Gas analyzing apparatus

• US 6,397,660 B1
• Filed: 01/31/2001
• Issued: 06/04/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 11/24/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Taiyo Nippon Sanso Corporation (Mitsubishi Chemical Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Nippon Sanso Corporation (Mitsubishi Chemical Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Kikuchi, Tsutomu, Kimijima, Tetsuya, Nishina, Akira
• Primary Examiner(s): Williams, Hezron
• Assistant Examiner(s): POLITZER, JAY L
• Application Number:
  US09/774,730
• Publication Number:
  US 20020062680A1
• Time in Patent Office: 489 Days
• Field of Search: 73/234.2, 702/27, 250/288, 250/282
• US Class Current: 73/23.42
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2030/201 multiport valves, i.e. having more than two ports
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2030/8886 Analysis of industrial production processes
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 30/7206 interfaced to gas chromatograph interfaces in general for introducing or extracting samples to be analysed with specially adapted mass spectrometer, see H01J49/04

Abstract

There is provided a gas analyzing apparatus capable of minimizing gas remaining by integrating gas switching apparatuses into one and capable of analyzing impurities of ppb level to sub-ppb level contained in various kinds of high-purity gases efficiently and accurately. The gas analyzing apparatus comprises an analyzer introduction passage 22 for introducing a sample gas supplied from a sample gas source 11 into an analyzer 12 via an analyzer introduction valve 22V; a separator introduction passage 23 diverging from a first side passage of the analyzer introduction valve 22V for introducing a sample gas into a separator 13 via a separator introduction valve 23V; a separator flowing out passage 24 for introducing the sample gas flowing out from the separator 13 into a second side passage of the analyzer introduction valve 22V via a separator flowing-out valve 24V; and a gas switching apparatus to be such formed that when the analyzer introduction valve 22V is opened, the separator introduction valve 23V and the separator flowing-out valve 24V are connectively operated to be closed, and when the analyzer introduction valve 22V is closed, the separator introduction valve 23V and the separator flowing-out valve 24V are connectively operated to be opened.

Claims

1. A gas analyzing apparatus comprising a separator such as a gas chromatograph or the like for separating components and an analyzer such as an atmospheric-pressure ionization mass spectrometer or the like for analyzing gas components, said gas analyzing apparatus further comprising:

an analyzer introduction passage for directly introducing a sample gas supplied from a sample gas source into said analyzer via an analyzer introduction valve;

a separator introduction passage diverging from a first side passage of said analyzer introduction valve for introducing said sample gas into said separator via a separator introduction valve;

a separator flowing-out passage for introducing at least some of said sample gas flowing out from said separator into a second side passage of said analyzer introduction valve via a separator flowing-out valve; and

a valve for blocking or passing carrier gas supplied from a carrier gas source;

wherein, when said analyzer introduction valve and said blocking or passing carrier gas valve are operated to be opened, said separator introduction valve and said separator flowing-out valve are connectively operated to be closed, and when said analyzer introduction valve and said blocking or passing carrier gas valve are operated to be closed, said separator introduction valve and said separator flowing-out valve are connectively operated to be opened.

2. The gas analyzing apparatus of claim 1, wherein said gas switching apparatus comprises:

a purge passage to which a first side passage of said separator flowing-out valve and a second side passage of said separator introduction valve are connected via said blocking or passing carrier gas valve.

3. The gas analyzing apparatus of claim 1 wherein said analyzer introduction valve, said separator introduction valve, said separator flowing-out valve and said blocking or passing carrier gas valve are formed as a 4-connected 4-way valve.