Patent ID: 6276169
Filing Date: 2001-08-21
Classification: G01N

Abstract:
A method for separation and determination of non-volatile impurities from liquid carbon dioxide includes the steps of:connecting a liquid CO.sub.2 supply to a primary nozzle,expanding liquid CO.sub.2 in said primary nozzle, to form frozen solid CO.sub.2 and trapping the impurities initially contained in the liquid CO.sub.2 inside the frozen CO.sub.2,projecting the frozen CO.sub.2 into a secondary nozzle, to produce low-density and low-velocity frozen CO.sub.2,collecting the frozen CO.sub.2 from a discharge opening in said secondary nozzle,heating the collected frozen CO.sub.2, to its sublimation point, leaving the impurities concentrated since the non-volatile impurities do not escape with the CO.sub.2 gas when the frozen CO.sub.2 sublimes,analysing said impurities, after substantially all of the frozen CO.sub.2 has sublimed, to determine the quantity and composition of the impurities.