Analysis system
First Claim
1. An analytical system for analyzing a liquid sample comprisingstructure defining an analysis region having an inlet and an outlet, a spectrometer system disposed in sensing relation to said analysis region,structure defining a sample inlet port, structure connecting said sample inlet port to said inlet of said analysis region,said analysis region including sample excitation apparatus with a pair of spaced metal electrodes, one of said electrodes having an upper surface in spaced juxtaposition to said other electrode and passage structure connected to said inlet of said analysis region, and the other electrode having a lower surface of annular configuration in spaced juxtaposition to said upper surface of said one electrode, said one metal electrode being disposed with said passage structure extending to an outlet port in its said upper surface, said one electrode including structure in said upper surface defining a plurality of channels extending away from said outlet port for discharge of excess quantities of a liquid sample to be analyzed that has been flowed through said passage structure,control structure for flowing a sample to be analyzed from said sample inlet port through said analysis region, andoutput structure responsive to said spectrometer system for providing output data as a function of the liquid sample flowed into said sample excitation apparatus.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An analytical system for analyzing a liquid sample that includes structure defining an analysis region with an inlet and an outlet, a spectrometer system disposed in sensing relation to the analysis region, structure defining a sample inlet port, and structure connecting the sample inlet port to the inlet of the analysis region. The analysis region includes sample excitation apparatus with a pair of spaced metal electrodes, one of the electrodes having an upper surface in spaced juxtaposition to the other electrode and passage structure connected to the inlet of the analysis region, and the other electrode having a lower surface of annular configuration in spaced juxtaposition to the upper surface of the one electrode. The one metal electrode is disposed with the passage structure extending to an outlet port in its upper surface, and that electrode includes structure in the upper surface defining a plurality of channels extending away from the outlet port for discharge of excess quantities of a liquid sample to be analyzed that has been flowed through the passage structure. Control structure flows a sample to be analyzed from the sample inlet port through the analysis region, and output structure responsive to the spectrometer system provides output data as a function of the liquid sample flowed into the sample excitation apparatus.
-
Citations
23 Claims
-
1. An analytical system for analyzing a liquid sample comprising
structure defining an analysis region having an inlet and an outlet, a spectrometer system disposed in sensing relation to said analysis region, structure defining a sample inlet port, structure connecting said sample inlet port to said inlet of said analysis region, said analysis region including sample excitation apparatus with a pair of spaced metal electrodes, one of said electrodes having an upper surface in spaced juxtaposition to said other electrode and passage structure connected to said inlet of said analysis region, and the other electrode having a lower surface of annular configuration in spaced juxtaposition to said upper surface of said one electrode, said one metal electrode being disposed with said passage structure extending to an outlet port in its said upper surface, said one electrode including structure in said upper surface defining a plurality of channels extending away from said outlet port for discharge of excess quantities of a liquid sample to be analyzed that has been flowed through said passage structure, control structure for flowing a sample to be analyzed from said sample inlet port through said analysis region, and output structure responsive to said spectrometer system for providing output data as a function of the liquid sample flowed into said sample excitation apparatus.
-
15. An analytical system for analyzing a liquid sample comprising
structure defining an analysis region having an inlet and an outlet, a spectrometer system disposed in sensing relation to said analysis region, structure defining a sample inlet port, structure connecting said sample inlet port to said inlet of said analysis region, said structure connecting said sample inlet port to said inlet of said analysis region including a sample transport tube and structure for introducing gas bubbles into the sample to be analyzed for flow with the sample through said transport tube to said analysis region, said analysis region including sample excitation apparatus with a pair of spaced metal electrodes, one of said electrodes having an upper surface in spaced juxtaposition to said other electrode and passage structure connected to said inlet of said analysis region, and the other electrode having a lower surface in spaced juxtaposition to said upper surface of said one electrode, said one metal electrode being disposed with said passage structure extending to an outlet port in its said upper surface, control structure for flowing a sample to be analyzed from said sample inlet port through said passage structure and said outlet port, and output structure responsive to said spectrometer system for providing output data as a function of the liquid sample flowed into said sample excitation apparatus.
-
19. A process for analyzing liquid sample material such as a lubricating oil comprising the step of:
-
providing structure defining an analysis region with a polychromater system disposed in sensing relation to said analysis region, said polychromator system including entrance slit structure, exit slit structure composed of a plurality of exit slit regions, and radiation dispersing structure for dispersing radiation passing through said entrance slit structure into a spectrum for application to said exit slit regions, flowing a liquid sample to be analyzed through a sample flow path into said analysis region at a first flow rate, flowing gas bubbles concurrently with said liquid sample for cleaning said sample flow path, reversing the flow direction to remove excess liquid sample from said analysis region, resuming flow in the forward direction at a low flow rate and concurrently subjecting said liquid sample in said analysis region to an electric discharge to excite the liquid sample to spectroemissive levels for sensing by said polychromator system. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23)
-
Specification