Phased micro fluid analyzer

• US 7,000,452 B2
• Filed: 09/26/2003
• Issued: 02/21/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Bonne, Ulrich, Higashi, Robert, Cabuz, Cleopatra
• Primary Examiner(s): Williams, Hezron
• Assistant Examiner(s): FITZGERALD, JOHN P
• Application Number:
  US10/672,894
• Publication Number:
  US 20040129057A1
• Time in Patent Office: 879 Days
• Field of Search: 73/232, 73/310.7, 73/190.2, 73/233.5, 73/550.1, 73/232.5, 738/631.2, 73/310.5
• US Class Current: 73/23.25
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 1/24 Suction devices G01N1/22 - G01N1/2294 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2030/121 cooling; cold traps
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2030/123 using more than one trap
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2030/3015 temperature gradients along column
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2030/3076 using specially adapted T(t) profile
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00881 network configurations
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/18 caused by changes in the thermal conductivity of a surrounding material to be tested G01N27/20 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 30/08 using an enricher
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 30/12 by evaporation
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 30/30 of temperature
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 30/461 with serial coupling of separation columns
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 30/468 involving switching between different column configurations
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 30/6095 Micromachined or nanomachined, e.g. micro- or nanosize
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 30/66 Thermal conductivity detectors
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 30/88 Integrated analysis systems specially adapted therefor, not covered by a single one of the groups G01N30/04 - G01N30/86
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/0004 Gaseous mixtures, e.g. polluted air gaseous biological material G01N33/497; exhaust gas of internal combustion engines G01M15/102
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/0011 Sample conditioning in general G01N1/28
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/22 Fuels, explosives liquid hydrocarbons G01N33/28
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/00871 Communications between instruments or with remote terminals

Abstract

A micro fluid analyzer having a concentrator and separator. A strip continuous through a channel in the concentrator may provide a hot zone that may move with the flow of fluid through the channel of the concentrator to provide a concentration of heat in the flow. A pump may provide a flow to the fluid through the analyzer. Detectors may be positioned at places where the fluid may flow. A processor or controller may be connected to the strip, separator, pump and detectors. The concentrator, separator, detectors and processor may be integrated on one chip.

Claims

1. A fluid analyzer comprising:

a pump;

a concentrator fluidly connected to the pump; and

a separator fluidly connected to the concentrator; and

wherein the concentrator comprises a channel and a continuous heater film along the channel; and

a controller coupled to the continuous heater film for generating a moving heat pulse in the heater film that moves down the heater film and thus the channel, the moving heat pulse defined by a peak temperature with lower temperatures both downstream and upstream of the peak temperature.

2. The analyzer of claim 1, wherein the moving heat pulse has a rate of movement approximately the same as a fluid moving through the channel.

3. The analyzer of claim 2, further comprising:

a first detector situated between the pump and the concentrator; and

a second detector situated at an output of the separator.

4. The analyzer of claim 3, further comprising a third detector between the concentrator and the separator.

5. The analyzer of claim 4, wherein:

the first detector is a thermal conductivity detector;

the second detector is a thermal conductivity detector; and

the third detector is a flow sensor.

6. The analyzer of claim 5, wherein the controller is also connected to the pump, separator and detectors.

7. A fluid analyzer, comprising:

a channel for receiving a gas;

a continuous heater film extending along at least part of the channel;

a controller coupled to the heater film for generating a moving heat pulse that moves down the continuous heater film and thus the channel, the moving heat pulse defined by a peak temperature with lower temperatures both downstream and upstream of the peak temperature.

8. The fluid analyzer of claim 7 further comprising a detector positioned downstream of the heater film.

9. The fluid analyzer of claim 7, wherein the moving heat pulse has a rate of movement that is approximately the same as the gas moving through the channel.

10. A method for operating a fluid analyzer having a channel, comprising:

providing a gas down the channel, wherein the channel includes a continuous heater film extending along at least part of the channel;

generating a moving heat pulse in the continuous heater film that translates down the continuous heater film and thus the channel, the moving heat pulse defined by a peak temperature with lower temperatures both downstream and upstream of the peak temperature.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the moving heat pulse has a rate of movement that is approximately the same as the gas moving through the channel.

12. A fluid analyzer, comprising:

a channel for receiving a gas;

a first heater element thermally coupled to the channel;

a second heater element thermally coupled to the channel, wherein the second heater element is downstream of the first heater element and has a length along the channel that is less than the first heater element;

a controller coupled to the first heater element and the second heater element, wherein the controller heats the first heater element, and a predetermined time later, heats the second heater element.

13. The fluid analyzer of claim 12 wherein the predetermined time is related to rate of movement of the gas through the channel.

14. The fluid analyzer of claim 13 wherein the second heater element is positioned adjacent to an output of the channel.