Patent ID: 6549276
Filing Date: 2003-04-15
Classification: G01N

Abstract:
A method for determining the concentration of a given component in a sample of a multi-component liquid mixture, said method comprising the steps of:(a) determining the refractive index of the sample of the multi-component liquid mixture by: (a-1) causing the sample of the liquid mixture to be contained in a vessel having a planar entrance side and a planar exit side, with a known angular relationship therebetween, said vessel being immersed in known surroundings; (a-2) causing a beam of light to impinge on said entrance side at an angle &thgr;i with respect to normal to an outer surface of said entrance side, to pass through the sample of the multi-component liquid mixture, and to then pass through said exit side, from which said beam exits at an angle &thgr;e with respect to a normal to an outer surface of said exit side; and (a-3) calculating the refractive index of the sample of the multi-component liquid mixture, based on said angles &thgr;i and &thgr;e, by applying Snell's law at: an interface between the surroundings and said entrance side; an interface between said entrance side and the sample of the multi-component liquid mixture; an interface between the sample of the multi-component liquid mixture and said exit side; and an interface between said exit side and the surroundings; and (b) comparing the refractive index of the sample of the multi-component liquid mixture determined in step (a) to predetermined data relating different concentrations of the given component of the multi-component liquid mixture to corresponding values of the refractive index of the multi-component liquid mixture, so as to determine the concentration of the given component in the sample of the multi-component liquid mixture corresponding to the refractive index of the sample determined in step (a).