Pressurized detectors substance analyzer

Abstract

An apparatus, system and method to measure the concentration of a constituent element in a gas sample contained in an analyzer. A sample cell has an inlet and an outlet. The inlet is to receive a predetermined mass of a gas sample and the outlet is to couple to a valve. The sample cell is to receive the predetermined mass of the gas sample over a predetermined pressurization period until substantially the entire mass of the gas sample contained in the analyzer is contained within the sample cell. The gas sample is pressurized to a predetermined pressure over the pressurization period. A detector cell is located adjacent to the sample cell. The detector cell is to determine a concentration of a constituent of the pressurized gas sample.

1 . A method for measuring the concentration of a constituent element in a gas sample contained in an analyzer, the method comprising:
 sealing an outlet of a sample cell of a detector;   receiving a predetermined mass of a gas sample through an inlet into the sample cell over a predetermined pressurization period until substantially the entire mass of the gas sample contained in the analyzer is contained within the sample cell, wherein the gas sample is pressurized to a predetermined pressure over the pressurization period; and   determining a concentration of a constituent element in the pressurized gas sample.   
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising:
 emitting a beam of incident radiation on the pressurized gas sample in the sample cell.   
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 2 , comprising:
 determining the concentration of the constituent element in the pressurized gas sample in proportion to a quantity of the radiation absorbed by the pressurized gas sample.   
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 3 , comprising:
 interrupting the beam of incident radiation at predetermined intervals;   measuring a flow rate between a first detector cell and a second detector cell, the first and second detector cells are filled with a predetermined quantity of a constituent element to be measured in the gas sample; and   wherein the concentration of the constituent element in the pressurized gas sample is proportional to the flow rate between the first and second detector cells integrated over a predetermined period of time.   
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising:
 receiving a liquid sample in a reactor;   converting the liquid sample into the gas sample to be measured; and   sweeping the gas sample from the reactor to the sample cell during the pressurization period.   
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 5 , comprising:
 receiving a carrier gas into the reactor to sweep the gas sample from the reactor.   
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising:
 repeating the determining of the concentration of the constituent element of the pressurized gas sample while the pressurized gas sample is in the sample cell.   
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising:
 pressurizing the gas sample in the sample cell to a pressure above atmospheric pressure.   
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising:
 receiving a liquid sample in a sparging chamber;   sparging the liquid sample to be measured with an acid; and   sweeping the gas sample from the sparging chamber to the sample cell.   
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising:
 emitting a beam of incident radiation on the pressurized gas sample in the sample cell;   reflecting the beam of radiation from a mirror; and   detecting a quantity of radiation reflected from the mirror.   
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 11 , comprising determining the concentration of the constituent element in the pressurized gas sample based on the detected reflected quantity of radiation. 
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising:
 contacting the pressurized gas sample with a second gas sample to produce an excited state of a third gas sample; and   detecting a quantity of light emitted within a period of time during which the excited third gas sample returns to a ground state from the excited state.   
   
   
       13 . An apparatus, for measuring the concentration of a constituent element in a gas sample, contained in an analyzer, the apparatus comprising:
 a sample cell having an inlet and an outlet, the inlet to receive a predetermined mass of a gas sample and the outlet to couple to a valve, the sample cell to receive the predetermined mass of the gas sample over a predetermined pressurization period until substantially the entire mass of the gas sample contained in the analyzer is contained within the sample cell, wherein the gas sample is pressurized to a predetermined pressure over the pressurization period; and   a detector cell located adjacent to the sample cell, the detector cell to determine a concentration of a constituent element in the pressurized gas sample.   
   
   
       14 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , comprising:
 a radiant energy source optically coupled to the sample cell to emit a beam of incident radiation on the pressurized gas sample in the sample cell.   
   
   
       15 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the detector cell comprises:
 a first detector cell; and   a second detector cell fluidically coupled to the first cell;   the first and second detector cells to develop a flow therebetween that is inversely proportional to the radiation absorbed by the pressurized gas sample.   
   
   
       16 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , comprising:
 a chopper blade located in front of the radiant energy source to interrupt the beam of incident radiation at predetermined intervals;   a flow sensor located between the first and second detector cells to measure a flow rate between the first detector cell and the second detector cell, the first and second detector cells are filled with a predetermined quantity of the constituent element to be measured in the pressurized gas sample, the flow sensor to output an electrical signal that is proportional to the rate of the flow through the flow sensor; and   a processor coupled to the flow sensor to read the electrical signal and integrate the electrical signal over time;   wherein the concentration of the constituent element in the pressurized gas sample is proportional to the integrated electrical signal over time.   
   
   
       17 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , comprising:
 a reactor coupled to the sample cell, the reactor to receive a liquid sample and to convert the liquid sample into the gas sample to be measured; and   a mass flow controller coupled to the reactor, the mass flow controller to pressurize and sweep the gas sample from the reactor to the sample cell.   
   
