Portable electrometric apparatus for roadside analysis of automotive exhaust emission

• US 5,831,742 A
• Filed: 06/06/1996
• Issued: 11/03/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 06/16/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sun Electric UK Limited (Snap-On Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Sun Electric UK Limited (Snap-On Incorporated)
• Inventors: Watson, Joseph, Tamadoni, Reza, Jones, Barbara L., Peter, Kenneth W., Wylie, Thomas F.
• Primary Examiner(s): McGraw, Vincent P.
• Application Number:
  US08/659,328
• Time in Patent Office: 880 Days
• Field of Search: 356/445, 356/325, 356/432, 356/437, 356/434, 385/22
• US Class Current: 356/434
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/783 for analysing gases

Abstract

A method and apparatus for instantaneously measuring the level of carbon dioxide (and other gases) in automotive combustion exhaust analysis is provided in the form of a portable battery driven roadside diagnostic instrument in which the CO₂ level is measured by a calorimetric technique utilizing light as the energy source and a piezoelectric bimorph to vibrate a single fiber-optic element to multiplex between two fiber-optic receptors delivering the light to a measurement cell and a reference cell. The measurement cell comprises a salt of an acid-base indicator dye which provides proportional color change on contact with CO₂. The dye is supported on a polymetric film in the cell.

Claims

1. A compact, portable electrometric apparatus for roadside analysis of exhaust emissions of automotive vehicles, comprising:

a test cell containing a test sample of exhaust emissions to be analyzed,

said test cell including a reagent reactive with the test sample upon exposure thereto for producing a calorimetric change,

a reference cell containing a reference sample,

two fiber optic light guides each having an input disposed to receive electromagnetic radiation and an output,

said outputs being disposed for respectively directing electromagnetic radiation to the test cell and the reference cell,

an electromagnetic radiation flow source, and

diverting mechanism including a piezoelectric bimorph coupled to the electromagnetic radiation flow source for diversion thereof to direct the electromagnetic radiation flow alternately in sequence to the inputs of said light guides.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said diverting mechanism includes a fiber optic element for directing the flow of electromagnetic radiation.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, and further comprising a sensor disposed for sensing electromagnetic radiation emitted from said test cell and said reference cell in response to the direction of electromagnetic radiation thereto.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein said sensor is disposed on the side of said test cell and said reference cell opposite said light guides for receiving electromagnetic radiation after it has passed through the samples and the