Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim
166 words
Method for measuring hydrocarbon content in liquid containing the same, comprising the steps of conducting the liquid to be measured into a transparent measuring cuvette, irradiating the cuvette with infrared radiation of of wavelengths within a first wide wavelength range whereby the liquid absorbs infrared rays over the first wide range which is greater than a second narrow wavelength range over which the hydrocarbon affects the infrared absorption of the liquid, measuring the infrared absorption spectrum of the liquid over the first wide range, determining infrared absorption of the liquid without the hydrocarbon in the second range by extrapolating the absorption spectrum for the liquid without the hydrocarbon based upon the measurement of infrared absorption spectrum outside the second wavelength range, and determining an indication of the content of the hydrocarbon in the liquid as a difference between the measured infrared absorption spectrum of the liquid with the hydrocarbon and the extrapolated infrared absorption spectrum of the liquid without the hydrocarbon in the second wavelength range.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
166 words
Method for measuring hydrocarbon content in liquid containing the same, comprising the steps of conducting the liquid to be measured into a transparent measuring cuvette, irradiating the cuvette with infrared radiation of of wavelengths within a first wide wavelength range whereby the liquid absorbs infrared rays over the first wide range which is greater than a second narrow wavelength range over which the hydrocarbon affects the infrared absorption of the liquid, measuring the infrared absorption spectrum of the liquid over the first wide range, determining infrared absorption of the liquid without the hydrocarbon in the second range by extrapolating the absorption spectrum for the liquid without the hydrocarbon based upon the measurement of infrared absorption spectrum outside the second wavelength range, and determining an indication of the content of the hydrocarbon in the liquid as a difference between the measured infrared absorption spectrum of the liquid with the hydrocarbon and the extrapolated infrared absorption spectrum of the liquid without the hydrocarbon in the second wavelength range.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 5, wherein at least four measurements of the infrared absorption spectrum of the liquid are made over the first range.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 2, wherein at least two of the measurements are outside the second range.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 3, wherein at least 3 of the measurements are outside the second range.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
10 words
The method of claim 4, wherein the liquid is water.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 5, wherein the measurements are taken over a wave length range of about 3.3-3.8 microns.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 6, wherein the measurements are taken at wavelengths of about 3.3, about 3.42, about 3.6, and about 3.75 microns.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the measuring carried out is a multi-color measurement utilizing a multichannel detector and a wavelength band selector between the detector and the cuvette.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the measuring carried out is a Fourier spectrometer measurement utilizing a wide-band detector and a sweeping interferometer through which radiation from the cuvette is conducted to the detector.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the measuring carried out is a laser spectrometer measurement utilizing a sweeping laser radiation source and a wide-band detector.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 1, wherein need to generate a reference sample of liquid without hydrocarbon therein is eliminated.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 1, wherein filtering of the liquid to generate a reference sample is eliminated.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 1, comprising the additional step of determining an integral of hydrocarbon-induced absorption by taking a sweep of measurements over the first and second ranges.