Moisture analyzer
First Claim
1. In combination, an apparatus for detecting and measuring the amount of moisture in a moisture-containing gaseous stream which utilizes a cell assembly characterized as a compartmented structure, a first compartment separated from a second compartment by a partitioning semi-permeable membrane through which moisture can be passed, which comprisesan open-end cell housing forming said first compartment, said housing including an enclosing wall, a gas inlet within said wall into which a sampled moisture-containing gas can be admitted, and a gas outlet within said wall through which the sampled gas can be discharged,a cell bobbin assembly providing said second compartment, said cell bobbin assembly including a forward portion which is projected into the open-end of said cell housing, enclosed and detachably mounted therein, the cell bobbin carrying an electrical circuit, the external face of the forward portion of said cell bobbin assembly being provided with continuous circumferential grooves of helical orientation which wind about the central axis of said cell bobbin assembly and carry at least one pair of exposed thread-like wire electrodes which constitute a portion of said electrical circuit, and upon which can be disposed a hydroscopic electrolyte which is electrically conductive when wet and in contact with both wires of an electrode pair, the semi-permeable membrane which separates said first and second compartments one from the other being carried upon said forward face of the cell bobbin to cover said exposed wire electrodes, and said hydroscopic electrolyte, such that when a moisture-containing gas is admitted via the gas inlet and discharged via the gas outlet of said first compartment and contacted with an exposed side of the semi-permeable membrane within said first compartment moisture can be transported from said moisture-containing gas for contact with said hydroscopic electrolyte within said second compartment,a direct current power source of voltage sufficient to electrolyze said hydroscopic electrolyte when wetted by moisture passed through said semi-permeable membrane from said first compartment to said second compartment,current measuring means connected in circuit with said direct current power source for measuring the water content of said hydroscopic electrolyte as a function of the current delivered by said power source in electrolyzing said hydroscopic electrolyte,a filter,a pressure regulator connected in series with said filter,a four-way selector valve connected in series with said filter, said pressure regulator and to the gas inlet and gas outlet of said cell assembly, whereupon the moisture-containing sample gas can be passed through the circuit containing the filter and pressure regulator while by-passing the cell assembly, and alternately the moisture-containing sample gas can be passed serially through the circuit containing filter, pressure regulator and cell assembly.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus, viz., a moisture analyzer, for the detection, and measurement of moisture in trace amounts in fluid streams, especially gas streams. The moisture analyzer is characterized as (A) a cell assembly constituted of a compartmented structure (i) a first compartment separated from a second compartment by a partitioning semi-permeable membrane through which moisture can be passed, said first compartment including a fluid, or gas inlet into which a moisture-containing fluid, especially a gas, can be admitted, and a fluid, or gas outlet from which fluid, or gas, can be expelled, (ii) the second compartment containing an electrical circuit which includes at least one pair of electrically isolated electrodes located in close proximity one to another, upon which electrodes can be disposed a hydroscopic substance, or electrolyte, e.g., P2 O5, which is electrically conductive when wet and in contact with both electrodes, (B) a direct current power source of voltage sufficient to electrolyze said hydroscopic substance, or electrolyte, when it is wetted by moisture passed through said semi-permeable membrane from the first compartment to said second compartment, (C) current measuring means connected in circuit with said power source for measuring the water content of said hydroscopic substance, or electrolyte as a function of the current delivered by said power source in electrolyzing said hydroscopic substance.
