Dual x-ray fluorescence spectrometer and method for fluid analysis
First Claim
1. An x-ray fluorescence spectrometer for on-site determination of presence of some elements in flowing fluids and some elements in batch samples of fluids comprising:
- a sampler body having a first passageway therein for passage of flowing fluid through the body, and said sampler body having a receiver therein for receiving a batch sample of a fluid;
a first x-ray radiation source located in said body;
a second x-ray radiation source located in said body;
a second passageway located in said body and communicating between said first x-ray source and said first passageway;
a third passageway located in said body and communicating between said second x-ray source and said batch sample receiver;
a first radiation detector coupled to said body and having a signal output means;
a fourth passageway located in said body and communicating between said first passageway and said first radiation detector;
a second radiation detector coupled to said body and having signal output means;
a fifth radiation response passageway located in said body and communicating between said batch receiver and said second radiation detector;
a signal processor having inputs coupled to said output means and receiving signals from said detectors, and having output means;
an analyzer having an input coupled to said signal processor output means and operable to analyze signals from said processor and produce output signals representing certain chemical components of said flowing fluid and certain chemical components of said fluid batch samples; and
a computer having an input coupled to said analyzer and an output to at least one interface for using the results of analysis by said analyzer of said signals from said processor.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Disclosed are an X-ray fluorescence (SRF) spectrometer and method for on-site and in-line determination of contaminant elements in lubricating oils and in fuel oils on board a marine vessel. An XRF source block 13 contains two radionuclide sources 16, 17 (e.g. Cd 109 and Fe 55), each oriented 180 degrees from the other to excite separate targets. The Cd 109 source 16 excites sample lube oil flowing through a low molecular weight sample line 18. The Fe 55 source 17 excites fuel oil manually presented to the source beam inside a low molecular weight vial 26 or other container. Two separate detectors A and B are arranged to detect the fluorescent x-rays from the targets, photons from the analyte atoms in the lube oil for example, and sulfur identifying x-rays from bunker fuel oil for example. The system allows both automated in-line and manual on-site analysis using one set of signal processing and multi-channel analyzer electronics 34, 37 as well as one computer 39 and user interface 43.
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Citations
44 Claims
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1. An x-ray fluorescence spectrometer for on-site determination of presence of some elements in flowing fluids and some elements in batch samples of fluids comprising:
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a sampler body having a first passageway therein for passage of flowing fluid through the body, and said sampler body having a receiver therein for receiving a batch sample of a fluid;
a first x-ray radiation source located in said body;
a second x-ray radiation source located in said body;
a second passageway located in said body and communicating between said first x-ray source and said first passageway;
a third passageway located in said body and communicating between said second x-ray source and said batch sample receiver;
a first radiation detector coupled to said body and having a signal output means;
a fourth passageway located in said body and communicating between said first passageway and said first radiation detector;
a second radiation detector coupled to said body and having signal output means;
a fifth radiation response passageway located in said body and communicating between said batch receiver and said second radiation detector;
a signal processor having inputs coupled to said output means and receiving signals from said detectors, and having output means;
an analyzer having an input coupled to said signal processor output means and operable to analyze signals from said processor and produce output signals representing certain chemical components of said flowing fluid and certain chemical components of said fluid batch samples; and
a computer having an input coupled to said analyzer and an output to at least one interface for using the results of analysis by said analyzer of said signals from said processor. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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11. An x-ray fluorescence spectrometer for on-site determination of some components in a flowing fluid target and in a stationary sample target of a different fluid comprising:
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an x-ray fluorescence source block having a flowing fluid target in one location and a stationary sample fluid target in another separate location, said block containing first and second different radionuclide sources, the first source being situated in the block to direct radiation oriented in a different direction from the direction of radiation from the second source to enable the first source to excite the flowing fluid target and enable the second source to excite the stationary sample fluid target;
two separate detectors arranged to detect fluorescent x-rays from the said flowing fluid target separately from said stationary sample fluid target;
a signal processor coupled to said detectors for separate processing of signals from said detectors; and
a signal analyzer coupled to said processor for analyzing output signals from said processor to identify components in said fluids represented by the outputs from said detectors. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A method of analyzing fluids in batch samples and flowing fluids in a single instrument comprising:
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providing at least two sources of X-ray radiation in a single source block;
flowing a first fluid through said source block and exposing said flowing fluid to radiation from one of said sources;
placing a sample of a second fluid in said source block and exposing said sample to radiation from said second source;
detecting radiation from flowing fluid exposed to radiation from said first source and producing an output signal representative of the radiation from said flowing fluid;
detecting radiation from the fluid sample exposed to said second source and producing an output signal representative of the radiation from said fluid sample;
coupling said signals to an analyzer; and
separately analyzing signals from said flowing fluid and signals from said fluid sample. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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30. A dual source x-ray fluorescence spectrometer comprising:
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an x-ray fluorescence source block having first and second fluid targets in separate locations in said source block and having a plurality of passageways therein, first and second different radionuclide sources positioned in said source block to direct radiation in different directions through the passageways in said source block wherein said first source is positioned to excite said first fluid target and said second source is positioned to excite said second fluid target;
first and second detectors arranged to detect fluorescent x-rays emitted by said first and second fluid targets respectively, wherein said detectors are positioned in said source block such that they are not in direct line of sight with said radionuclide sauces and are substantially shielded from radiation from said radionuclide sources by said source block;
a signal processor coupled to said detectors for separate processing of signals from said detectors; and
a signal analyzer coupled to said processor for analyzing output signals from said processor to identify components in said fluids represented by the outputs from said detectors. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38)
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39. A dual source x-ray fluorescence spectrometer comprising:
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an x-ray fluorescence source block having first and second fluid targets in separate locations in said source block and having a plurality of passageways therein, first and second x-ray sources positioned in said source block to direct radiation in different directions through the passageways in said source block wherein said first source is operable to excite said first fluid target and said second source is operable to excite said second fluid target;
first and second detectors arranged to detect fluorescent x-rays emitted by said first and second fluid targets, wherein said source block defines a first noise reduction chamber positioned along a first centerline of a passageway between said first fluid target and said first x-ray source with said first fluid target between said first noise reduction chamber and said first x-ray source such that x-rays from said first source that pass through said first fluid target can be received by said first noise reduction chamber, wherein said first detector is positioned in the source block such that it does not intersect the centerline of the passageway between said first detector and said first fluid target, a signal processor coupled to said detectors for separate processing of signals from said detectors; and
a signal analyzer coupled to said processor for analyzing output signals from said processor to identify components in said fluids represented by the outputs from said detectors. - View Dependent Claims (40, 41, 42, 43, 44)
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Specification