Self-calibrating sensor

• US 20080282765A1
• Filed: 05/16/2007
• Published: 11/20/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/16/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Bonne, Ulrich, Padmanabhan, Aravind, Rezachek, Thomas M., Tobias, Peter
• Granted Patent: US 7,975,525 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 73/1.07
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/0006 Calibrating gas analysers

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention relate to a gas sensor comprising a flow channel, a concentration modulator positioned in the flow channel, a gas generator in contact with the flow channel, one or more gas detectors positioned downstream of the concentration modulator and gas generator and a pump.

Claims

1. A gas sensor, comprising:

a flow channel;

a concentration modulator, positioned in the flow channel;

a gas generator, in contact with the flow channel;

one or more gas detectors, positioned downstream of the concentration modulator and gas generator; and

a pump.

2. The gas sensor of claim 1, wherein the concentration modulator comprises a heater and an adsorber.

3. The gas sensor of claim 2, wherein the adsorber comprises a film.

4. The gas sensor of claim 2, wherein the adsorber comprises a capillary.

5. The gas sensor of claim 2, wherein the adsorber comprises a column.

6. The gas sensor of claim 1, wherein the gas generator comprises a methane gas generator.

7. The gas sensor of claim 1, wherein the gas generator comprises a propane gas generator.

8. The gas sensor of claim 1, wherein the gas generator comprises a pentane gas generator.

9. The gas sensor of claim 1, wherein the gas generator comprises a carbon monoxide gas generator.

10. The gas sensor of claim 1, wherein the gas generator comprises a carbon dioxide gas generator.

11. The gas sensor of claim 1, wherein the one or more detectors comprise electrochemical detectors.

12. A method of detecting a gas, comprising:

introducing a sample gas;

adsorbing a least a portion of the sample, sufficient to provide an adsorbed sample and a flow-through sample;

detecting the flow-through sample, sufficient to provide a flow-through electrical signal;

releasing the adsorbed sample;

detecting the adsorbed sample, sufficient to provide an adsorbed sample electrical signal;

generating a calibration sample; and

detecting a calibration sample, sufficient to provide a calibration sample electrical signal.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein introducing comprises injecting.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein introducing comprises pumping.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein introducing comprises continuously introducing a sample.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein adsorbing comprises physically binding to at least a portion of the sample.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein adsorbing comprises chemically binding to at least a portion of the sample.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein detecting comprises contacting an electrochemical detector that produces an electrical signal.

19. The method of claim 12, wherein releasing comprises heating.

20. The method of claim 12, wherein releasing comprises altering the temperature.

21. The method of claim 12, wherein releasing comprises saturating an adsorber.

22. The method of claim 12, wherein generating comprises chemically reacting.

23. The method of claim 12, wherein generating comprises contacting reagents.

24. The method of claim 12, further comprising adsorbing at least a portion of a second sample, sufficient to provide a second adsorbed sample and a second flow-through sample.

25. The method of claim 12, wherein any of the steps are repeatable.

26. The method of claim 12, further comprising electronically filtering the flow-through sample electrical signal sufficient to substantially remove baseline drift.

27. The method of claim 12, further comprising analyzing the calibration sample electrical signal sufficient to substantially remove span drift.