   
       18 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , comprising:
 a carrier gas inlet to couple to a pressure regulated carrier source, the carrier gas inlet to receive a carrier gas into the reactor to sweep the gas sample from the reactor to the sample cell during the pressurization period.   
   
   
       19 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the mass flow controller pressurizes the gas sample to a pressure above atmospheric pressure. 
   
   
       20 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , comprising:
 a sparging chamber coupled to the sample cell, the sparging chamber to receive a liquid sample therein and to sparge the liquid sample to be measured with an acid; and   a mass flow controller coupled to the sparging chamber, the mass flow controller is to pressurize and sweep the gas sample from the sparging chamber to the sample cell.   
   
   
       21 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , comprising:
 a radiant energy source to emit a beam of incident radiation on the pressurized gas sample in the sample cell;   a mirror to reflect the beam of radiation; and   a photo-detector to detect a quantity of radiation reflected from the mirror.   
   
   
       22 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , comprising:
 a reaction chamber to receive the pressurized gas sample and a second gas sample to produce an excited state of a third gas sample; and   light-detecting device to detect a quantity of light emitted within a period of time during which the excited third gas sample returns to a ground state from the excited state.   
   
   
       23 . A system, comprising:
 a carrier gas source; and   a sample cell having an inlet and an outlet, the inlet to receive a predetermined mass of a gas sample and the outlet to couple to a valve, the sample cell to receive the predetermined mass of the gas sample over a predetermined pressurization period until substantially the entire mass of the gas sample contained in the analyzer is contained within the sample cell, wherein the gas sample is pressurized to a predetermined pressure over the pressurization period; and   a detector cell located adjacent to the sample cell, the detector cell to determine a concentration of a constituent element in the pressurized gas sample.   
   
   
       24 . The system of  claim 23 , comprising a radiant energy source optically coupled to the sample cell to emit a beam of incident radiation on the pressurized gas sample in the sample cell. 
   
   
       25 . The system of  claim 24 , wherein the detector cell comprises:
 a first detector cell; and   a second detector cell fluidically coupled to the first cell;   the first and second detector cells to develop a flow therebetween that is inversely proportional to the radiation absorbed by the pressurized gas sample.   
   
   
       26 . The system of  claim 25 , comprising:
 a chopper blade located in front of the radiant energy source to interrupt the beam of incident radiation at predetermined intervals;   a flow sensor located between the first and second detector cells to measure a flow rate between the first detector cell and the second detector cell, the first and second detector cells are filled with a predetermined quantity of the constituent element to be measured in the pressurized gas sample, the flow sensor to output an electrical signal that is proportional to the rate of the flow through the flow sensor; and   a processor coupled to the flow sensor to read the electrical signal and integrate the electrical signal over time;   wherein the concentration of the constituent element in the pressurized gas sample is proportional to the integrated electrical signal over time.   
   
   
       27 . The system of  claim 23 , comprising:
 a reactor coupled to the sample cell, the reactor to receive a liquid sample and to convert the liquid sample into the gas sample to be measured; and   a mass flow controller coupled to the reactor, the mass flow controller to pressurize and sweep the gas sample from the reactor to the sample cell.   a reactor coupled to the sample cell, the reactor to receive a liquid sample and to convert the liquid sample into the gas sample to be measured; and   a mass flow controller coupled to the reactor, the mass flow controller to sweep the gas sample from the reactor to the sample cell.   
   
   
       28 . The system of  claim 27 , comprising:
 a carrier gas inlet to couple to a pressure regulated carrier source, the carrier gas inlet to receive a carrier gas into the reactor to sweep the gas sample from the reactor to the sample cell during the pressurization period.   
   
   
       29 . The system of  claim 27 , wherein the mass flow controller pressurizes the gas sample to a pressure above atmospheric pressure. 
   
   
       30 . The system of  claim 23 , comprising:
 a sparging chamber coupled to the sample cell, the sparging chamber to receive a liquid sample therein and to sparge the liquid sample to be measured with an acid; and   a mass flow controller coupled to the sparging chamber, the mass flow controller is to pressurize and sweep the gas sample from the sparging chamber to the sample cell.   
   
   
       31 . The system of  claim 23 , comprising:
 a radiant energy source to emit a beam of incident radiation on the pressurized gas sample in the sample cell;   a mirror to reflect the beam of radiation; and   a photo-detector to detect a quantity of radiation reflected from the mirror.   
   
   
       32 . The system of  claim 23 , comprising:
 a reaction chamber to receive the pressurized gas sample and a second gas sample to produce an excited state of a third gas sample; and   light-detecting device to detect a quantity of light emitted within a period of time during which the excited third gas sample returns to a ground state from the excited state.