Thermoelectric gas dryer

Claim 3

The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said wick means comprises a hygroscopic fibrous material.

Claim 4

The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said cooling means comprises a peltier block.

Claim 5

The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said housing means comprises a stainless steel block.

Claim 6

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said sensor means includes a thermistor and a current source.

Claim 7

Apparatus for drying a flowing sample stream of a gas containing moisture, said apparatus comprising: a current source; a stainless steel housing having three intersecting paths comprising an inlet for receiving the sample stream, an outlet for exhausting the gas and a drain for permitting flow of moisture; a fibrous hydroscopic wick disposed within said drain to partially block the flow of the gas while permitting the flow of moisture; a peltier block connected to said current source and in contact with said stainless steel housing for lowering the temperature of the sample stream to promote separation of moisture and gas by condensation; a heat sink in contact with said peltier block to conduct heat to ambience; and a thermistor disposed within said stainless steel housing to detect the temperature of said stainless steel housing and connected to said current source to control current flow through said peltier block.

Claim 8

Apparatus for drying a flowing sample stream of a gas containing moisture, said apparatus comprising: a current source; a stainless steel housing having three intersecting paths comprising an inlet for receiving the sample stream, an outlet for exhausting the gas and a drain for permitting flow of moisture; a fibrous hydroscopic wick disposed within said drain to partially block the flow of the gas while permitting the flow of moisture; a peltier block connected to said current source and in contact with said stainless steel housing for lowering the temperature of the sample stream to promote separation of moisture and gas by condensation; a heat sink in contact with said peltier block to conduct heat to ambience; and a thermistor disposed within said stainless steel housing to detect the temperature of said stainless steel housing and connected to said current source to control current flow through said peltier block.

Claim 11

The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said solid state cooling means comprises a peltier block having a hot surface and a cold surface.

Claim 12

The apparatus of claim 8 also including a heat sink in contact with the hot surface of said peltier block.

Claim 13

The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said wick means comprises a fibrous hygroscopic material.

Claim 14

The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the center line of the inlet intersects the center line of the outlet at an angle of about 45°.

Claim 15

In combination: an analyzer for analyzing component gas concentrations in a sample stream; housing means for removing any moisture from said sample stream, said housing having an inlet path adapted to be connected to a source of a sample stream of gas, an outlet path connected to said analyzer and a drain path; wick means disposed within said drain for drawing out said moisture while partially blocking flow of said sample stream; solid state cooling means connected to said housing means for reducing the temperature of said sample stream to below its dew point; control means associated with said housing means to control current flow through said solid state cooling means, said control means varying said current in proportion to said housing temperature.

Claim 16

In combination: an analyzer for analyzing component gas concentrations in a sample stream; housing means for removing any moisture from said sample stream, said housing having an inlet path adapted to be connected to a source of a sample stream of gas, an outlet path connected to said analyzer and a drain path; wick means disposed within said drain for drawing out said moisture while partially blocking flow of said sample stream; solid state cooling means connected to said housing means for reducing the temperature of said sample stream to below its dew point; control means associated with said housing means to control current flow through said solid state cooling means, said control means varying said current in proportion to said housing temperature.

Claim 17

The combination according to claim 12 wherein said source comprises an automobile exhaust.

Claim 18

The combination according to claim 13 wherein said analyzer comprises an oxygen analyzer.

Claim 19

The combination according to claim 13 wherein said analyzer comprises a carbon monoxide analyzer.

Claim 20

The combination of claims 12, 14 or 15 wherein said solid state cooling means comprises a peltier block.

Claim 21

In an apparatus for removing moisture in a sample stream of gas in a system wherein the sample stream is passed through a moisture removal housing having an inlet, an outlet and a drain, the improvement comprising: solid state cooling means in contact with the moisture removal housing for reducing the temperature of the sample stream; and wick means comprising fibrous hygroscopic material wound around a wire core disposed within the drain for drawing out any moisture which condenses out of the sample stream.

Claim 22

In an apparatus for removing moisture in a sample stream of gas in a system wherein the sample stream is passed through a moisture removal housing having an inlet, an outlet and a drain, the improvement comprising: solid state cooling means in contact with the moisture removal housing for reducing the temperature of the sample stream; and wick means comprising fibrous hygroscopic material wound around a wire core disposed within the drain for drawing out any moisture which condenses out of the sample stream.