Alkali metal ionization detector
Abstract
Variations in the conventional filament and collector electrodes of an alkali metal ionization detector, including the substitution of helical electrode configurations for either the conventional wire filament or flat plate collector; or, the substitution of a plurality of discrete filament electrodes providing an in situ capability for transferring from an operationally defective filament electrode to a previously unused filament electrode without removing the alkali metal ionization detector from the monitored environment. In particular, the helical collector arrangement which is coaxially disposed about the filament electrode, i.e. the thermal ionizer, provides an improved collection of positive ions developed by the filament electrode. The helical filament design, on the other hand, provides the advantage of an increased surface area for ionization of alkali metal-bearing species in a monitored gas environment as well as providing a relatively strong electric field for collecting the ions at the collector electrode about which the helical filament electrode is coaxially positioned. Alternatively, both the filament and collector electrodes can be helical. Furthermore, the operation of the conventional alkali metal ionization detector as a leak detector can be simplified as to cost and complexity, by operating the detector at a reduced collector potential while maintaining the sensitivity ofmore »
- Inventors:
-
- Plum Borough, PA
- Monroeville, PA
- Murrysville, PA
- Issue Date:
- OSTI Identifier:
- 863113
- Patent Number(s):
- 4095171
- Assignee:
- Westinghouse Electric Corp. (Pittsburgh, PA)
- Patent Classifications (CPCs):
-
G - PHYSICS G01 - MEASURING G01N - INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
- DOE Contract Number:
- E(11-1)-2499
- Resource Type:
- Patent
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- alkali; metal; ionization; detector; variations; conventional; filament; collector; electrodes; including; substitution; helical; electrode; configurations; wire; flat; plate; plurality; discrete; providing; situ; capability; transferring; operationally; defective; previously; unused; removing; monitored; environment; particular; arrangement; coaxially; disposed; thermal; ionizer; provides; improved; collection; positive; developed; design; hand; advantage; increased; surface; metal-bearing; species; gas; relatively; strong; electric; field; collecting; positioned; alternatively; furthermore; operation; leak; simplified; cost; complexity; operating; reduced; potential; maintaining; sensitivity; adequate; concentration; vapor; aerosol; typically; encountered; detection; applications; coaxially disposed; gas environment; metal ionization; electrode configuration; relatively strong; wire filament; leak detection; flat plate; electric field; alkali metal; ionization detector; leak detector; monitored gas; collector electrode; plate collector; increased surface; coaxially positioned; electrode configurations; coaxially position; /324/361/
Citation Formats
Bauerle, James E, Reed, William H, and Berkey, Edgar. Alkali metal ionization detector. United States: N. p., 1978.
Web.
Bauerle, James E, Reed, William H, & Berkey, Edgar. Alkali metal ionization detector. United States.
Bauerle, James E, Reed, William H, and Berkey, Edgar. Sun .
"Alkali metal ionization detector". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/863113.
@article{osti_863113,
title = {Alkali metal ionization detector},
author = {Bauerle, James E and Reed, William H and Berkey, Edgar},
abstractNote = {Variations in the conventional filament and collector electrodes of an alkali metal ionization detector, including the substitution of helical electrode configurations for either the conventional wire filament or flat plate collector; or, the substitution of a plurality of discrete filament electrodes providing an in situ capability for transferring from an operationally defective filament electrode to a previously unused filament electrode without removing the alkali metal ionization detector from the monitored environment. In particular, the helical collector arrangement which is coaxially disposed about the filament electrode, i.e. the thermal ionizer, provides an improved collection of positive ions developed by the filament electrode. The helical filament design, on the other hand, provides the advantage of an increased surface area for ionization of alkali metal-bearing species in a monitored gas environment as well as providing a relatively strong electric field for collecting the ions at the collector electrode about which the helical filament electrode is coaxially positioned. Alternatively, both the filament and collector electrodes can be helical. Furthermore, the operation of the conventional alkali metal ionization detector as a leak detector can be simplified as to cost and complexity, by operating the detector at a reduced collector potential while maintaining the sensitivity of the alkali metal ionization detector adequate for the relatively low concentration of alkali vapor and aerosol typically encountered in leak detection applications.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {1978},
month = {1}
}