Abstract:
Some examples of pyrolysis to determine hydrocarbon expulsion efficiency of hydrocarbon source rock can be implemented by performing an open system pyrolysis of a hydrocarbon source rock sample obtained from a natural system. Sample includes hydrocarbon source rocks having an equivalent spherical diameter of substantially at least one centimeter. After the open system pyrolysis, the sample can be crushed and thermally vaporized. A hydrocarbon expulsion efficiency of hydrocarbon source rock in the natural system can be determined based on hydrocarbons recovered in response to the open system pyrolysis and in response to the crushing and thermal vaporization.
Abstract:
A sampler for an elemental analyzer comprises a sample housing suitable to accommodate one or more samples, sealed in tin or silver capsules, to be analyzed, a closure mechanism suitable to reversibly seal the sample housing, a sample passage having a connection opening for the passage by gravity of the one or more samples from the sampler into the analyzer through the connection opening. The sampler further comprises a heater for heating the sample housing and a vacuum system or other means for pumping out environmental gases and vapors from the sample housing.
Abstract:
The invention relates to a method and apparatus for determining a total concentration of a component in a sample, including a reactor for oxidizing or reducing the sample, a chromatographic column coupled to the reactor for separating the component in the sample, and an electrochemical gas sensor coupled to the chromatographic column for detecting the component. In further embodiments, a filter may be used instead of or in addition to the column. Moreover, multiple sensors may be used instead of or in addition to the column for simultaneously detecting multiple components.
Abstract:
The invention includes a method and apparatus for a chromatography system having a chromatographic column for separating gases in a mixture from one another and an electrochemical gas sensor coupled to the chromatographic column for detecting a gas being emitted from the column. The electrochemical gas sensor further includes a substrate having a surface for depositing electrodes thereon, an ionomer membrane in contact with the surface, an electrode in contact with the surface, and an opening in the ionomer membrane in a location proximate to the electrode for permitting a gas to diffuse through the opening to simultaneously contact the electrode and the ionomer membrane within the opening.
Abstract:
The invention relates to a method and apparatus for providing a reactor having a heater, a passage for transporting a reactant, and a chamber containing a gas sample and being coupled to the passage for receiving the reactant and mixing the reactant with the gas sample. The reactor further includes a connector leading from the chamber to the heater for transporting a mixture of the reactant and gas sample, and wherein the heater heats the mixture of the reactant and gas sample.
Abstract:
The invention relates to a method and apparatus for determining a total concentration of a component in a sample, including a reactor for oxidizing or reducing the sample, a chromatographic column coupled to the reactor for separating the component in the sample, and an electrochemical gas sensor coupled to the chromatographic column for detecting the component. In further embodiments, a filter may be used instead of or in addition to the column. Moreover, multiple sensors may be used instead of or in addition to the column for simultaneously detecting multiple components.
Abstract:
A miniaturized gas sensor including film type electrodes, and a solid ionomer electrolyte, for the detection of toxic gases, i.e., carbon monoxide, and other oxidizable or reducible gases and vapors is described. The all-solid planar sensor cell has two or more film type electrodes arranged on a non-conductive planar surface of a supportive material. The electrodes are discrete and in intimate contact with the same solid polymer ionomer membrane. The sensor cell contains no liquid electrolyte and is operated in a potentiostatic or potentiodynamic mode. The unique feature of the sensor cell is that high sensitivity to a select gas or vapor is achieved by a novel three-phase contact area design for a sensing electrode which is easily accessible to the gas sample via small diffusion openings or holes that penetrate through the solid polymer ionomer membrane layer above the sensing electrode. A significant signal to background noise enhancement is achieved for these film type sensor cells by processes that increase the three-phase contact area.
Abstract:
A highly selective, sensitive, fast detection system and method are disclosed for detecting vapors of specific compounds in air. Vapors emanating from compounds such as explosives, or stripped from surfaces using heat and suction from a hand-held sample gun, are collected on surfaces coated with gas chromatograph (GC) material which trap explosives vapors but repel nitric oxide, then are desorbed and concentrated in one or more cold spot concentrators. A high speed gas chromatograph (GC) separates the vapors, after which specific vapors are decomposed in two pyrolyzers arranged in parallel and the resulting nitric oxide is detected. A low temperature pyrolyzer with silver produces NO from nitramines or nitrite esters; a high temperature pyrolyzer decomposes all explosives vapors to permit detection of the remaining explosives. Also disclosed is a series arrangement of pyrolyzers and gas chromatographs and an NO detector to time-shift detection of certain vapors and facilitate very fast GC analyses. The use of hydrogen as a carrier gas, plus unique collectors and concentrators, high speed heaters, NO detectors, and very fast, temperature-programmable GC's enhance selectivity, sensitivity and speed of detection.
Abstract:
The total sulfur content of samples consisting of chemical compounds is determined by the use of gas chromatographic separation of the sulfur and its flame-photometric detection. The samples are subjected to a catalytic reaction in a pipe reactor before the separation whereby all sulfur-containing compounds are completely converted into hydrogen sulfide. The pipe reactor is made from an aluminum oxide material in a purity of at least 99.8% of the corundum type.
Abstract:
A pyrolyzer for gas chromatography having a subsidiary heater and a main heater. The subsidiary heater is set below the pyrolysis temperature of the sample, e.g., at 300 degrees centigrade, to drive volatile components from the sample. The main heater is set at a pyrolysis temperature to pyrolize the sample, e.g., at 600 degrees centigrade. The sample is placed in the pyrolyzer in a sample vessel that can be positioned to be heated by main heater, the subsidiary heater and a position not heated by either the main heater or the subsidiary heater.