The present techniques, including methods and systems, relate to obtaining or producing a concentrated gas sample from a non-concentrated gas sample with a trap that is not inline with (or indirectly connected to) a chromatographic method, and injecting a controlled volume of the concentrated gas sample in a sample loop including a valve or similar chromatographic component through a sample line. The method includes preparing the concentrated gas sample from the non-concentrated gas sample with a trap; controlling a temperature of an internal volume of the trap to reach a release temperature; injecting the concentrated gas sample in a sample line towards a sample loop, the sample line and sample loop being at a sub-atmospheric pressure; and operating the sample loop to release the concentrated gas sample contained in the sample loop in a chromatographic method, wherein the trap is not inline with the chromatographic method.
There are provided techniques, including methods and systems, for chromatographically analyzing a test sample. The techniques include obtaining a sample chromatogram of the test sample with a chromatography system, the chromatography system including a detector having an adjustable response factor. The techniques also include adjusting, while obtaining the sample chromatogram, the response factor of the detector based on a compensation signal for compensating expected chromatographic artefacts to obtain an artefact-compensated sample chromatogram. The disclosed techniques allow compensating for chromatographic artefacts, which include baseline drift(s) and/or peak tailing(s), during acquisition of chromatograms.
An emission-based detector for use in conjunction with capillary chromatography or other applications involving a gas sample having a small volume is provided. The detector is based on optical emission from a plasma medium. An optical cartridge or other detection and/or processing means may be provided to receive and analyse the emitted radiation and thereby obtain information on the gas to be analysed. The emission-based detector includes a gas inlet, a gas outlet and a capillary channel which is in fluid communication with the gas inlet and gas outlet. The capillary channel acts as the plasma chamber. Preferably, the capillary channel has transversal dimensions of the same order as the cross-section of typical chromatography capillary columns and defines a winding path within the detection area. A multi-cell emission-based detector and a method of analysing a gas sample using multiple detection cells are also provided.
G01N 21/67 - Systems in which the material investigated is excited whereby it emits light or causes a change in wavelength of the incident light electrically excited, e.g. electroluminescence using electric arcs or discharges
There is provided a compound electrode assembly for generating a plasma in a plasma chamber of a plasma discharge device. The compound electrode assembly includes a casing, a discharge electrode and a sealing compound. The casing is made of a dielectric material and includes at least one side wall and an end wall defining a closed end. The discharge electrode is mounted in the casing and is bonded to the end wall. The sealing compound surrounds the discharge electrode and extends within the casing.
There is provided a method for measuring a composition of a gas circulating through a plasma-based detector, the plasma-based detector having a discharge chamber defining an internal volume and having discharge electrodes configured to apply a plasma-generating field across the discharge chamber. The method includes ramping a voltage until it reaches a breakdown voltage to generate a plasma, detecting the presence of the plasma, determining a pressure based on the breakdown voltage upon detection of the presence of the plasma, operating the detector at an operation voltage greater than the breakdown voltage, performing measurement(s) on the plasma, generating a detector signal based the measurement(s) and compensating the detector signal based on the determined pressure to obtain a compensated detector signal, the compensated detector signal being representative of the composition of the gas. A plasma-based detector for measuring the composition of the gas is also provided.
G01N 21/67 - Systems in which the material investigated is excited whereby it emits light or causes a change in wavelength of the incident light electrically excited, e.g. electroluminescence using electric arcs or discharges
6.
Method and apparatus for analysing a gas chromatography elution peak
Methods and systems for measuring, in a gas stream, an analyte concentration level from a gas chromatography elution peak outputted by a gas chromatography system are provided. The method includes receiving an analyte signal representative of the gas chromatography elution peak in the time domain, converting the analyte signal from the time-domain to the frequency domain, in the frequency domain, preprocessing the analyte signal to distinguish frequencies of the analyte signal, integrating the analyte signal after preprocessing to obtain a redressed analyte signal in the time domain, the redressed analyte signal having a substantially Gaussian shape, and processing the redressed analyte signal to obtain the analyte concentration level. The system includes a detector operable for generating the analyte signal and one or more processors configured for preprocessing and integrating the analyte signal to obtain the redressed analyte signal and processing the redressed analyte signal to obtain the analyte concentration level.
