Method and equipment for determining the content of an element
First Claim
1. A method for determining the content of an element from a flowing sample mass (1) by utilizing x-ray fluorescence, in which methodthe sample mass (1) is irradiated with x-ray or gamma radiation,the radiation emitted by the sample mass is detected,an energy-dispersive radiation spectrum of the radiation emitted by the sample mass is determined, andthe content of the element is determined from the measured radiation spectrum on the basis of the intensity of the radiation spectrum window characteristic of this element,air temperature is measured in the air space between the sample mass (1) and a radiation detector or detectors (5),a first correction coefficient dependent on the measured air temperature is determined, andthe determined content of the element is corrected by said first correction coefficient in order to compensate the attenuation of the characteristic radiation in the air between the flowing sample mass (1) and the radiation detector or detectors (5), characterized in that said method further comprises steps in whichthe dust content is measured in the air space between the sample mass (1) and the radiation detector or detectors (5),a second correction coefficient dependent on the measured dust content is determined, andthe determined content of the element is corrected by said second correction coefficient in order to compensate the attenuation of the characteristic radiation in the air between the flowing sample mass (1) and the radiation detector or detectors (5).
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Abstract
The invention relates to a method and an equipment for determining the content of an element from a flowing sample mass (1) by utilizing x-ray fluorescence, in which method the sample mass (1) is irradiated with x-ray or gamma radiation; the radiation emitted by the sample mass is detected; an energy-dispersive radiation spectrum of the radiation emitted by the sample mass is determined; and the content of the element is determined from the measured radiation spectrum on the basis of the intensity of the radiation spectrum window characteristic of this element. In order that the method and equipment would also be applicable in field conditions, the method farther comprises steps in which air temperature is measured in the air space between the sample mass (1) and a radiation detector or detectors (5); the first correction coefficient dependent on the measured air temperature is determined; and the determined content of the element is corrected by said first correction coefficient in order to compensate the attenuation of the characteristic radiation in the air between the sample mass (1) and the radiation detector or detectors (5).
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Citations
10 Claims
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1. A method for determining the content of an element from a flowing sample mass (1) by utilizing x-ray fluorescence, in which method
the sample mass (1) is irradiated with x-ray or gamma radiation, the radiation emitted by the sample mass is detected, an energy-dispersive radiation spectrum of the radiation emitted by the sample mass is determined, and the content of the element is determined from the measured radiation spectrum on the basis of the intensity of the radiation spectrum window characteristic of this element, air temperature is measured in the air space between the sample mass (1) and a radiation detector or detectors (5), a first correction coefficient dependent on the measured air temperature is determined, and the determined content of the element is corrected by said first correction coefficient in order to compensate the attenuation of the characteristic radiation in the air between the flowing sample mass (1) and the radiation detector or detectors (5), characterized in that said method further comprises steps in which the dust content is measured in the air space between the sample mass (1) and the radiation detector or detectors (5), a second correction coefficient dependent on the measured dust content is determined, and the determined content of the element is corrected by said second correction coefficient in order to compensate the attenuation of the characteristic radiation in the air between the flowing sample mass (1) and the radiation detector or detectors (5).
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6. An equipment for determining the content of an element from a flowing sample mass by utilizing x-ray fluorescence, which equipment comprises
at least one x-ray or gamma radiation source (4) for irradiating the sample mass (1), detection means (5) for detecting the radiation emitted by the sample mass, means (27) for determining the energy-dispersive radiation spectrum of the radiation emitted by the sample mass and for determining the content of the element from this radiation spectrum on the basis of the intensity of the radiation spectrum window characteristic of this element, means (9) for measuring air temperature in the air space between the sample mass (1) and the detection means (5), means (28) for determining a first correction coefficient dependent on the measured air temperature, and means (27) for correcting the determined content of the element by said first correction coefficient in order to compensate the attenuation of the characteristic radiation in the air between the sample mass (1) and the detection means (5), characterized in that said equipment further comprises means (12) for measuring the dust content in the air space between the sample mass (1) and the detection means (5), means (28) for determining a second correction coefficient dependent on the measured dust content, and means (27) for correcting the determined content of the element by said second correction coefficient in order to compensate the attenuation of the characteristic radiation in the air between the sample mass (1) and the detection means (5).
Specification