LARGE VOLUME ANALYTE PRECONCENTRATOR

• US 20110214482A1
• Filed: 07/31/2009
• Published: 09/08/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: University of Louisville
• Original Assignee: University of Louisville
• Inventors: Roussel, Thomas, Martin, Michael, Alexander, Suraj, Naber, John, Cambron, Scott, Keynton, Robert, Hagemann, Richard B. III, Abersold, Julia W., Walsh, Kevin M., Jackson, Douglas J.
• Granted Patent: US 8,771,613 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 73/25.05
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2253/202 Polymeric adsorbents
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/02 by adsorption, e.g. preparative gas chromatography solid sorbent compositions B01J20/00, preparation of inorganic compounds or elements C01
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 1/405 by adsorption or absorption

Abstract

A large volume preconcentrator device for concentrating analytes. A housing accepts an analyte vapor flow, and a plurality of collection surfaces are disposed within the housing. A selectively actuatable heater is disposed on each of the plurality of collection surfaces. At least one selectively actuable damper is disposed within the housing for selectively restricting a collection flow.

Claims

1. A large volume preconcentrator device for concentrating analytes, the device comprising:

a housing that accepts an analyte vapor flow;

a plurality of supports disposed within said housing, each of said plurality of supports respectively defining a collection surface;

a selectively actuatable heater disposed on the collection surface of each of said plurality of supports;

a sorbent coating disposed on the collection surface of each of said plurality of supports; and

at least one selectively actuable damper disposed within said housing for selectively restricting a collection flow.

2. The preconcentrator device of claim 1, wherein the collection surface of each of said plurality of supports is disposed to face toward a direction of a collection flow through said housing;

wherein the collection surface of each of said plurality of supports is disposed to face along a direction of a desorption flow through said housing.

3. The preconcentrator device of claim 1, wherein each of said plurality of supports is fixed.

4. The preconcentrator device of claim 1, wherein each of said plurality of supports comprises louvers supported within said housing.

5. The preconcentrator device of claim 4, wherein each of the louvers are narrow.

6. The preconcentrator device of claim 4, wherein each of the louvers are fixed.

7. The preconcentrator device of claim 4, wherein, for each of the louvers, said selectively actuable heater is thermally isolated from the louver.

8. The preconcentrator device of claim 4, wherein each of the louvers comprise a plurality of narrow slots extending through the louvers and defining spaces between the narrow slots along the collection surface.

9. The preconcentrator device of claim 1, wherein said at least one selectively actuatable damper comprises a plurality of adjustable louvers that are rotatable between a first position allowing collection flow and a second position restricting collection flow.

10. The preconcentrator device of claim 9, wherein the collection surfaces for each of the plurality of supports together define a collection plane, and wherein said plurality of adjustable louvers are disposed upstream of the collection plane.

11. The preconcentrator device of claim 1, wherein each of said heaters comprises:

a thermal insulation layer disposed over the collection surface;

a heater trace disposed over said thermal insulation layer; and

a thermal distribution layer disposed over said heater trace.

12. The preconcentrator device of claim 11, wherein each of said heaters further comprises:

a thin dielectric layer disposed between said heater trace and said thermal distribution layer.

13. The preconcentrator device of claim 1, wherein said housing is configured to interface with at least one of a return air duct, a vapor collection hood, and a second stage preconcentrator.

14. The preconcentrator device of claim 1, wherein, for each of said plurality of supports, said selectively actuatable heater is disposed on both the collection surface and an opposing surface of the support.

15. A method for preconcentrating an analyte comprising:

providing a plurality of collection surfaces disposed within a housing;

receiving a collection flow through the housing, wherein the collection surfaces are positioned to face a direction of the collection flow, and wherein analyte is collected on the collection surfaces;

actuating a plurality of dampers downstream of the collection surfaces for selectively to restrict the collection flow; and

heating each of the collection surfaces to induce a desorption flow from the collection surfaces through the housing and to an outside device.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the plurality of dampers comprise a plurality of adjustable louvers, and wherein said actuating the plurality of dampers comprises rotating the plurality of adjustable louvers to a position wherein the adjustable louvers at least partially overlap to block the collection flow.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the collection surfaces are respectively defined by a plurality of supports, and wherein the supports remain in a fixed position during the collection flow and during said actuating a heater.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the plurality of supports comprises a plurality of louvers disposed within the housing;

and

wherein the collection flow passes between the plurality of louvers and between the plurality of dampers.

19. A large volume preconcentrator device for concentrating analytes, the device comprising:

a housing for accepting an analyte vapor flow;

means for supporting a plurality of collection surfaces facing a direction of a collection flow;

means for collecting analyte on the plurality of collection surfaces during the collection flow;

means for selectively restricting the collection flow at a position downstream of the plurality of collection surfaces; and

means for inducing a desorption flow from the collection surfaces.

20. A large volume preconcentrator device for concentrating analytes, the device comprising:

a housing that accepts an analyte vapor flow;

a plurality of collection surfaces disposed within said housing;

a selectively actuatable heater disposed on each of the collection surfaces; and

at least one selectively actuable damper disposed within said housing and downstream of said plurality of collection surfaces for selectively restricting a collection flow.