Particle preconcentrator
Abstract
An apparatus and method are disclosed for preconcentrating particles and vapors. The preconcentrator apparatus permits detection of highly diluted amounts of particles in a main gas stream, such as a stream of ambient air. A main gas stream having airborne particles entrained therein is passed through a pervious screen. The particles accumulate upon the screen, as the screen acts as a sort of selective particle filter. The flow of the main gas stream is then interrupted by diaphragm shutter valves, whereupon a cross-flow of carrier gas stream is blown parallel past the faces of the screen to dislodge the accumulated particles and carry them to a particle or vapor detector, such as an ion mobility spectrometer. The screen may be heated, such as by passing an electrical current there through, to promote desorption of particles therefrom during the flow of the carrier gas. Various types of screens are disclosed. The apparatus and method of the invention may find particular utility in the fields of narcotics, explosives detection and chemical agents. 3 figs.
- Inventors:
- Issue Date:
- Research Org.:
- Sandia National Laboratories (SNL), Albuquerque, NM, and Livermore, CA (United States)
- Sponsoring Org.:
- USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
- OSTI Identifier:
- 321158
- Patent Number(s):
- 5854431
- Application Number:
- PAN: 8-988,542
- Assignee:
- Sandia Corp., Albuquerque, NM (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC04-94AL85000
- Resource Type:
- Patent
- Resource Relation:
- Other Information: PBD: 29 Dec 1998
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- 40 CHEMISTRY; 45 MILITARY TECHNOLOGY, WEAPONRY, AND NATIONAL DEFENSE; AIR SAMPLERS; DESIGN; OPERATION; PARTICULATES; AEROSOL MONITORING; MATERIALS HANDLING; CHEMICAL ANALYSIS; NARCOTICS; CHEMICAL EXPLOSIVES; CHEMICAL WARFARE AGENTS
Citation Formats
Linker, K L, Conrad, F J, Custer, C A, and Rhykerd, Jr, C L. Particle preconcentrator. United States: N. p., 1998.
Web.
Linker, K L, Conrad, F J, Custer, C A, & Rhykerd, Jr, C L. Particle preconcentrator. United States.
Linker, K L, Conrad, F J, Custer, C A, and Rhykerd, Jr, C L. Tue .
"Particle preconcentrator". United States.
@article{osti_321158,
title = {Particle preconcentrator},
author = {Linker, K L and Conrad, F J and Custer, C A and Rhykerd, Jr, C L},
abstractNote = {An apparatus and method are disclosed for preconcentrating particles and vapors. The preconcentrator apparatus permits detection of highly diluted amounts of particles in a main gas stream, such as a stream of ambient air. A main gas stream having airborne particles entrained therein is passed through a pervious screen. The particles accumulate upon the screen, as the screen acts as a sort of selective particle filter. The flow of the main gas stream is then interrupted by diaphragm shutter valves, whereupon a cross-flow of carrier gas stream is blown parallel past the faces of the screen to dislodge the accumulated particles and carry them to a particle or vapor detector, such as an ion mobility spectrometer. The screen may be heated, such as by passing an electrical current there through, to promote desorption of particles therefrom during the flow of the carrier gas. Various types of screens are disclosed. The apparatus and method of the invention may find particular utility in the fields of narcotics, explosives detection and chemical agents. 3 figs.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Tue Dec 29 00:00:00 EST 1998},
month = {Tue Dec 29 00:00:00 EST 1998}
}