Removing surface deposits of concentrated collected particles
First Claim
1. Apparatus for separating and collecting particulates entrained in a flow of fluid, the apparatus comprising:
- (a) a virtual impactor capable of separating a fluid stream into a major flow and a minor flow, the major flow including a minor portion of particulates that are above a predetermined size and the minor flow including a major portion of the particulates that are above the predetermined size, the virtual impactor including a minor flow outlet through which the minor flow exits the virtual impactor;
(b) a collection surface upon which particulates entrained within the minor flow can impact;
(c) a prime mover drivingly coupled to one of the virtual impactor and the collection surface, enabling a relative position of the virtual impactor and the collection surface to be selectively manipulated, such that at least one orientation enabled by the prime mover results in the minor flow of fluid that is moving through the minor flow outlet being directed towards the collection surface;
(d) means for enabling collection of a sample from the collection surface; and
(e) a trigger controllably connected to the means for enabling collection of the sample, the trigger being responsive to a condition other than time that is indicative of particulates of interest having been accumulated on the collection surface, such that when the trigger determines that the particulates of interest have been accumulated, said trigger activates said means for enabling collection of the sample, wherein the trigger comprises at least one of;
(i) an optical detector configured to activate a sample collection when a concentration of particulates in the minor flow reaches a predefined threshold; and
(ii) a sensor configured to detect an environmental condition indicative of particulates of interest being accumulated on the collection surface.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus for removing concentrated spots of collected particulates from an impact collection surface, and transferring those particulates into a container suitable for preparing a liquid sample. A jet of fluid can be utilized to remove and transfer the particulates. If a liquid jet is employed, care is taken to minimize the quantity of liquid to avoid unnecessarily diluting the sample. A mechanical scraper can alternatively be employed to remove and transfer the particulates into the container. The scraper can be rinsed with liquid or vibrated to remove the particulates. Alternatively, the portion of the surface containing a specific spot of particulates can be removed and placed into a container.
-
Citations
19 Claims
-
1. Apparatus for separating and collecting particulates entrained in a flow of fluid, the apparatus comprising:
-
(a) a virtual impactor capable of separating a fluid stream into a major flow and a minor flow, the major flow including a minor portion of particulates that are above a predetermined size and the minor flow including a major portion of the particulates that are above the predetermined size, the virtual impactor including a minor flow outlet through which the minor flow exits the virtual impactor; (b) a collection surface upon which particulates entrained within the minor flow can impact; (c) a prime mover drivingly coupled to one of the virtual impactor and the collection surface, enabling a relative position of the virtual impactor and the collection surface to be selectively manipulated, such that at least one orientation enabled by the prime mover results in the minor flow of fluid that is moving through the minor flow outlet being directed towards the collection surface; (d) means for enabling collection of a sample from the collection surface; and (e) a trigger controllably connected to the means for enabling collection of the sample, the trigger being responsive to a condition other than time that is indicative of particulates of interest having been accumulated on the collection surface, such that when the trigger determines that the particulates of interest have been accumulated, said trigger activates said means for enabling collection of the sample, wherein the trigger comprises at least one of; (i) an optical detector configured to activate a sample collection when a concentration of particulates in the minor flow reaches a predefined threshold; and (ii) a sensor configured to detect an environmental condition indicative of particulates of interest being accumulated on the collection surface. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
-
-
8. A method for collecting a sample of particulates entrained in a flow of fluid, comprising the steps of:
-
(a) separating the fluid flow into a major flow and a minor flow, the major flow including a minor portion of particulates above a predetermined size and the minor flow including a major portion of the particulates above the predetermined size; (b) using a prime mover to direct the minor flow onto a collection surface, by changing a position of at least one of the collection surface and an outlet from which the minor flow is ejected, such that particulates entrained in the minor flow are deposited on the collection surface; (c) detecting a predetermined condition other than a lapse of a predetermined period of time, using at least one of an optical sensor and a sensor configured to detected an environmental condition; and (d) in response to detecting the predetermined condition, obtaining a sample of particulates from the particulates deposited on the collection surface. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
-
-
17. Apparatus for separating and collecting particulates entrained in a flow of fluid, the apparatus comprising:
-
(a) a virtual impactor capable of separating a fluid stream into a major flow and a minor flow, the major flow including a minor portion of particulates that are above a predetermined size and the minor flow including a major portion of the particulates that are above the predetermined size, the virtual impactor including a minor flow outlet through which the minor flow exits the virtual impactor; (b) a collection surface upon which particulates entrained within the minor flow can impact; (c) a prime mover drivingly coupled to one of the virtual impactor and the collection surface, enabling a relative position of the virtual impactor and the collection surface to be selectively manipulated, such that at least one orientation enabled by the prime mover results in the minor flow of fluid that is moving through the minor flow outlet being directed towards the collection surface; (d) means for detecting a predetermined condition other than a lapse of a predetermined period of time; and (e) means for removing a portion of the collection surface on which the particulates have been deposited and collected after the predetermined condition has been detected.
-
-
18. A method for collecting a sample of particulates entrained in a flow of fluid, comprising the steps of:
-
(a) separating the fluid flow into a major flow and a minor flow, the major flow including a minor portion of particulates above a predetermined size and the minor flow including a major portion of the particulates above the predetermined size; (b) using a prime mover to direct the minor flow onto a collection surface, by changing a position of at least one of the collection surface and an outlet from which the minor flow is ejected, such that particulates entrained in the minor flow are deposited on the collection surface; and (c) using at least one of an optical sensor and a sensor configured to detect a change in an environmental condition to detect a predetermined condition other than a lapse of a predetermined period of time; and (d) in response to detecting the predetermined condition, removing a portion of the collection surface to obtain a sample of particulates.
-
-
19. A method for collecting a sample of particulates entrained in a flow of fluid, comprising the steps of:
-
(a) separating the fluid flow into a major flow and a minor flow, the major flow including a minor portion of particulates above a predetermined size and the minor flow including a major portion of the particulates above the predetermined size; (b) using a prime mover to direct the minor flow onto a collection surface, by changing a position of at least one of the collection surface and an outlet from which the minor flow is ejected, such that particulates entrained in the minor flow are deposited on the collection surface, the collection surface including a pair of deposition surfaces, such that particulates are simultaneously deposited on each of the depositions surfaces; (c) using at least one of an optical sensor and a sensor configured to detect a change in an environmental condition to detect a predetermined condition other than a lapse of a predetermined period of time; and (d) in response to detecting the predetermined condition, removing a portion of the particulates deposited on the collection surface to obtain a sample of particulates, such that particulates are removed from only one of the pair of depositions surfaces, particulates deposited on the other of the pair being saved for archival purposes.
-
Specification