Patent ID: 6682934
Filing Date: 2004-01-27
Classification: G01N,Y10T

Abstract:
A portable apparatus for automatic collection, sampling, and analysis of airborne contamination comprising:(a) an inlet tube module comprising an inlet orifice, an inlet air filter within said inlet orifice, and an outlet orifice flange, said inlet air filter being adapted for capturing said airborne contaminants contained within gases collected by said portable apparatus; (b) a first three way valve comprising an inlet detachably connected to the outlet orifice flange of said inlet tube, a first outlet, a first inlet/outlet, and a flow selector, wherein the flow selector of said first three way valve closes the first outlet of said first three way valve which opens the first inlet/outlet of said first three way valve; (c) a flow meter comprising an inlet and an outlet, the inlet of said flow meter being connected to the first outlet of said first three way valve, said flow meter being adapted for volumetric measurement of said gases flowing from said inlet tube module through said flow meter, said flow meter generating signal data representative of said volumetric measurement by said flow meter of said gases flowing therethrough; (d) an air pump comprising an inlet and an outlet, the inlet of said air pump being connected to the outlet of said flow meter, wherein said air pump draws contaminant rich air samples through said inlet tube module, said flow meter, and the inlet of said air pump; (e) a chemical analysis device having an inlet and an outlet, said inlet connected to the first inlet/outlet of said first three way valve, said outlet connected to a bi-directional pump; (f) said bi-directional liquid pump connected to said analysis device, said bi-directional pump adapted for storing liquid; (g) a liquid analysis media stored within said bi-directional pump, said bi-directional pump supplying said liquid analysis media to said inlet filter, said liquid analysis media dissolving said airborne contaminants trapped in said inlet filter, said liquid analysis media forming a contaminant rich analysis media upon dissolution of said airborne contaminants trapped in said inlet filter; (h) said bi-directional pump drawing said contaminant rich analysis media from said inlet tube module to said chemical analysis device; (i) said chemical analysis device performing an analysis of said airborne contaminants dissolved in said contaminant rich analysis media and providing analysis data representative of the analysis performed by said chemical analysis device on said airborne contaminants dissolved in said contaminant rich analysis media; (j) a scrubber media positioned within said bi-directional pump, said bi-directional pump drawing said contaminant rich analysis media to said scrubber media, said scrubber media removing said dissolved contaminant from said contaminant rich analysis media; (k) a microprocessor connected to said flow meter to receive signal data and said chemical analysis device to receive said analysis data, said microprocessor using said signal data and said analysis data to calculate airborne contamination per unit of sampled air volume; (l) said microprocessor having a display and a control panel, the control panel of said microprocessor displaying values for the airborne contamination per unit of sampled air volume calculated by said microprocessor, said control panel allowing an operator to control operation of the collection, sampling, and analysis of said airborne contamination by said portable apparatus.