Photoacoustic detection system with clocked tuning fork positions

US11754533B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• CARRIER CORPORATION · US

Inventors

• David L. Lincoln · Cromwell, US
• Michael J. Birnkrant · Wethersfield, US
• Peter R. Harris · West Jupiter, US
• Marcin Piech · East Hampton, US
• Arthur Blanc · Providence, US
• Jose-Rodrigo Castillo-Garza · Town of East Hartford, US

Key dates

• Filing date: May 8, 2019
• Grant date: Sep 12, 2023
• Expiry date: Mar 2, 2040

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G01N2291/106
• WIPO field: Measurement
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

A photoacoustic detection system (20) includes a detector (22) that has a chamber (24), a pulsed light source (26), piezoelectric tuning forks (28), and a photosensor (30). The chamber has an inlet and an outlet for flow of an analyte. The pulsed light source is adjacent the chamber and is operable to emit a light beam along a path through the chamber. The tuning forks are arranged along the path, and each of the tuning forks is operable to emit first sensor signals. The photosensor is arranged along the path and is operable to emit second sensor signals. A controller (38) is connected to receive the first and second sensor signals. The controller is configured to determine whether a target species is present in the analyte based on the first sensor signals and determine whether the target species is present in the analyte based on the second sensor signals.