Patent ID: 7087901
Filing Date: 2006-08-08
Classification: G01N

Abstract:
1. A near infrared radiation analyzer for use in analysis of the constituent components of either stationary or flowing relatively optically dense material, said analyzer comprising: a light source adapted to produce a beam of light in at least a near infrared spectrum; a sample chamber for holding the relatively optically dense material to be analyzed and with an entrance and exit window transparent to said near infrared spectrum and for transmittance of said beam of light; a near infrared spectrometer comprising an entrance slit through which said beam of light enters after passing through said exit window of said sample chamber, a slit collimating mirror to collect said light from said slit and reflect it into a nearly parallel beam, a diffraction grating for dividing said beam of light into a plurality of bands of near infrared wavelengths, a diffraction grating focusing mirror to form a continuous row of slit images from said diffracted light with successive images being formed by adjacent narrow bands of near infrared light, a photodiode array comprised of 50 or less individual photodiodes covering said near infrared spectrum said photodiodes individually sensitive to a plurality of bands of near infrared wavelengths, wherein said individual photodiodes generate a current proportional to an intensity of near infrared light detected by said individual photodiodes; and electronic circuitry comprised of integrator, comparison, and timer circuits for converting said currents from said individual photodiodes to voltages, comparing those voltages with a reference voltage, and counting the time for said voltages to reach the reference voltage level, and a microprocessor for controlling said circuits and receiving circuit output and for applying algorithms to said output to analyze the material in said sample chamber; and a power source for powering said analyzer.