Abstract:
The combination of ambient air, exhaust and premeasured calibration gases is used according to this invention in the analysis of either low or high pollutant concentration gases measured by a single range analyzer. By using ambient air as a diluent and employing its concentration values to generate the Reference Dilution Ratio, DR.sub.ref, iterative calculations are made to find the Raw Sample Concentration value, C.sub.raw. The gas diluting/mixing system includes pressure balanced infeed plumbing legs. Each of the legs feeds to respective flow restrictors and a common, downstream mixing "T" fitting. One leg is interconnected to the high concentration emission gas output from the sampling system and high concentration calibration gas. The other leg is interconnected to the diluent gas source, ambient air.
Abstract:
In an O.sub.2 sensor element which contains a fluorescent indicator substance, a polymerized silicone polymer is used as a carrier material in which the indicator substance is incorporated in solubilized form and in an at least approximately homogeneous distribution. Solubilization of the indicator substance may essentially be performed in analogy to Friedel-Crafts alkylation of aromatics, which will increase solubility of the indicator substance in the polymer carrier without affecting quenching behavior.
Abstract:
An optical scanner for light detection and color ratiometric measuring for use in apparatus to sort small particles such as seed and beans which are projected or propelled through the scanner at relatively high speeds to be scanned on all sides by a narrow light plane and viewed by a plurality of photoelectric devices. Several lamps are used in conjunction with cylindrical lenses to produce a substantially uniform collimated light plane perpendicular to the path of the particles. The lamps and lenses are interspersed with the photoelectric devices such that light reflected from the portion of the particle being scanned is detected by the photoelectric devices which are responsive to selected wavelengths and which responses are separately fed to an external electronic circuit for processing according to spectral responses such that said responses can be measured individually or compared with each other to determine certain color characteristics of the particle being scanned.
Abstract:
In a bi-frequency infrared spectrometer having a filter wheel rotating in the path of rays, which filter wheel carries two semicircular filters transparent in different spectral ranges, the influence of the radiation from the filters themselves is eliminated in that the filter wheel has an opaque backplate on the side facing the light source, said backplate having one aperture in the area of each filter, which aperture passes through the path of rays. In this way the detector "sees", at first, only the filter with the radiation emanating from the filter itself, and is subsequently exposed to the measuring beam emanating from the light source and passing through the sample cell, when the aperture is being moved through the path of rays. A clamp circuit keeps the output signal zero until shortly before the aperture passes through the measuring beam. The detector signal is integrated by an integrator during a measuring time interval and a reference time interval. In order to eliminate the infuences of inertia and memory effects of the integrator, the detector signal is integrated with reversed sign during a certain time interval before each reference time interval and each measuring time interval. The logarithms of the output signals of the integrator are formed and are transferred to a memory after each reference time interval and each measuring time interval. The integrator is then reset to zero. The difference of the stored signals should then be a measure of the concentration of an element sought, the absorption band of which coincides with the transmission range of one of the filters. In order to get a linear relation between the output signal obtained and the concentration, even if there are deviations from Beer's Law or the measurement is affected by the radiation from instrument parts themselves or the different transmissivities of the filters, adjustable corrective voltages are applied to the integrator, and the signal is applied to the integrator through different resistances during the measuring time interval and during the reference time interval. A filter having a transfer function inverse to the transfer function of the detector is connected to receive the output of the detector.
Abstract:
New and improved method and apparatus for the non-invasive detection of the respective segments and segment interfaces, and the non-invasive determination of the respective segment volumes, of a continuous segmented fluid stream flowing in a transparent conduit are disclosed and comprise means to irradiate the conduit and the flowing fluid stream with radiation energy of spectral content predetermined in accordance with the radiation energy absorbance and refraction characteristics of the fluid segments and the fluid segment-conduit interface, means to detect the radiation energy which is transmitted through the segments and conduit and provide signals indicative thereof, and signal processing means operatively associated with the detecting means and operable to process said signals and perform the stated functions in accordance therewith.
Abstract:
A sample chamber for a gas analyzer for use in a duct containing gases to be analyzed is disclosed and includes a flow directing apparatus formed by a pair of spaced members which form a passage therebetween in the form of a converging diverging throat and an outer housing at least partially surrounding the flow directing apparatus. This outer housing has at least a pair of apertures and is movable by a suitable apparatus between one position in which the outer housing apertures are generally aligned with the flow directing passage and another position in which the outer housing apertures are spaced from the passage with non-apertured portions of the outer housing positioned across the ends of that passage.
Abstract:
In a duct having a gas of predetermined density and viscosity flowing therethrough at a predetermined velocity, a sample chamber for a gas analyzer for use in such a duct is disclosed and includes an inner chamber having a passage therethrough and an outer chamber at least partially surrounding the inner chamber and having a pair of apertures, with the outer housing being movable by suitable apparatus between one position in which the outer housing apertures are generally aligned with the inner chamber passage and another position in which the outer housing apertures are spaced from the inner chamber passage, the outer housing and inner chamber being configured and dimensioned such that the Reynolds number for the flow of duct gases over the outer housing and inner chamber is sub-critical when the outer housing is in its other position with its apertures spaced from the inner chamber passage.
Abstract:
Monitoring the level of both opaque and clear liquids in a reservoir without contacting the liquids by providing first and second reservoir wall portions that define a region through which a light beam is passed from a light source to a light sensor so that opaque liquid extinguishes the light beam and so that the wall portions cooperate with the clear liquid to refract the light beam away from the sensor. A monitoring line segment, defined as the portion of a hypothetically unrefracted and unreflected light beam between the first and second reservoir wall portions, is a small fraction of the largest interior linear dimension of the reservoir in a plane containing the monitoring line segment and a line normal to the first reservoir wall portion.
Abstract:
A material or liquid level sensing system is disclosed having a first triggerable pulse generator connected to a level sensor which is in turn connected to a second triggerable pulse generator wherein the first triggerable pulse generator supplies a pulse to the level sensor which transmits the pulse to trigger the second pulse generator for supplying an output both to an output device and to the first triggerable pulse generator to trigger another pulse to the level sensor and so on. In this manner, the first pulse generator supplied a subsequent pulse to the level sensor depending on whether or not the second triggerable pulse generator has received the previous pulse from the first triggerable pulse generator. Thus, the system continuously supplies pulses to the level sensor as long as the second triggerable pulse generator continues to receive pulses, but these pulses are blocked when the material or liquid being sensed is at a predetermined level and the output means is appropriately activated.
Abstract:
A scatter type of battery smoke detector includes a clock circuit applying energy pulses to an LED light source which directs light pulses on a smoke sensing path. Smoke entering the light path scatters pulsed light to a photodiode whose output voltage varies with smoke density and corresponding light pulse level. A threshold stage responds to photodiode voltage above a threshold level to generate a detection pulse. The detection pulses and clock pulses are applied to a control circuit including a dual data-type flip-flop logic circuit, and thence to a threshold circuit driving an alarm horn. If the smoke density and hence the detection pulse amplitude exceed a predetermined level, coincident application of the clock and detection pulses to the control circuit will cause the control circuit to respond by energizing the alarm continuously so long as the detection pulses recur at the clock frequency. If a spurious noise voltage should coincide with a clock pulse the control circuit will energize the alarm, but only for the brief inter-pulse interval. To reduce battery drain the inter-pulse is made relatively long by design of the normal clock circuit time constant. But, to reduce the time that a spurious alarm can sound, the clock circuit time constant is shortened substantially when the control circuit responds to coincident pulses.