Patent ID: 6726882
Filing Date: 2004-04-27
Classification: B08B,G01N,Y10T

Abstract:
A hydrocarbon detector for detecting a hydrocarbon presence on a surface, said detector comprising:a gas stream delivery element having a delivery element outlet configured to discharge a carrier gas onto said surface, said carrier gas serving to volatilize said hydrocarbon presence from said surface, said gas stream delivery element including a first tube segment, and said delivery element outlet being located at an outlet end of said first tube segment; a gas stream recovery element having a recovery element inlet configured to aspirate a sample gas formed from said carrier gas combined with said hydrocarbon presence volatilized from said surface, said gas stream recovery element including a second tube segment, said recovery element inlet being located at an inlet end of said second tube segment, said first tube segment being located inside of and axially aligned with said second tube segment, and said first and second ends being positioned at a gas stream transfer side of said detector; a hydrocarbon sensor, in fluid communication with said gas stream recovery element, for detecting said hydrocarbon presence in said sample gas and generating an output signal indicative of said hydrocarbon presence; and an indicator coupled to said hydrocarbon sensor for receiving said output signal and indicating said hydrocarbon presence in said sample gas.