OF ELECTRODES PROVIDES A SECOND ELECTROLYTIC PATH, THE FUNCTION OF WHICH PATH IS INDEPENDENT OF THE FUNCTION OF THE FIRST ELECTROLYTIC PATH; C. IMPOSING AN ELECTRICAL CURRENT BETWEEN THE SECOND PAIR ELCTRODES RESULTING IN A PH GRADIENT BETWEEN THE ELECTROLYTE OF THE RESERVOIR AND THE ELECTROLYTE OF THE CELL TO PROVIDE FOR THE MIGRATION OF OTHER IONIC SPECIES WHICH ARE INTRODUCED INTO THE ELECTROLYTE TO THE RESERVOIR WHICH SPCIES DO NOT DIRECTLY AFFECT REACTIONS AT THE SENSING ELCTRODE; AND D. RESTRICTING THE BACK DIFFUSION OF THE UNWANTED IONIC SPECIES FROM THE RESERVOIR INTO THE CELL, WHEREBY THE UNWANTED IONIC SPECIES REMAIN SEGREGATED FROM THE ELECTROLYTE OF THE ELECTROLYTIC CELL.

Claim 16

A method of stabilizing an electrolyte in an electrolytic cell in which unwanted ionic species are formed during an electrochemical operation which includes: a. providing an electrolytic cell having a sensing electrode pair therein, which electrodes are catalytically specific for oxygen, and further wherein the electrolyte in the electrolytic cell is caustic, the electrodes completing a first electrolytic path; b. providing a reservoir of electrolyte in communication with the electrolyte of the cell including a second pair of electrodes, one of said electrodes disposed in the reservoir of electrolyte and the other of said electrodes disposed in the electrolyte of the cell, which pair of electrodes provides a second electrolytic path, the function of which path is independent of the function of the first electrolytic path; c. imposing an electrical current between the second pair of electrodes resulting in a pH gradient between the electrolyte of the reservoir and the electrolyte of the cell to provide for the migration of other ionic species which are introduced into the electrolyte to the reservoir, which species do not directly affect reactions at the sensing electrode; and d. restricting the back diffusion of the unwanted ionic species from the reservoir into the cell, whereby the unwanted ionic species remain segregated from the electrolyte of the sensing cell.

Claim 17

A method of stabilizing an electrolyte in an electrolytic cell in which unwanted ionic species are formed during an electrochemical operation which includes: a. providing an electrolytic cell having a sensing electrode pair therein, which electrodes are catalytically specific for oxygen, and further wherein the electrolyte in the electrolytic cell is caustic, the electrodes completing a first electrolytic path; b. providing a reservoir of electrolyte in communication with the electrolyte of the cell including a second pair of electrodes, one of said electrodes disposed in the reservoir of electrolyte and the other of said electrodes disposed in the electrolyte of the cell, which pair of electrodes provides a second electrolytic path, the function of which path is independent of the function of the first electrolytic path; c. imposing an electrical current between the second pair of electrodes resulting in a pH gradient between the electrolyte of the reservoir and the electrolyte of the cell to provide for the migration of other ionic species which are introduced into the electrolyte to the reservoir, which species do not directly affect reactions at the sensing electrode; and d. restricting the back diffusion of the unwanted ionic species from the reservoir into the cell, whereby the unwanted ionic species remain segregated from the electrolyte of the sensing cell.