Aerosol hazard characterization and early warning network
US6490530B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | May 23, 2000 |
| Grant date | Dec 3, 2002 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | May 23, 2020 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01N2015/0238
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
An aerosol hazard classification and early warning network is composed of a large number of detector and analysis units, called “detector stations,” which are deployed throughout a region to be warned of a potentially hazardous aerosol intrusion. Such aerosol threats may originate from fires, volcanic eruptions, or overt releases of biological and chemical agents dispersed in aerosol form. Among the former are the characteristic toxic aerosols released during refinery fires or explosions. The latter biological agents include bacterial spores, lyophilized bacterial cells, and virus preparations, whereas chemical agents might include various forms of nerve gasses and other anti-personnel gasses such as mustard, all commonly deployed in aerosol form. Each detector station contains an aerosol handling unit that samples and transfers ambient aerosol particles one-at-a-time through a light scattering chamber where each such particle is constrained to pass through a fine laser beam producing, thereby, an outgoing scattered light wave. The scattering chamber contains a plurality of scattered light detectors arranged to accept light scattered into different angular locations. Th…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.