An emission-based detector for use in conjunction with capillary chromatography or other applications involving a gas sample having a small volume is provided. The detector is based on optical emission from a plasma medium. An optical cartridge or other detection and/or processing means may be provided to receive and analyse the emitted radiation and thereby obtain information on the gas to be analysed. The emission-based detector includes a gas inlet, a gas outlet and a capillary channel which is in fluid communication with the gas inlet and gas outlet. The capillary channel acts as the plasma chamber. Preferably, the capillary channel has transversal dimensions of the same order as the cross-section of typical chromatography capillary columns and defines a winding path within the detection area. A multi-cell emission-based detector and a method of analysing a gas sample using multiple detection cells are also provided.
G01N 21/67 - Systems in which the material investigated is excited whereby it emits light or causes a change in wavelength of the incident light electrically excited, e.g. electroluminescence using electric arcs or discharges
A method for extending useful life of a sorbent for purifying a gas by sorption of an impurity is provided. The method generating a electrical discharge within the gas to obtain a spectral emission representative of a concentration of the impurity. The method also includes monitoring the concentration of the impurity according to the spectral emission. The method also includes lowering the concentration of the impurity by conversion of at least a portion of the impurity into a secondary impurity having a greater affinity to the sorbent than the impurity. The method also includes comparing the concentration of the impurity to a polluting concentration and managing the sorption of the gas onto the sorbent according to the comparison.
B01D 53/34 - Chemical or biological purification of waste gases
B01D 53/30 - Controlling by gas-analysis apparatus
B01J 20/02 - Solid sorbent compositions or filter aid compositionsSorbents for chromatographyProcesses for preparing, regenerating or reactivating thereof comprising inorganic material
B01D 53/04 - Separation of gases or vapoursRecovering vapours of volatile solvents from gasesChemical or biological purification of waste gases, e.g. engine exhaust gases, smoke, fumes, flue gases or aerosols by adsorption, e.g. preparative gas chromatography with stationary adsorbents
B01D 53/32 - Separation of gases or vapoursRecovering vapours of volatile solvents from gasesChemical or biological purification of waste gases, e.g. engine exhaust gases, smoke, fumes, flue gases or aerosols by electrical effects other than those provided for in group
B01J 20/20 - Solid sorbent compositions or filter aid compositionsSorbents for chromatographyProcesses for preparing, regenerating or reactivating thereof comprising inorganic material comprising free carbonSolid sorbent compositions or filter aid compositionsSorbents for chromatographyProcesses for preparing, regenerating or reactivating thereof comprising inorganic material comprising carbon obtained by carbonising processes
9.
Multi-mode plasma-based optical emission gas detector
A plasma-based detector using optical spectroscopic techniques for analyzing the constituents of gas samples are provided. The detector includes a plasma-generating mechanism and a plasma-localizing mechanism. Electron-injecting electrodes may be provided in the plasma chamber of the detector. A Pressure control mechanism as well as a doping module may optionally be included. In accordance with some implementations, the collection, detection and analysis of light extracted from the plasma may enable one or more of various operation modes, such as an emission mode, an absorption mode, and indirect detection mode or a constant emission mode.
G01J 3/30 - Measuring the intensity of spectral lines directly on the spectrum itself
G01N 21/67 - Systems in which the material investigated is excited whereby it emits light or causes a change in wavelength of the incident light electrically excited, e.g. electroluminescence using electric arcs or discharges
G01N 21/01 - Arrangements or apparatus for facilitating the optical investigation
A discharge-based photo ionisation detector (PID) for use with gas chromatography systems is provided. The PID includes a discharge zone in which a plasma can be generated, resulting in the emission of energetic photons. The PID further includes an ionisation zone in which the gas sample to be analysed is bombarded by the photons created in the discharge zone, photo ionising the impurities in the gas sample. The generated current is measured in order to measure the concentration of impurities in the gas sample. Plasma localizing of the plasma in the discharge zone and optical monitoring of the emission from the plasma in the discharge zone may be provided. Methods using such a PID with a split input from a chromatography column or with inputs from two different chromatography columns are provided.
G01N 27/66 - Investigating or analysing materials by the use of electric, electrochemical, or magnetic means by investigating the ionisation of gases, e.g. aerosolsInvestigating or analysing materials by the use of electric, electrochemical, or magnetic means by investigating electric discharges, e.g. emission of cathode using wave or particle radiation to ionise a gas, e.g. in an ionisation chamber and measuring current or voltage
