Apparatus and method for analysis of a fluid sample

Abstract

An method for analyzing a fluid comprises collecting a sample of the fluid and exposing the fluid sample to a light of a predetermined wavelength at a predetermined modulation frequency. An acoustic signal caused by the interaction of the light and the fluid sample is sensed, and the sensed acoustic signal is related to at least one component of the fluid.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for analyzing a fluid comprising:
 collecting a sample of the fluid;   exposing the fluid sample to a light of a predetermined wavelength at a predetermined modulation frequency;   sensing an acoustic signal caused by the interaction of the light and the fluid sample; and   relating the sensed acoustic signal to at least one component of the fluid.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein collecting a sample of the fluid comprises collecting a sample of a formation fluid with a formation test tool in a well. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein exposing the sample to a light of a predetermined wavelength at a predetermined modulation frequency comprises filtering a broadband light into at least one predetermined wavelength and chopping the light into at least one predetermined modulation frequency. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3  wherein filtering a broadband light into at least one predetermined wavelength and chopping the light into at least one predetermined modulation frequency comprises filtering the light into a plurality of predetermined wavelengths and chopping each of the plurality of wavelengths into a different predetermined modulation frequency. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4  wherein relating the sensed acoustic signal to at least one component of the fluid comprises analyzing the sensed acoustic signal at each of the predetermined modulation frequencies. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  wherein exposing the sample to a light of a predetermined wavelength at a predetermined modulation frequency comprises exposing the sample to a plurality of narrow band light beams wherein each light beam is at a different predetermined wavelength.