THERMAL DETECTOR FOR CHEMICAL OR BIOLOGICAL AGENTS
First Claim
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1. A detector, comprising:
- a thermoelectric sensor configured to sense heat and to provide an electrical signal based on the sensed heat;
a reactive layer coupled to the thermoelectric sensor which is reactive with an airborne chemical or airborne biological agent of interest, the reaction being exothermic or endothermic, whereby when the airborne agent of interest reacts with the reactive layer, the reaction is detected by the thermoelectric sensor and the electrical signal provides an indication based on the reaction.
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Abstract
A detector has a thermoelectric sensor and a reactive layer. The thermoelectric sensor is configured to sense heat and to provide an electrical signal based on the sensed heat. The reactive layer is coupled to the thermoelectric sensor and is reactive with an airborne chemical or airborne biological agent of interest. The reaction is exothermic or endothermic. When the airborne agent of interest reacts with the reactive layer, the reaction is detected by the thermoelectric sensor. The electrical signal provides an indication based on the reaction.
108 Citations
26 Claims
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1. A detector, comprising:
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a thermoelectric sensor configured to sense heat and to provide an electrical signal based on the sensed heat;
a reactive layer coupled to the thermoelectric sensor which is reactive with an airborne chemical or airborne biological agent of interest, the reaction being exothermic or endothermic, whereby when the airborne agent of interest reacts with the reactive layer, the reaction is detected by the thermoelectric sensor and the electrical signal provides an indication based on the reaction. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method, comprising:
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sensing heat on a material having an exothermic or endothermic reaction with an airborne chemical or airborne biological agent of interest; and
converting the sensed heat to an electrical signal indicative of the amount of heat sensed. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18)
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19. A thermoelectric alarm system, comprising:
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a plurality of detectors, each detector comprising;
a thermoelectric sensor configured to sense heat and to provide an electrical signal based on the sensed heat; and
a reactive layer coupled to the thermoelectric sensor which is reactive with an airborne chemical or airborne biological agent of interest, the reaction being exothermic or endothermic, whereby when the airborne agent of interest reacts with the reactive layer, the reaction is detected by the thermoelectric sensor and the electrical signal provides an indication based on the reaction;
wherein each of the detectors comprises a reactive layer reactive with the same or different airborne chemical or airborne biological agent of interest. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A method, comprising:
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generating heat in a material having an exothermic or endothermic reaction with an airborne chemical or biological agent of interest;
transferring the generated heat to a thermoelectric sensor; and
converting the generated heat to an electrical signal indicative of the amount of generated heat. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26)
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Specification