Patent · US Expired

Photo-ionization detector and method for continuous operation and real-time self-cleaning

US6734435B2 · kind B2 · utility

8Cited by
29References
34Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMay 29, 2001
Grant dateMay 11, 2004
Priority date
Expiry dateJun 8, 2022

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG01N33/0047
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A photo-ionization detector (PID) including two detection units controls gas flows through the ionization chambers of the detection units for real-time self-cleaning and measurement. Operation of the PID can include flowing gas through the ionization chamber of one detection unit to measure the volatile gas concentration while stopping gas flow through the ionization chamber of the other detection unit. A UV lamp converts oxygen contained in the closed ionization chamber to ozone, which removes contamination in the closed ionization chamber, Continuous gas flows can alternate between one ionization chamber to the other. Alternatively, a PID with only one gas detection unit intermittently interrupts the flow of the ambient gas in the ionization chamber.

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