US3593023A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Apparatus and method for exhaust analysis
Assignee: Beckman Coulter Inc
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Filing: 1969-03-27
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Granted: 1971-07-13
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Expires: 1989-03-27
Abstract
Abstract An apparatus and method for determining the content of certain constituents in hot gases, such as the exhaust of motor vehicles or the like. The exhaust gas is conveyed by a pump to an air cooled condenser to lower the temperature of the gas to essentially ambient temperature and thus condense water vapor therein. The gas is then heated to a temperature above said ambient temperature while being conveyed from the condenser through a conduit to a sample cell of a radiant energy analyzer so that water vapor in the gas passing through the conduit and cell will not condense upon the walls thereof. The cell is positioned above a water trap in the condenser a distance sufficiently great so that no water in the trap will be carried into the cell by the flow of gas passing through the apparatus. The gas is preferably conveyed through the apparatus by means of a jet pump connected to an outlet port on the cell. The jet pump embodies a restriction at its outer end to provide automatic pressure regulation in the apparatus so that the gas pressure in the sample cell will remain relatively constant regardless of pressure fluctuations in the air supply that drives the pump.
Inventors
- 👤 Michael Dodson
- 👤 Raymond J Gomez
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 16:28
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01M; G01M15/00; G01M15/04; G01M15/10; G01M15/102; G01M15/108; G01N; G01N1/00; G01N1/02; G01N1/22; G01N1/2247; G01N1/2258; G01N21/00; G01N21/17; G01N21/25; G01N21/31; G01N21/35; G01N21/3504; G01N33/00; G01N33/0004; G01N33/0009; G01N33/0011; G01N1/2252; G01N2001/2261; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T436/00; Y10T436/20; Y10T436/204998; Y10T436/205831
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 34
Claim 1
Independent Claim
53 words
An engine exhaust gas analysis apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein: the section of said conduit means adjacent to said one end thereof and upstream of said condenser means is in the form of a flexible metallic tube whereby the gas passing therethrough is precooled prior to reaching said condenser means.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
39 words
An engine exhaust gas analysis apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein: said pump means is connected to said outlet port for drawing gas from said source through said condenser means and said cell via said conduit means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
22 words
An engine exhaust gas analysis apparatus as set forth in claim 3 wherein: SAID pump means is driven by a pressurized gas.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
20 words
An engine exhaust gas analysis apparatus as set forth in claim 4 wherein: said pump means is a jet pump.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
56 words
An engine exhaust gas analysis apparatus as set forth in claim 3 wherein: said condenser means includes a condensate trap; and said cell is positioned above said trap a distance sufficiently great so that the suction produced by said pump means is incapable of drawing condensate from said trap through said conduit means into said cell.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
114 words
An engine exhaust gas analysis apparatus as set forth in claim 6 wherein: the section of said conduit means adjacent to said one end thereof is in the form of a flexible metallic tube which allows cooling of the gas passing therethrough; an intermediate section of said tube is disposed below the remainder thereof when said one end is coupled to said source whereby said intermediate section is capable of collecting condensate therein; and said cell is positioned above said intermediate section or said tube a distance sufficiently great so that the suction produced by said pump means is incapable of drawing condensate from said intermediate section through said conduit means into said cell.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
94 words
An engine exhaust gas analysis apparatus as set forth in claim 7 wherein: said pump means is a jet pump including first and second tubular members; said first member being connected to said outlet port of said cell and terminating in an outlet end; said second member having one of its ends extending outside of said first member for connection to a source of fluid pressure and its other end terminating inside said first member, said other end opening in the direction of said outlet end of said first member and spaced upstream thereof.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
76 words
An engine exhaust gas analysis apparatus as set forth in claim 8 including: a restriction in said first member adjacent to said outlet end thereof; and the relative diameters of said restriction, of said first member and of said other end of said second member being such as to maintain the pressure in said cell substantially constant within the range of pressure fluctuations encountered in the fluid conveyed from said fluid source to said second tube.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
39 words
An engine exhaust gas analysis apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein: the force produced by said pump means is insufficient to convey any water from any portion of said condenser or said conduit means into said cell.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
42 words
