Patent · US Expired

Method and device for determining the organic carbon content of a sample

US4519983A · kind A · utility

17Cited by
8References
8Claims
0Family size

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Key dates

Filing dateJul 26, 1982
Grant dateMay 28, 1985
Priority date
Expiry dateJul 26, 2002

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY10T436/23
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A method and apparatus for determining the total amount of organic carbon in a sample comprising the successive steps of: (a) heating the sample in an inert atmosphere to a first temperature capable of cracking at least a fraction of the organic material contained in the sample; (b) measuring the amount of organic carbon contained in at least a fraction of the effluent resulting from this cracking; (c) heating the sample in an oxidizing atmosphere to a second temperature at most equal to the first temperature; (d) measuring the amount of organic carbon in the effluent produced by the oxidation of the organic material, and (e) deriving from the above measurements the total organic carbon content of the sample. In order to perform the method of the invention, there is also provided means for performing each of the successive steps. In a further refinement, the method also includes steps for determining the mineral carbon content so that the total carbon content of the sample can be determined.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.