Method and device for detecting odorants in hydrocarbon gases
US10379093B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Dec 8, 2014 |
| Grant date | Aug 13, 2019 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Dec 30, 2035 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01N2291/0426
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A dual quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) sensor is disclosed for use in a hand-held detection device (10) for detecting the presence of an odorant in hydrocarbon gaseous fuels. The odorant is a thiol-based compound, such as ethanethiol. One QCM (16) is coated with a coating typically containing a reagent that specifically reacts with the thiol of the odorant and alters its oscillation frequency as a result of mass gained in the reaction. A second QCM (16′) serves as a control and the two frequency signals may be heterodyned (26) to produce a delta-frequency representative of the mass change. Circuitry and signal processing (32) are used to produce a final result correlated to the level of thiol in the hydrocarbon gas.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.