Analytical apparatus and instrumentation for on-line measurement of volatile organic compounds in fluids

N J I T
posted on 06/30/2009

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A device and method for the continuous on-line or discrete off-line concentration and measurement of organic compound contaminants in a fluid sample stream is disclosed, in which an adsorbent trap means, which may be a tube of metal packed with an adsorbent composition such as a carbon-based composition, is used to adsorb the organic compound contaminants, while venting out permanent gases, such as CO, CO.sub.2, N.sub.2, O.sub.2, NO.sub.2, SO.sub.2, CH.sub.4, and H.sub.2 O. The adsorbent trap means is capable of rapid heating and cooling, and when a pulse of electrical energy or microwave energy is applied thereto, the adsorbed organic compound contaminants are rapidly desorbed therefrom; after which they are carried to a detector means for measuring the organic compound contaminants. Embodiments are included in which gas chromatography (GC) is not employed. A sampling valve may also be used to cause the sample stream to enter and be retained in a sample retention element of the sampling valve, after which the valve may be repositioned to cause the measured portion of the sample stream to be ejected from the sample retention element and be carried to the adsorbent trap means. A computer may also be used together with a power supply and a recording device in order to control all of the operations and measurements of the device and method, so that they are carried out in accordance with a predetermined schedule, or in response to the dictates of said sample measurements, or both.