초록 ▼

A concentrator and sensor assembly are disclosed that use phased heaters to multiply the concentration levels that can be eluted, relative to operation with a single interactive element having a sorbent material to increase the concentration of desired gas constituents at a detector. This is accompl

A concentrator and sensor assembly are disclosed that use phased heaters to multiply the concentration levels that can be eluted, relative to operation with a single interactive element having a sorbent material to increase the concentration of desired gas constituents at a detector. This is accomplished here by providing two or more interactive concentrator elements that are selectively heated in a time phased sequence so that each of the interactive elements becomes heated and desorbs gas constituents into the sample fluid stream at substantially the same time that an upstream concentration pulse, produced by heating one or more upstream interactive elements, reaches the interactive element. This produces a multiplication effect that significantly increases the concentration of the gas constituents at the detector, thereby increasing the effective sensitivity of the detector.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A concentrator for concentrating one or more constituents of a sample fluid stream, comprising: two or more interactive elements spaced along and exposed to the sample fluid stream, each of the interactive elements include an interactive substance that adsorbs and desorbs selected constituents of

1. A concentrator for concentrating one or more constituents of a sample fluid stream, comprising: two or more interactive elements spaced along and exposed to the sample fluid stream, each of the interactive elements include an interactive substance that adsorbs and desorbs selected constituents of the sample fluid stream depending on the temperature of the interactive element, wherein at least two of the interactive elements include the same interactive substance; two or more heater elements, each heater element in thermal communication with a corresponding interactive element; and controller means coupled to the two or more heater elements for allowing the two or more interactive elements to become exposed to the sample fluid stream before energizing the heater elements in a time phased sequence.