39 Citations
12 Claims
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1. In combination, an apparatus for detecting and measuring the amount of moisture in a moisture-containing gaseous stream which utilizes a cell assembly characterized as a compartmented structure, a first compartment separated from a second compartment by a partitioning semi-permeable membrane through which moisture can be passed, which comprises
an open-end cell housing forming said first compartment, said housing including an enclosing wall, a gas inlet within said wall into which a sampled moisture-containing gas can be admitted, and a gas outlet within said wall through which the sampled gas can be discharged, a cell bobbin assembly providing said second compartment, said cell bobbin assembly including a forward portion which is projected into the open-end of said cell housing, enclosed and detachably mounted therein, the cell bobbin carrying an electrical circuit, the external face of the forward portion of said cell bobbin assembly being provided with continuous circumferential grooves of helical orientation which wind about the central axis of said cell bobbin assembly and carry at least one pair of exposed thread-like wire electrodes which constitute a portion of said electrical circuit, and upon which can be disposed a hydroscopic electrolyte which is electrically conductive when wet and in contact with both wires of an electrode pair, the semi-permeable membrane which separates said first and second compartments one from the other being carried upon said forward face of the cell bobbin to cover said exposed wire electrodes, and said hydroscopic electrolyte, such that when a moisture-containing gas is admitted via the gas inlet and discharged via the gas outlet of said first compartment and contacted with an exposed side of the semi-permeable membrane within said first compartment moisture can be transported from said moisture-containing gas for contact with said hydroscopic electrolyte within said second compartment, a direct current power source of voltage sufficient to electrolyze said hydroscopic electrolyte when wetted by moisture passed through said semi-permeable membrane from said first compartment to said second compartment, current measuring means connected in circuit with said direct current power source for measuring the water content of said hydroscopic electrolyte as a function of the current delivered by said power source in electrolyzing said hydroscopic electrolyte, a filter, a pressure regulator connected in series with said filter, a four-way selector valve connected in series with said filter, said pressure regulator and to the gas inlet and gas outlet of said cell assembly, whereupon the moisture-containing sample gas can be passed through the circuit containing the filter and pressure regulator while by-passing the cell assembly, and alternately the moisture-containing sample gas can be passed serially through the circuit containing filter, pressure regulator and cell assembly.
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10. In combination, an apparatus for detecting and measuring the amount of moisture contained in a moisture-containing gaseous stream which utilizes a cell assembly characterized as a compartmented structure, a first compartment separated from a second compartment by a partitioning semi-permeable membrane through which moisture can be passed, which comprises
a cell assembly which includes a tubular cell housing forming said first comparment, said housing having an enclosing wall, an open-end and a closed end, a gas inlet within said wall into which a sampled moisture-containing gas can be admitted, and a gas outlet within said wall through which the sampled gas can be discharged, a cell bobbin assembly providing said second compartment, said cell bobbin assembly including a forward cylindrical shaped end which is projected into the open-end of said tubular housing, and enclosed and detachably mounted therein, the cell bobbin carrying an electrical circuit, the external face of the forward cyclindrical shaped end of said cell bobbin assembly being provided with continuous circumferential grooves which wind circumferentially around said cylindrical shaped end of said cell bobbin and carry a pair of exposed thread-like wire electrodes which constitute a portion of said electrical circuit, and upon which can be disposed a hydroscopic electrolyte which is electrically conductive when wet and in contact with both wires of the electrode pair, the semi-permeable membrane which separates said first and second compartments one from the other being carried upon the grooved face of the cylindrical shaped end of the cell bobbin to cover said exposed wire electrodes, and hydroscopic electrolyte, such that when a moisture-containing gas is admitted via the gas inlet and discharged via the gas outlet of said first compartment formed by said housing, moisture can be transported from said moisture-containing gas for contact with said hydroscopic electrolyte within said second compartment, a direct current power source of voltage connected through an electrical cable extending through the interior of the cell bobbin assembly and electrically connected to the terminal ends of the electrodes of said cell bobbin assembly sufficient to electrolyze said hydroscopic electrolyte when wetted by moisture passed through said semi-permeable membrane from said first compartment to said second compartment, current measuring means connected in circuit with said direct current power source for measuring the water content of said hydroscopic electrolyte as a function of the current delivered by said power source in electrolyzing said hydroscopic electrolyte, a filter, a pressure regulator connected in series with said filter, a four-way selected valve connected in series with said filter, said pressure regulator and to the gas inlet and gas outlet of said cell assembly, whereupon the moisture-containing sampled gas can be passed through the circuit containing the filter and pressure regulator while by-passing the cell assembly, and alternatively the moisture-containing sampled gas can be passed serially through the circuit containing the filter, pressure regulator and cell assembly.
Specification