Carbon monitor containing anion exchange resin

• US 5,141,717 A
• Filed: 12/24/1990
• Issued: 08/25/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 12/24/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ionics Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Ionics Incorporated
• Inventors: McRae, Wayne A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Housel, James C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): ALEXANDER, LYLE
• Application Number:
  US07/633,569
• Time in Patent Office: 610 Days
• Field of Search: 422/82.01, 422/82.02, 422/70, 422/76, 210/746, 210/198.2, 210/96.1, 210/85, 210/181, 55/386, 73/19.02, 73/61.1 R, 73/61.1 C, 324/464, 436/145, 436/146, 436/150
• US Class Current: 422/82.01
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/021 before and after chemical transformation of the material
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 31/005 investigating the presence of an element by oxidation G01N31/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/1846 Total carbon analysis
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 20/20 Controlling water pollution; Waste water treatment
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/23 Carbon containing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/235 In an aqueous solution [e.g., TOC, etc.]

Abstract

Apparatus for measuring the concentration of carbon compounds in water, the apparatus including a reaction zone for converting such carbon compounds to free and/or combined carbonaceous acids, a device for introducing at least a portion of the water to be analyzed as liquid or vapor into such zone, a device for contacting such acids with weakly basic anion exchange resin and a device for measuring the electrical impedance of at least a portion of such resin.

Claims

1. Apparatus for estimating the concentration of carbon compounds in water comprising means for converting such compounds at least in part to one or more carbonaceous acids, means for contacting at least part of such one or more carbonaceous acids in solution and in vapor phase with a body comprising weakly basic anion exchange resin and means for measuring the electrical impedance of at least part of said resin.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 in which said resin has an ionization constant in substantially the free base form in the range of from about 10^-3 to about 10^-8 gram moles per kilogram of imbibed water.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1 in which said body comprises one or more structures having weakly basic anion exchange resin substantially in one or more of the surfaces of said structures.

4. Apparatus according to claim 1 in which said means for converting said carbon compound at least in part to one or more carbonaceous acids comprises a first heated zone, means for introducing at least a portion of said water into said first heated zone, means for evaporating without substantial carry-over of droplets, mist and spray at least part of the water in the first heated zone and passing the vapor into and through a second heated zone, means for maintaining the temperature of said second heated zone in the range of from about 450 to about 1000°

C., and in which said means for contacting at least part of said one or more carbonaceous acids in solution and in vapor phase with a body comprising weakly basic anion exchange resin comprises means for collecting and condensing water vapor from said heated zone to condensed liquid water and means for contacting at least a portion of such condensed liquid water with said body comprising weakly basic anion exchange resin.

5. Apparatus according to claim 1 in which said means for converting such compounds at least in part to one or more carbonaceous acids comprises at least one source of ultraviolet irradiation to convert at least in part said carbon compounds to carbonaceous acids in which said means for contacting such one or more carbonaceous acids in solution and in vapor phase with a body comprising weakly basic anion exchange resin comprises sparging means for sparging at least part of said one or more carbonaceous acids out of said means for converting such compounds at least in part to one or more carbonaceous acids into a volume of water and means for contacting at least a portion of said volume with said body comprising weakly basic anion exchange resin.

6. Apparatus according to claim 1 in which said means for converting said carbon compounds at least in part to one or more carbonaceous acids is a liquid phase reaction zone and in which said apparatus includes means for evaporating without substantial carry-over of droplets, mist, and spray at least part of the water from said liquid phase reaction zone to evaporated water, means for collecting and condensing at least part of said evaporated water to condensed liquid water and in which said means for contacting such one or more carbonaceous acids with a body comprising weakly basic anion exchange resin comprises means for contacting at least a portion of said condensed liquid water with said body.

7. Apparatus according to claim 6 in which said means for evaporating without substantial carry-over of droplets, mist, and spray includes means for condensing and refluxing at least part of said evaporated water.

8. Apparatus according to claim 1 including means for regenerating said resin substantially to the free base form.

9. Apparatus according to claim 8 in which said means for regenerating said resin substantially to the free base form comprises means for passing a substantially direct electric current through said resin.

10. Apparatus according to claim 8 in which said means for regenerating said resin substantially to the free base form comprises means for substantially continuously passing a substantially direct electric current through said resin.