Patent · US Expired

Heat release rate calorimeter for milligram samples

US6464391B2 · kind B2 · utility

5Cited by
12References
6Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateDec 22, 2000
Grant dateOct 15, 2002
Priority date
Expiry dateJan 12, 2021

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG01N33/222
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A calorimeter that measures heat release rates of very small samples (on the order of one to 10 milligrams) without the need to separately and simultaneously measure the mass loss rate of the sample and the heat of combustion of the fuel gases produced during the fuel generation process. The sample is thermally decomposed in a small volume pyrolysis chamber. The resulting fuel gases are immedediately swept by an inert gas stream from the pyrolysis chamber into a combustion furnace in a plug-like flow. This plug flow substantially synchronizes the emerging fuel gases with the mass loss rate of the sample. Oxygen is metered into the fuel gas stream just before it enters the combustion furnace where the fuel gases are completely oxidized. The effluent from the furnace is analyzed to determine the amount of oxygen consumed per unit time and the heat release rate is computed without the need to separately measure the mass loss rate of the sample.

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