Optical waveguide sensor for methane gas
First Claim
1. A method for detecting alkanes by forming and detecting clathrate structures of alkanes in a fluid at constant temperature and pressure comprising the steps of:
- propagating light into an optical capillary waveguide having two ends and a longitudinal surface at end thereof which is closed with an optical stopper and with the other end thereof sealed with a lens-like curvature;
obtaining samples of a fluid to be tested;
hydrating any alkanes present in said fluid samples to be tested to yield gas mixtures with at least 30% relative humidity;
condensing any hydrated alkanes on the surface of said optical waveguide; and
detecting alkanes in the fluid to be tested by detecting a parameter of light affected by weak optical surface scattering of light at any condensed alkane-water-optical surface interfaces after propagation through said optical waveguide.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A device for detecting small amounts of alkanes such as methane, ethane, propane, and butane gases, comprising an optical waveguide and a light source for propagating light therethrough; apparatus for obtaining samples of air to be tested; apparatus for adding water vapor to these air samples to yield gas mixtures with at least a 30% relative humidity; and means for flowing these mixtures over the surface of the optical waveguide at a rate sufficient to favor condensation of the mixture on the waveguide surface to thereby form a thin film thereon. The presence of alkanes is determined by detecting the intensity of the light after propagation through the optical waveguide and then comparing that detected intensity to a reference. In a preferred embodiment, the optical waveguide is an optical glass capillary in which the surface is closed in a lens-like configuration at the detector end.
33 Citations
33 Claims
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1. A method for detecting alkanes by forming and detecting clathrate structures of alkanes in a fluid at constant temperature and pressure comprising the steps of:
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propagating light into an optical capillary waveguide having two ends and a longitudinal surface at end thereof which is closed with an optical stopper and with the other end thereof sealed with a lens-like curvature; obtaining samples of a fluid to be tested; hydrating any alkanes present in said fluid samples to be tested to yield gas mixtures with at least 30% relative humidity; condensing any hydrated alkanes on the surface of said optical waveguide; and detecting alkanes in the fluid to be tested by detecting a parameter of light affected by weak optical surface scattering of light at any condensed alkane-water-optical surface interfaces after propagation through said optical waveguide. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method for detecting alkanes by forming and detecting clathrate structures of alkanes in a fluid at constant temperature and pressure comprising the steps of:
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propagating light through outer walls of an optical waveguide capillary having two ends and an uncoated surface, the propagated light being confined to the outer walls of the optical capillary; obtaining a sample of a first gas to be tested; adding water vapor to said first gas sanple to yield a gas mixuterwith at least 30% relative humidity; flowing said gas mixture over the surface of said optical waveguide at a rate sufficient to favor condensation of saisd gas mixture on said surface to thereby form a thin film on said surface; detecting intensity of light affected by weak optical surface scattering of light at any condensed alkane-water optical waveguide surface interfaces after propagation through said optical waveguide; and detecting alkanes in the first gas to be tested by comparing said detected light intensity to a reference. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. An optical detection device for detecting alkanes by forming and detecting clathrate structures of alkanes in a fluid at constant temperature and pressure, comprising;
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a light source; an optical capillary waveguide having two ends and a surface, with light from the light source directed into said capillary at one end thereof which is closed with an optical stopper and with the other end thereof sealed with a lens-like curvature; means for obtaining samples of a fluid to be tested; means for adding water molecules to the fluid samples to be tested to form gas mixtures with at least 30% relative humidity; means for flowing the mixtures formed by said water adding means on the surface of said optical waveguide at a rate sufficient to favor condensation; and - View Dependent Claims (17, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 30, 32)
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- 16. means for detecting a parameter of light affected by a weak optical surface scattering of light at a condensed alkane-water optical waveguide surface inteface, after propagation through said otpical waveguide.
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29. An optical detection device for detecting alkanes by forming and detecting clathrate structures of alkanes in a fluid at constant temperature and pressure, comprising:
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a light source; an optical capillary waveguide having two ends and a longitudinal surface, with light directed into said capillary at one end thereof which is closed with an optical stopper and with the other end thereof sealed with a lens-like curvature; means for sampling a first gas to be tested to obtain first gas samples; means for adding water vapor to the first gas samples to yield gas mixtures with at least a 30% relative humidity; means for flowing the mixtures formed by said water adding means over the surface of said optical waveguide at a rate sufficient to favor condensation of the mixtures on said surface to thereby form a thin film on said surface; means for detecting intensity of light affected by weak optical surface scattering of the light at a condensed alkane-water optical waveguide surface interface after propagation through said optical waveguide; and means for comparing the detected light intensity to a reference. - View Dependent Claims (31, 33)
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Specification