Vertical flow chemical detection portal

Patent · Thu Dec 31 23:00:00 EST 1998

OSTI ID:872350

Linker, Kevin L ^[1]; Hannum, David W ^[1]; Conrad, Frank James ^[2]

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1. Albuquerque, NM
2. Russellville, SC

A portal apparatus for screening objects or persons for the presence of trace amounts of chemical substances such as illicit drugs or explosives. The apparatus has a test space, in which a person may stand, defined by two generally upright sides spanned by a horizontal transom. One or more fans in the transom generate a downward air flow (uni-directional) within the test space. The air flows downwardly from a high pressure upper zone, past the object or person to be screened. Air moving past the object dislodges from the surface thereof both volatile and nonvolatile particles of the target substance. The particles are entrained into the air flow which continues flowing downward to a lower zone of reduced pressure, where the particle-bearing air stream is directed out of the test space and toward preconcentrator and detection components. The sides of the portal are specially configured to partially contain and maintain the air flow.

• Research Organization: SANDIA CORP
• DOE Contract Number: AC04-94AL85000
• Assignee: Sandia Corporation (Albuquerque, NM)
• Patent Number(s): US 5915268
• OSTI ID: 872350
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

/73/422/
air
air flow
air flows
air moving
air stream
amounts
apparatus
chemical
chemical detection
chemical substance
components
configured
contain
continues
defined
detection
directed
dislodges
downward
downwardly
drugs
entrained
explosives
fans
flow
flowing
flowing downward
flows
flows downwardly
generate
horizontal
illicit
maintain
moving
nonvolatile
partially
particle-bearing
particles
past
person
persons
portal
preconcentrator
presence
pressure
reduced
reduced pressure
screened
screening
space
spanned
specially
stand
stream
substance
substances
surface
target
trace
trace amount
trace amounts
transom
uni-directional
upper
upper zone
upright
vertical
vertical flow
volatile
zone