An engine exhaust gas analysis apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein: said pump means creates a flow rate of gas through said conduit means, condenser means and cell within the range of about 0.2 to 2.0 cubic feet per minute.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
35 words
An engine exhaust gas analysis apparatus as set forth in claim 11 wherein: said pump means creates a pressure in said cell within the range of about 3.5 to 4.5 inches of water below atmosphere.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
42 words
An engine exhaust gas analysis apparatus as set forth in claim 6 wherein: said pump means creates a flow rate of gas through said conduit means, condenser means and cell within the range of about 0.2 to 2.0 cubic feet per minute.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
35 words
An engine exhaust gas analysis apparatus as set forth in claim 13 wherein: said pump means creates a pressure in said cell within the range of about 3.5 to 4.5 inches of water below atmosphere.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
147 words
In an engine exhaust gas analysis apparatus, the combination of: engine exhaust gas analysis means including a gas sample cell having inlet and outlet ports; conduit means having one end adapted to be placed in flow communication with a source of sample gas, the other end of said conduit means being connected to said inlet port of said cell; pump means in communication with said conduit means for conveying gas from said source through said conduit means and said cell; condenser means in said conduit means between said one end thereof and said cell so that water vapor In the gas is condensed out, said condenser means including a condensate trap; and said cell is positioned above said trap a distance sufficiently great so that the force produced by said pump means is incapable of conveying condensate from said trap through said conduit means into said cell.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
95 words
An engine exhaust gas analysis apparatus as set forth in claim 15 wherein said condenser means is air cooled for lowering the temperature of the gas passing therethrough to essentially ambient temperature and including: heating means for raising the temperature of the gas emanating from said condenser means and passing through said conduit means and said cell to above said ambient temperature so that water vapor in the gas emanating from said condenser means will remain in the vapor state and hence will not condense upon the walls of said conduit means or said cell.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
39 words
An engine exhaust gas analysis apparatus as set forth in claim 16 wherein: said pump means is connected to said outlet port for drawing gas from said source through said condenser means and said cell via said conduit means.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
65 words
An engine exhaust gas analysis apparatus as set forth in claim 17 wherein: said pump means creates a flow rate of gas through said conduit means, condenser means and cell within the range of about 0.2 to 2.0 cubic feet per minute; and said pump means creates a pressure in said cell within the range of about 3.5 to 4.5 inches of water below atmosphere.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
40 words
An engine exhaust gas analysis apparatus as set forth in claim 17 wherein: said condenser means is air cooled; said pump means is connected to said outlet port of said cell; and said pump means is an air driven pump.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
156 words
In an engine exhaust gas analysis apparatus, the combination of: engine exhaust gas analysis means including an engine exhaust gas sample cell having inlet and outlet ports; conduit means having one end adapted to be placed in flow communication with a source of sample gas, the other end of said conduit means being connected to said inlet port of said cell; a first tube connected to said outlet port of said cell and terminating in an outlet end; and a second tube of a diameter less than that of said first tube having one of its ends extending outside of said first tube for connection to a source of fluid pressure and its other end terminating inside said first tube, said other end opening in the direction of said outlet end of said first tube and spaced upstream thereof so as to provide a jet pump for drawing sample gas through said conduit means and cell.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
92 words
An engine exhaust gas analysis apparatus as set forth in claim 20 including: condenser means for condensing out water vapor in said conduit means; a valve assembly including an inlet fitting adapted to be coupled to a conventional shop air hose, outlet means and a valve element for controlling the flow of air from said inlet fitting to said outlet means; said one end of said second tube being coupled to said outlet means; and means coupling said outlet means to said condenser means for supplying cooling air to said condenser means.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
73 words
An engine exhaust analysis apparatus as set forth in claim 21 including: heating means for raising the temperature of the gas emanating from said condenser means and passing through said conduit means and said cell to above said ambient temperature so that water vapor in the gas emanating from said condenser means will remain in the vapor stage and hence will not condense upon the walls of said conduit means or said cell.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
76 words
