Evaporative electrical detector
US6568245B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 13, 2002 |
| Grant date | May 27, 2003 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Mar 13, 2022 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10T436/25375
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
An aerosol detector, particularly well suited for liquid chromatography applications, includes a corona discharge source controlled to selectively charge the non-volatile residue particles of an aerosol. The aerosol initially is composed of droplets of a liquid sample, with the residue particles resulting from droplet evaporation. The selectively charged residue particles, each carrying a charge in proportion to its size, are collected at a conductive filter. The electrical current along a conductor coupled to the filter is measured repeatedly or continuously to provide an indication of concentrations of the non-volatile material. Preferably, a pneumatic nebulizer is used to generate the aerosol. When used in a liquid chromatography system, the detector can yield several separated areas of relatively high electrical current, corresponding to concentrations of several different analytes in the liquid sample.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.