Apparatus for measuring impurity concentrations in a liquid

Claim 1

An apparatus for measuring residue particles in a fluid, comprising: (a) an atomizer for atomizing a fluid; (b) means cooperatively connected to said atomizer for drying atomized fluid to produce residue particles; (c) delivery means, cooperatively connected to said atomizer, for placing the fluid in fluid communication with said atomizer at a constant flowrate, said delivery means including a first orifice, a second orifice, a pressure sensor and control valve means, wherein said sensor is constructed and arranged so as to measure the fluid pressure between said first orifice and said control valve means and generate a first signal indicative thereof, and wherein said control valve means is positioned and arranged so as to respond to said generated signal and maintain the liquid pressure at a predetermined value to said second orifice, and (d) means for counting the residue particles connected in flow communication with said drying means.

Claim 2

An apparatus for measuring residue particles in a fluid, comprising: (a) an atomizer for atomizing a fluid; (b) means cooperatively connected to said atomizer for drying atomized fluid to produce residue particles; (c) delivery means, cooperatively connected to said atomizer, for placing the fluid in fluid communication with said atomizer at a constant flowrate, said delivery means including a first orifice, a second orifice, a pressure sensor and control valve means, wherein said sensor is constructed and arranged so as to measure the fluid pressure between said first orifice and said control valve means and generate a first signal indicative thereof, and wherein said control valve means is positioned and arranged so as to respond to said generated signal and maintain the liquid pressure at a predetermined value to said second orifice, and (d) means for counting the residue particles connected in flow communication with said drying means.

Claim 5

An apparatus for measuring nonvolatile residue particles in a liquid, comprising: (a) an atomizer for atomizing liquid and producing droplets; (b) an evaporator in flow communication with said atomizer for evaporating the droplets into residue particles; (c) a condensation nucleus counter in flow communication with said evaporator for counting the residue particles; and (d) means for controlling the flow rate of the liquid to the atomizer in flow communication with said atomizer, including a first and second orifice in fluid communication with one another, a pressure sensor and a control valve means, a processing means connected to said pressure sensor and said control valve means, said control valve means in fluid communication between said first and second orifices so as to respond to signals generated from said processing means, wherein said sensor is positioned and arranged to measure the liquid pressure between said first orifice and said second orifice and the pressure measurements are provided to said processing means, and wherein variations of the pressure are automatically compensated for by said processing means so as to provide constant liquid delivery to the atomizer, said control valve means in flow communication with a fluid disposal means for disposing fluid, wherein when the pressure is above a predetermined value, said processing means provides a signal to said control valve means which opens allowing more fluid to flow into said fluid disposal means and when the pressure is below a predetermined value, said processing means provides a signal to said control valve means which closes allowing less fluid to flow into said disposal means.

Claim 6

An apparatus for measuring nonvolatile residue particles in a liquid, comprising: (a) an atomizer for atomizing liquid and producing droplets; (b) an evaporator in flow communication with said atomizer for evaporating the droplets into residue particles; (c) a condensation nucleus counter in flow communication with said evaporator for counting the residue particles; and (d) means for controlling the flow rate of the liquid to the atomizer in flow communication with said atomizer, including a first and second orifice in fluid communication with one another, a pressure sensor and a control valve means, a processing means connected to said pressure sensor and said control valve means, said control valve means in fluid communication between said first and second orifices so as to respond to signals generated from said processing means, wherein said sensor is positioned and arranged to measure the liquid pressure between said first orifice and said second orifice and the pressure measurements are provided to said processing means, and wherein variations of the pressure are automatically compensated for by said processing means so as to provide constant liquid delivery to the atomizer, said control valve means in flow communication with a fluid disposal means for disposing fluid, wherein when the pressure is above a predetermined value, said processing means provides a signal to said control valve means which opens allowing more fluid to flow into said fluid disposal means and when the pressure is below a predetermined value, said processing means provides a signal to said control valve means which closes allowing less fluid to flow into said disposal means.

Claim 14

An apparatus for measuring the nonvolatile residue concentration of a fluid, comprising: (a) an atomizer for mixing the fluid with clean air or nitrogen to produce droplets having a constant size distribution; (b) an evaporator connected to said atomizer for evaporating the droplets leaving residue particles; (c) first fluid restrictive means for producing an approximate flowrate of the fluid; (d) second fluid restrictive means, located in fluid communication downstream from said first fluid restrictive means, for restricting fluid flow to the atomizer; (e) variable fluid restriction control means, located in fluid communication between said first and second fluid restrictive means and responsive to pressure between said first fluid restrictive means and said second fluid restrictive means and for compensating for changes in the pressure; whereby variations of the pressure are automatically compensated for so as to provide constant fluid delivery to the atomizer; and (f) measuring means, connected in fluid communication with said evaporator, for measuring the concentration of the detectable nonvolatile residue particles.

Claim 15

An apparatus for measuring the nonvolatile residue concentration of a fluid, comprising: (a) an atomizer for mixing the fluid with clean air or nitrogen to produce droplets having a constant size distribution; (b) an evaporator connected to said atomizer for evaporating the droplets leaving residue particles; (c) first fluid restrictive means for producing an approximate flowrate of the fluid; (d) second fluid restrictive means, located in fluid communication downstream from said first fluid restrictive means, for restricting fluid flow to the atomizer; (e) variable fluid restriction control means, located in fluid communication between said first and second fluid restrictive means and responsive to pressure between said first fluid restrictive means and said second fluid restrictive means and for compensating for changes in the pressure; whereby variations of the pressure are automatically compensated for so as to provide constant fluid delivery to the atomizer; and (f) measuring means, connected in fluid communication with said evaporator, for measuring the concentration of the detectable nonvolatile residue particles.