Patent ID: 9217663
Filing Date: 2015-12-22
Classification: G01H

Abstract:
1. A sound velocity sensor for analyzing the gas concentration of a flowing mixture of gases, the sensor comprising: a hermetic enclosure including an interior having a pair of acoustic cavities separated by a constricted region and defining a resonator chamber; gas flowing means, fluidly connected to the enclosure, for flowing a gas mixture through the resonator chamber, the gas mixture including nitrogen as a primary carrier gas; acoustic driving means at a first sending end of the enclosure for transmitting an acoustic signal through the gas mixture flowing through the enclosure; receiving means at a second receiving end of the enclosure for receiving the acoustic signal; a processor configured to process the received acoustic signal; and means for detecting a resonant frequency of the flowing gas mixture and determining the composition of the gas mixture in which a first acoustic cavity of said enclosure is defined by an inwardly curved and tapering shape extending from the first sending end and an opposing second acoustic cavity is defined by an outwardly curved and tapering shape extending to the second receiving end with a narrow constricted region being defined between the first and second acoustic cavities for optimizing the transmission of acoustic energy through the flowing gas mixture and enhancing at least one additional resonant mode at higher useful frequencies.