Apparatus and method to identify and measure gas concentrations
First Claim
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1. An apparatus for determining a concentration of gasses in a gas mixture, said apparatus comprising:
- a hollow enclosure;
an intake member attached to said hollow enclosure, said intake member configured to introduce the gas mixture into said hollow enclosure;
an evacuation member attached to said hollow enclosure, said evacuation member configured to evacuate the gas mixture from said hollow enclosure;
at least one microwave generator tuned to responsive frequencies of the gas mixture;
a transmit antenna coupled to said at least one microwave generator, said transmit antenna configured to transmit an electromagnetic energy emission spectrum through the gas mixture in a response to a microwave radiation coupled to said transmit antenna from said at least one microwave generator;
a receive antenna spaced from said transmit antenna so that the gas mixture flows between said transmit antenna and said receive antenna, said receive antenna configured to capture an electromagnetic energy difference between said electromagnetic energy emission spectrum transmitted from said transmit antenna and an electromagnetic energy emission spectrum being absorbed or reflected by gaseous molecules in the gas mixture;
a receiver coupled to said receive and/or transmit antenna, said receiver configured to convert said electromagnetic energy difference into a digital signal; and
a control member configured to process said digital signal in accordance with one or more algorithms, said control member configured to analyze said electromagnetic energy difference and determine concentration(s) of gasses in the gas mixture based on an analysis of said electromagnetic energy difference.
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Abstract
A method and apparatus is provided for the analysis of gaseous compounds, especially for determining the concentration of a gas or gases in a gas mixture by microwave spectroscopy. Microwave radiation is generated at one or more frequencies the gas is most responsive to, transmitted by antenna, passed through the gas under test, received by antenna, and the absorption and/or reflection of the microwave radiation is measured by means such as digitization and analysis using the FFT spectrum versus energy response generated, the response subsequently used to calculate the gas concentration.
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Citations
17 Claims
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1. An apparatus for determining a concentration of gasses in a gas mixture, said apparatus comprising:
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a hollow enclosure; an intake member attached to said hollow enclosure, said intake member configured to introduce the gas mixture into said hollow enclosure; an evacuation member attached to said hollow enclosure, said evacuation member configured to evacuate the gas mixture from said hollow enclosure; at least one microwave generator tuned to responsive frequencies of the gas mixture; a transmit antenna coupled to said at least one microwave generator, said transmit antenna configured to transmit an electromagnetic energy emission spectrum through the gas mixture in a response to a microwave radiation coupled to said transmit antenna from said at least one microwave generator; a receive antenna spaced from said transmit antenna so that the gas mixture flows between said transmit antenna and said receive antenna, said receive antenna configured to capture an electromagnetic energy difference between said electromagnetic energy emission spectrum transmitted from said transmit antenna and an electromagnetic energy emission spectrum being absorbed or reflected by gaseous molecules in the gas mixture; a receiver coupled to said receive and/or transmit antenna, said receiver configured to convert said electromagnetic energy difference into a digital signal; and a control member configured to process said digital signal in accordance with one or more algorithms, said control member configured to analyze said electromagnetic energy difference and determine concentration(s) of gasses in the gas mixture based on an analysis of said electromagnetic energy difference. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. An apparatus for determining a concentration of gasses in a gas mixture, said apparatus comprising:
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a hollow enclosure; an intake member attached to said hollow enclosure, said intake member configured to introduce the gas mixture into said hollow enclosure; an evacuation member attached to said hollow enclosure, said evacuation member configured to evacuate the gas mixture from said hollow enclosure; at least one microwave generator tuned to responsive frequencies of the gas; a transmit antenna coupled to said at least one microwave generator, said transmit antenna configured to transmit an electromagnetic energy emission spectrum through the gas mixture in a response to a microwave radiation coupled to said transmit antenna from said at least one microwave generator; a receive antenna spaced from said transmit antenna so that the gas mixture flows between said transmit antenna and said receive antenna, said receive antenna configured to capture an electromagnetic energy difference between said electromagnetic energy emission spectrum transmitted from said transmit antenna and an electromagnetic energy emission spectrum being absorbed or reflected by gaseous molecules in the gas mixture; a receiver coupled to said receive and/or transmit antenna, said receiver configured to convert said electromagnetic energy difference into a digital signal; and a control member configured to measure, in said digital signal, at least one of an absorption amplitude, an emission amplitude and a reflection amplitude, convert said at least one of said absorption amplitude, said emission amplitude and said reflection amplitude to an absolute concentration, and compare said absolute concentration against a stored value.
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Specification