Apparatus and method for in situ, real time measurements of properties of liquids
First Claim
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1. An apparatus for measuring at least one property of a liquid at or below the surface of the liquid comprising:
- a) a housing having a forward end;
b) at least one probe assembly contained within the housing, said at least one probe assembly comprising means for introducing an inert gas into the housing, a conduit for channeling the inert gas to the forward end of the housing and means for providing a stable volume of the inert gas between an open area of the forward end of the housing and the liquid including pressure control means for automatically maintaining the stable volume of the inert gas at the forward end of the housing at a pressure sufficient to keep the liquid from entering the forward end of the housing and the probe assembly, and means for moving the at least one probe assembly to any depth or angle in said liquid while maintaining the stable volume of inert gas;
c) a radiation beam assembly comprising means for generating a beam of radiation sufficient to vaporize a portion of the liquid into a detectable species, means for transmitting the radiation beam through the forward end of the housing to the interface of the liquid and the stable volume of inert gas; and
d) detection means for receiving the detectable species and for detecting from said detectable species at least one property of the liquid.
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Abstract
Apparatus and method for in situ measurements of at least one property of a liquid contained within a vessel.
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Citations
70 Claims
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1. An apparatus for measuring at least one property of a liquid at or below the surface of the liquid comprising:
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a) a housing having a forward end;
b) at least one probe assembly contained within the housing, said at least one probe assembly comprising means for introducing an inert gas into the housing, a conduit for channeling the inert gas to the forward end of the housing and means for providing a stable volume of the inert gas between an open area of the forward end of the housing and the liquid including pressure control means for automatically maintaining the stable volume of the inert gas at the forward end of the housing at a pressure sufficient to keep the liquid from entering the forward end of the housing and the probe assembly, and means for moving the at least one probe assembly to any depth or angle in said liquid while maintaining the stable volume of inert gas;
c) a radiation beam assembly comprising means for generating a beam of radiation sufficient to vaporize a portion of the liquid into a detectable species, means for transmitting the radiation beam through the forward end of the housing to the interface of the liquid and the stable volume of inert gas; and
d) detection means for receiving the detectable species and for detecting from said detectable species at least one property of the liquid. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49)
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50. A method of measuring at least one property of a liquid at or below the surface of the liquid comprising:
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1) placing at least one apparatus into the liquid, said apparatus comprising;
a) a housing having a forward end;
b) at least one probe assembly contained within the housing, said at least one probe assembly comprising means for introducing an inert gas into the housing, a conduit for channeling the inert gas to the forward end of the housing and means for providing a stable volume of the inert gas between an open area of the forward end of the housing and the liquid including pressure control means for automatically maintaining the stable volume of inert gas at a pressure sufficient to keep the liquid from entering the probe assembly, and means for moving the probe assembly to any depth or angle in said liquid while maintaining the stable volume of inert gas;
c) a radiation beam assembly comprising means for generating a beam of radiation sufficient to vaporize a portion of the liquid into a detectable species, means for transmitting the radiation beam through the forward end of the housing to the interface of the liquid and the stable volume of inert gas; and
d) detection means for receiving the detectable species and for detecting from said detectable species at least one property of the liquid, into the liquid; and
2) measuring the at least one property of the liquid from the detectable species.
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51. An apparatus for measuring at least one property of a liquid at or below the surface of the liquid comprising:
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a) a housing having a forward end;
b) at least one probe assembly at the forward end of the housing, said probe assembly comprising an inert gas generating means comprising a source of inert gas, a conduit for channeling the inert gas to the forward end of the housing and a nozzle assembly comprising at least one first opening for enabling the inert gas to contact the liquid and form a stable volume of inert gas at the interface of the forward end of the housing and the liquid and pressure control means for maintaining the inert gas in contact with the liquid at said stable volume;
c) a radiation beam assembly comprising means for generating a beam of radiation sufficient to vaporize a portion of the liquid into a detectable species, means for transmitting the radiation beam through the forward end of the housing to the interface of the liquid and the stable volume of inert gas; and
d) detection means for receiving the detectable species and for detecting from said detectable species at least one property of the liquid. - View Dependent Claims (52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64)
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65. A method of measuring at least one property of a liquid at or below the surface of the liquid comprising:
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1) positioning an apparatus in proximity to the liquid, said apparatus comprising;
a) a housing having a forward end;
b) at least one probe assembly contained within the housing, said at least one probe assembly comprising means for introducing an inert gas into the housing, a conduit for channeling the inert gas to the forward end of the housing and means for providing a stable volume of the inert gas between an open area of the forward end of the housing and the liquid including pressure control means for automatically maintaining the stable volume of the inert gas at the forward end of the housing at a pressure sufficient to keep the liquid from entering the forward end of the housing and the probe assembly, and means for moving the at least one probe assembly to any depth or angle in said liquid while maintaining the stable volume of inert gas;
c) a radiation beam assembly comprising means for generating a beam of radiation sufficient to vaporize a portion of the liquid into a detectable species, means for transmitting the radiation beam through the forward end of the housing to an interface of the liquid and the stable volume of inert gas; and
d) detection means for receiving the detectable species and for detecting from said detectable species at least one property of the liquid, 2) generating a radiation beam sufficient to vaporize a portion of the liquid into a detectable species;
3) transmitting the radiation beam through the forward end of the housing to an interface of the liquid and the stable volume of inert gas, and 4) detecting at least one property of the liquid from the detectable species. - View Dependent Claims (66, 67, 68, 69, 70)
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Specification