Filter for gas analysis

• US 6,672,135 B2
• Filed: 10/15/2002
• Issued: 01/06/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/14/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Pall Corporation (Danaher Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Pall Corporation (Danaher Corporation)
• Inventors: Adiletta, Joseph G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Williams, Hezron
• Assistant Examiner(s): WIGGINS, JOHN DAVID
• Application Number:
  US10/181,060
• Publication Number:
  US 20030192363A1
• Time in Patent Office: 448 Days
• Field of Search: 73/280.4, 73/280.1, 73/232, 738/632.3, 738/647.1, 422/88, 210/651, 210/321.75, 210/321.84
• US Class Current: 73/28.04
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2265/04 Permanent measures for connecting different parts of the filter, e.g. welding, glueing or moulding
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 46/543 using membranes
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 61/18 Apparatus therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 63/081 Manufacturing thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 63/087 Single membrane modules
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 69/10 Supported membranes; Membrane supports
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 69/106 Membranes in the pores of a support, e.g. polymerized in the pores or voids
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 71/50 Polycarbonates
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 1/2205 with filters
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 15/0272 with screening; with classification by filtering B01D takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2001/2223 aerosol sampling devices
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2015/0261 using impactors

Abstract

A filter (20) suitable for gas analysis, especially non-gravimetric gas analysis, by collecting particulate matter thereon, with a filter material comprising a polycarbonate membrane having a maximum pore size of 2 micrometers or less that is secured by a support (5) formed of a polyolefin or polymethylpentene material. For additional embodiments, the particular manner of support mounting to the membrane may include thermal-bonding techniques, and the particular method of analysis may include X-Ray luminescence.

Claims

1. A filter for analyzing gas by collecting particulate matter onto the filter in a non-gravimetric type analysis comprising:

a polycarbonate membrane having a pore size of about 1 micrometers or less, and a support comprising a polyolefin, the membrane being secured to the support.

2. The filter for analyzing gas according to claim 1, wherein the polycarbonate membrane has a pore size of about 1 micrometer or less.

3. The filter of claim 1, wherein the support comprises polymethylpentene.

4. The filter of claim 1, wherein the support is thermally bonded to the membrane.

5. The filter of claim 1, wherein the support comprises a ring.

6. The filter of claim 1 disposed in a device for analyzing gas, wherein the device comprises a housing having at least one inlet and at least one outlet and defining a gas flow path between the inlet and the outlet, the filter being disposed in the housing across the gas flow path.

7. The filter of claim 1, wherein the support comprises an annular support.

8. A filter for analyzing gas by collecting particulate matter onto the filter in a non-gravimetric type analysis comprising:

a polycarbonate membrane supported by an integral support, wherein the membrane has a pore size of about 2 micrometers or less.

9. The filter of claim 8, wherein the support comprises an annular support.

10. The filter of claim 8, wherein the polycarbonate membrane has a pore size of about 1 micrometer or less.

11. The filter of claim 8, wherein the support comprises polymethylpentene.

12. The filter of claim 8, wherein the support is thermally bonded to the membrane.

13. The filter of claim 8, wherein the support comprises a ring.

14. A method for analyzing gas comprising:

passing gas including particulate matter through a filter comprising a supported polycarbonate membrane having a pore size of about 2 micrometers or less, wherein the membrane is supported by a polyolefin support; and

determining the particulate matter collected by the filter.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the method of analysis comprises X-Ray luminescence.

16. The method of claim 14, including analyzing gas passed from an incinerator.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein determining the particulate matter collected by the filter includes computing the total mass of particulate matter collected divided by the actual volume of air sampled, over a specified sampling period.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the mass concentration of the particles is computed and expressed in micrograms per cubic unit of air.

19. A non-gravimetric method for analyzing gas comprising:

passing gas including particulate matter through a filter comprising an integrally supported polycarbonate membrane having a pore size of about 1 micrometers or less; and

determining the particulate matter collected by the filter.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the method of analysis comprises X-Ray luminescence.

21. The method of claim 19, including analyzing gas passed from an incinerator.

22. The method of claim 19, wherein determining the particulate matter collected by the filter includes computing the total mass of particulate matter collected divided by the actual volume of air sampled, over a specific sampling period.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the mass concentration of the particles is computed and expressed in micrograms per cubic unit of air.