US3933432A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Photoionization
Assignee: Hnu Systems Inc
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Filing: 1974-10-29
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Granted: 1976-01-20
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Expires: 1994-10-29
Abstract
Abstract Apparatus for and method of photoinization in which a gas permeable membrane is extended across a chamber in a housing dividing said chamber into two subchambers, a ballast chamber having a gas inlet and a gas outlet on one side of said membrane, and a photoionization chamber having detection electrodes and a radiation source on the other side of said membrane, gases from a sample stream being diffused into said photoionization chamber through said membrane.
Inventors
- 👤 John N. Driscoll
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 16:47
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01J; H01J27/00; H01J27/02; H01J27/24; G; G01; G01N; G01N27/00; G01N27/62; G01N27/64; G01N27/66; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T436/00; Y10T436/15; Y10T436/17; Y10T436/173845; Y10T436/175383; Y10T436/177692; Y10T436/18; Y10T436/182; Y10T436/186
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 27
Claim 1
Independent Claim
113 words
In photoionization apparatus, comprising: a housing having a chamber therein; a gas inlet passage and a gas outlet passage, each said passage extending through said housing and communicating with said chamber; a radiation source exposed to said chamber; and detection electrodes in said chamber; the improvement in which: a gas permeable organic plastic membrane extends across said chamber dividing said chamber into two subchambers, a ballast chamber on one side of said membrane and a photoionization chamber on the other side of said membrane; said inlet and outlet passages extending through said housing and communicating with said ballast chamber; and said electrodes positioned in and said radiation source exposed to said photoionization chamber.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
113 words
In photoionization apparatus, comprising: a housing having a chamber therein; a gas inlet passage and a gas outlet passage, each said passage extending through said housing and communicating with said chamber; a radiation source exposed to said chamber; and detection electrodes in said chamber; the improvement in which: a gas permeable organic plastic membrane extends across said chamber dividing said chamber into two subchambers, a ballast chamber on one side of said membrane and a photoionization chamber on the other side of said membrane; said inlet and outlet passages extending through said housing and communicating with said ballast chamber; and said electrodes positioned in and said radiation source exposed to said photoionization chamber.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
20 words
The improvment claimed in claim 1 further including heating means positioned in said housing adjacent said inlet and outlet passages.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
12 words
The improvement claimed in claim 1 in which said membrane is porous.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
35 words
The improvement claimed in claim 1 further including a gas conduit connected with said gas inlet passage, said gas conduit including in series therewith a source of radiation for the conversion of oxygen to ozone.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
40 words
The improvement claimed in claim 1 further including a gas conduit line connected with said gas inlet passage, said gas conduit line having a branch conduit line connected thereto for the introduction of reactant gases into said gas conduit line.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
47 words
The improvement claimed in claim 1 further including a gas conduit connected with said gas inlet passage, said gas conduit including in series therewith a combustion chamber containing catalytic material for the conversion of hydrocarbons to non-interfering species, and further including heating means adjacent said combustion chamber.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
13 words
The improvement claimed in claim 6 in which said catalytic material comprises platinum.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
12 words
The improvement claimed in claim 1 in which said membrane is continuous.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
13 words
The improvement claimed in claim 4 in which said membrane comprises dimethyl silicone.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
22 words
The improvement claimed in claim 1 further including a purge gas passage extending through said housing and communicating with said photoionization chamber.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
37 words
The improvement claimed in claim 10 further including a purge gas conduit connected with said purge gas passage, said purge gas conduit including in series therewith a source of radiation for the conversion of oxygen to ozone.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
46 words
The improvement claimed in claim 10 further including a purge gas conduit connected with said purge gas passage, said purge gas conduit including in series therewith a combustion chamber containing catalytic material for the oxidation of hydrocarbons, and further including heating means adjacent said combustion chamber.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
13 words
The improvement claimed in claim 12 in which said catalytic material comprises platinum.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
105 words
In the method of selective photoionization of a component in a gaseous stream in which gases from said stream are passed through a photoionization chamber, radiant energy of a predetermined level is passed through said chamber with said gases therein, and ionization of said component is detected at detector electrodes in said chamber, the improvement in which said gaseous stream is passed through an inlet into a ballast chamber and is passed through an outlet out of said ballast chamber, a portion of said gases from said stream being diffused from said ballast chamber into said photoionization chamber through a gas permeable organic plastic membrane.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
105 words
In the method of selective photoionization of a component in a gaseous stream in which gases from said stream are passed through a photoionization chamber, radiant energy of a predetermined level is passed through said chamber with said gases therein, and ionization of said component is detected at detector electrodes in said chamber, the improvement in which said gaseous stream is passed through an inlet into a ballast chamber and is passed through an outlet out of said ballast chamber, a portion of said gases from said stream being diffused from said ballast chamber into said photoionization chamber through a gas permeable organic plastic membrane.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
48 words
The method claimed in claim 14 further including the step, prior to passing said gases into said photoionization chamber, of heating a catalyst effective to assist in the oxidation of hydrocarbon compounds in said gaseous stream and contacting said gaseous stream with said catalyst oxidizing said hydrocarbon compounds.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method claimed in claim 15 in which said catalyst is platinum.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
61 words
The method claimed in claim 14 in which said component is ammonia (NH 3 ) and said gases include ammonia (NH 3 ) and nitric oxide (NO), said method further including the steps of introducing ozone (O 3 ) into said gases, reacting said nitric oxide (NO) with said ozone (O 3 ) and thereafter detecting said ammonia (NH 3 ).
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method claimed in claim 17 in which said ozone is introduced into said gases in said photoionization chamber.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
61 words
The method claimed in claim 14 in which said component is nitric oxide (NO) and said gases include nitric oxide (NO) and ammonia (NH 3 ), said method further including the step, prior to passing said gases into said photoionization chamber, of adding an acid gas to said gaseous stream and reacting said acid gas with said ammonia (NH 3 ).
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method claimed in claim 19 in which said acid gas is sulfur dioxide (SO 2 ).
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method claimed in claim 19 in which said acid gas is hydrogen chloride (HCl).
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
64 words
The method claimed in claim 14 in which said gases include less than about 10% oxygen (O 2 ), said method further including the step of introducing oxygen (O 2 ) as a separate purge gas directly into said photoionization chamber in an amount sufficient to raise the level of oxygen (O 2 ) in said photoionization chamber to a level above about 10%.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method claimed in claim 22 in which oxygen is introduced into said photoionization chamber in air.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
46 words
The method claimed in claim 23 further including the step, prior to introducing said air into said photoionization chamber, of heating a catalyst effective to assist in the oxidation of hydrocarbon compounds in said air and contacting said air with said catalyst oxidizing said hydrocarbon compounds.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method claimed in claim 23 in which said catalyst is platinum.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1979-01-19 | 1979-07-21 | 1980-01-20 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1983-01-19 | 1983-07-21 | 1984-01-20 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1987-01-19 | 1987-07-21 | 1988-01-20 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |