Patent · US Expired

Method for analyzing impurities in carbon dioxide

US7064834B2 · kind B2 · utility

4Cited by
27References
21Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJan 22, 2003
Grant dateJun 20, 2006
Priority date
Expiry dateJan 10, 2024

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG01N2001/2282
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

This invention relates to methods and systems for detecting contaminants that can precipitate and deposit on a workpiece during a carbon dioxide application, especially contaminants that are already present and dissolved in the fresh carbon dioxide fed to the application. One aspect of this invention includes a method of detecting contaminants dissolved in a carbon dioxide stream, including the steps of sampling at least a portion of the carbon dioxide stream to form a carbon dioxide sample; modifying at least one physical condition of the carbon dioxide sample to form an aerosol that includes gaseous carbon dioxide and at least one suspended contaminant; and detecting the number of particles of suspended contaminant in at least a portion of the carbon dioxide sample with at least one particle counter. A system for continuously detecting contaminants dissolved in a carbon dioxide stream is also described.

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