Phased micro analyzer VIII

• US 7,530,257 B2
• Filed: 04/21/2004
• Issued: 05/12/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Bonne, Ulrich
• Primary Examiner(s): Williams; Hezron E.
• Assistant Examiner(s): FITZGERALD, JOHN P
• Application Number:
  US10/829,763
• Publication Number:
  US 20050142662A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,847 Days
• Field of Search: 73/233.9, 73/234.1, 73/234.2, 73/212.5, 73/250.1, 73/310.5, 738/631.2, 73/530.1
• US Class Current: 73/23.25
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 15/00 Nanotechnology for interacting, sensing or actuating, e.g. quantum dots as markers in protein assays or molecular motors
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 30/00 Nanotechnology for materials or surface science, e.g. nanocomposites
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2030/0095 Separation specially adapted for use outside laboratory, e.g. field sampling, portable equipments
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2030/085 using absorbing precolumn
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2030/121 cooling; cold traps
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2030/123 using more than one trap
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2030/128 Thermal desorption analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2030/3015 temperature gradients along column
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2030/3061 column or associated structural member used as heater
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2030/3076 using specially adapted T(t) profile
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2030/642 photoionisation detectors
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 30/08 using an enricher
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 30/12 by evaporation
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 30/20 using a sampling valve
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 30/30 of temperature
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 30/461 with serial coupling of separation columns
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 30/466 with separation columns in parallel
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 30/468 involving switching between different column configurations
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 30/52 Physical parameters
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 30/6039 in series
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 30/6095 : Micromachined or nanomachined, e.g. micro- or nanosize
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/0011 : Sample conditioning preparing specimens for investigation G01N1/28

Abstract

A micro fluid analyzer that may be highly sensitive, fast and very compact. The analyzer may use sufficiently low power per analysis to be easily implemented with an equivalently small battery pack or other portable power source. There may be energy conservation features in the analyzer, such as optimal adsorber film thicknesses in the pre-concentrator, concentrator and chromatographic separators. There may be special timing of the phased heating elements in the concentrators and separators to further reduce energy consumption. Various kinds of detectors and sensors may be incorporated in the analyzer for achieving low probability for false positives and detection versatility. There may be a controller that provides data acquisition and analyses, drive signals for control, management of wireless signal transmission and reception, processing, and other operational uses of the micro analyzer.

Claims

1. A micro fluid analyzer comprising:

a concentrator;

a flow sensor connected to an output of the concentrator;

a separator having an input connected to the flow sensor; and

wherein;

the concentrator comprises phased heaters that heat in synchrony a volume element of a flow of fluid having analytes that moves by each phased heater, wherein each phased heater is turned on just long enough to desorb adsorbed analytes and to increase a concentration of the analytes in the volume element of the flow of fluid; and

each phased heater turns off and decreases in temperature when the volume element of the fluid leaves the respective phased heater.

2. The analyzer of claim 1, further comprising:

a first thermal conductivity detector connected to the input of the separator and connected to the controller; and

a second thermal conductivity detector connected to an output of the separator and connected to the controller.

3. The analyzer of claim 2, wherein:

the separator comprises phased heaters that heat the volume element of a flow of fluid that moves through the separator;

each phased heater of the separator turns on and increases in temperature the volume element of a flow of fluid that as it flows over the respective heater;

the volume element of a flow of fluid increases in temperature as it flows through the separator; and

the phased heaters turn off when the volume element of a flow of fluid leaves the separator.

4. The analyzer of claim 3, further comprising:

a pre-concentrator having an output connected to an input of the concentrator; and

wherein;

the pre-concentrator comprises phased heaters that desorb analytes, previously adsorbed in the pre-concentrator, into the volume element of a flow of fluid that moves through the pre-concentrator by each phased heater which turns on just long enough while the volume element of a flow of fluid passes by each phased heater; and

the volume element of a flow of fluid forms a slug that flows to the concentrator.

5. The analyzer of claim 4, wherein:

the concentrator has an adsorber film proximate to the heaters; and

the adsorber film is as thick as possible and is compatible with the needed desorption speed.

6. The analyzer of claim 5, further comprising a second separator having an input connected to the output of the separator.

7. The analyzer of claim 6, further comprising:

a first pump connected to the output of the pre-concentrator; and

the second pump connected to the output of second separator.

8. The analyzer of claim 7, further comprising a third thermal conductivity detector connected to an output of the second separator and connected to the controller.

9. The analyzer of claim 8, wherein the pre-concentrator, the concentrator, the separator, the second separator, the flow sensor, and the first, second and third thermal conductivity detectors are formed in at least one wafer.

10. The analyzer of claim 9, further comprising:

polymer-film sensors situated proximate to the volume element of a flow in the micro fluid analyzer;

micro discharge devices(MDD), situated proximate to the volume element of a flow in the micro fluid analyzer, for the measurement of ionization current, voltage and optical parameters and for measurement at various wavelength bands wherein each micro discharge device has a narrow band-pass filter;

a photo-ionization detector situated proximate to the volume element of a flow in the micro fluid analyzer; and

a mass spectrometer situated proximate to the volume element of a flow in the micro fluid analyzer; and

wherein the micro discharge devices, photo ionization detector and mass spectrometer are formed in the at least one wafer.

11. The analyzer of claim 9, wherein the at least one wafer has a volume of less than 2 cubic centimeters.

12. The analyzer of claim 11, wherein:

the analyzer has a sensitivity about one part per trillion;

the analyzer has a time of less than or equal to 5 seconds per analysis; and

the analyzer uses less than three Joules of energy per analysis.

13. The analyzer of claim 12, further comprising:

a chemical impedance/capacitance/stress detector connected to the output of the second separator and to the controller; and

a micro discharge impedance detector connected to the output of the second separator and to the controller.

14. The analyzer of claim 13, farther comprising a mass spectrometer connected to the output of the second separator and to the controller.

15. The analyzer of claim 14, farther comprising:

a photo ionization detector connected to the output of the second separator and to the controller; and

a micro discharge device connected downstream from the second separator and to the controller.