An engine exhaust gas analysis apparatus as set forth in claim 20 including: a restriction in said first tube adjacent to said outlet end thereof; and relative diameters of said restriction, of said first tube and of said other end of said second tube being such as to maintain the pressure in said detection cell substantially constant within the range of pressure fluctuations encountEred in the fluid conveyed from said fluid source to said second tube.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
141 words
An engine exhaust gas analysis apparatus as set forth in claim 20 including: a valve assembly including an inlet fitting adapted to be coupled to a conventional shop air hose providing said source of fluid pressure, an outlet port and a valve element for regulating the pressure of gas flow through the assembly between the range of about 10 to 30 p.s.i.g.; said one end of said second tube being coupled to said outlet port of said valve assembly; a restriction in said first tube adjacent to said outlet end thereof; and the relative dimensions of said restriction and of said first and second tubes being such as to maintain the pressure in said cell substantially within the limits of + or - 1 inch of water regardless of fluctuations in air pressure within said 10 to 30 p.s.i.g. pressure range.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
53 words
An engine exhaust gas analysis apparatus as set forth in claim 20 including: condenser means in said conduit means for condensing out water vapor; and said one end of said conduit means being in the form of a corrugated metallic tubing which precools the gas passing therethrough prior to reaching said condenser means.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
102 words
In an engine exhaust gas analysis apparatus, the combination of: engine exhaust gas analysis means including an engine exhaust gas sample cell; conduit means for conveying engine exhaust sample gas to said cell; a jet pump connected to said cell for drawing gas through said conduit means and cell, said pump including an inlet adapted to be connected to a source of fluid pressure and an outlet; and a restriction adjacent to said outlet for maintaining the pressure in said cell substantially constant within the range of pressure fluctuations encountered in the fluid conveyed from said fluid source to said jet pump.
Claim 26
Independent Claim
82 words
A method of analyzing a hot engine exhaust gas containing water vapor comprising the steps of: air cooling the engine exhaust gas to essentially ambient temperature to condense water vapor therein; thereafter raising the temperature of the engine exhaust gas to above said ambient temperature while conveying the gas to a sample cell of an engine exhaust gas analyzer so that no water vapor in the gas will condense upon the walls of the cell; and analyzing the gas in said cell.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
47 words
A method as set forth in claim 27 wherein: said engine exhaust gas is conveyed to said cell through conduit means at a flow rate sufficiently low so that no liquid water collected in the conduit means will be carried by the flowing gas into said cell.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
33 words
A method as set forth in claim 28 wherein: the flow rate of said gas being conveyed to said cell is within the range of about 0.2 to 2.0 cubic feet per minute.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
29 words
A method as set forth in claim 29 wherein: the pressure in said cell is maintained within the range of about 3.5 to 4.5 inches of water below atmosphere.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
29 words
A method as set forth in claim 27 wherein: the pressure in said cell is maintained within the range of about 3.5 to 4.5 inches of water below atmosphere.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
29 words
A method as set forth in claim 27 wherein: said engine exhaust gas is conveyed through said cell by applying a suction to an outlet port of said cell.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
65 words
A method as set forth in claim 27 wherein said engine exhaust gas is cooled by passing it through a condenser having a water trap; and there being included the additional steps of: maintaining the pressure in said cell below atmosphere; and positioning said cell above said trap a number of inches greater than the inches of water below atmosphere of pressure in said cell.
Claim 33
Independent Claim
91 words
A method of analyzing a hot engine exhaust gas containing water vapor comprising the steps of: air cooling the engine exhaust gas to essentially ambient temperature to condense water vapor therein; thereafter conveying the gas through a conduit and samplE cell of a gas analyzer; preventing the temperature of said gas, while being conveyed through said conduit and cell, from dropping below said ambient temperature so that water vapor in the gas will not condense upon the walls of said conduit or cell; and analyzing the gas passing through said cell.
Claim 34
Independent Claim
99 words
A method of analyzing a hot engine exhaust gas containing water vapor comprising the steps of: providing a condenser for condensing out water vapor and having a water trap, an engine exhaust gas analyzer having a sample cell, and conduit means for conveying gas from said condenser through said cell; conveying the gas through said condenser, conduit means and cell while maintaining the pressure in said cell below atmosphere; and positioning said cell above said water trap a number of inches greater than the inches of water below atmosphere of pressure in said cell while conveying said gas therethrough.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1974-07-12 | 1975-01-11 | 1975-07-13 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1978-07-12 | 1979-01-11 | 1979-07-13 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1982-07-12 | 1983-01-11 | 1983-07-13 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |