Preconcentrators and methods of making and using the same
US8333105B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Apr 30, 2010 |
| Grant date | Dec 18, 2012 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Aug 7, 2030 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01N2030/126
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
Apparatus, systems and methods are described for preconcentrators, chemical sensing systems and gas chromatographs. A preconcentrator is described that comprises a hollow enclosure containing a sorbent material. The enclosure may be a capillary tube that can be formed in to a desired shape and that may be heated. Heating may be accomplished by passing an electrical current through the capillary or other hollow enclosure form. The sorbent material can be a liquid, a solid, a porous ceramic material and/or a chemiselective polymer. The sorbent material can be coated to the inner wall of the enclosure. The hollow enclosure may be maintained in an insulated chamber. The preconcentrator acts to concentrate a vapor passed through the preconcentrator to a chemical sensing array that can detect chemicals present in the vapor. A gas passed through the hollow enclosure can provide a chemically concentrated input to a chromatographic column.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.