Patent ID: 6174732
Filing Date: 2001-01-16
Classification: G01N,Y10T

Abstract:
A method for generating and sampling chemical agent vapor, comprising the steps of:placing liquid chemical agent in a reservoir;maintaining the reservoir at a sufficient temperature to vaporize contaminants within the chemical agent;purging the contaminant vapor with dry air, wherein the dry air removes contaminant vapor from the reservoir while retaining the chemical agent in the reservoir;adjusting the temperature of the reservoir sufficient to form vapor from the retained chemical agent;flowing conditioned air over the vaporizing retained chemical agent, wherein conditioned air mixes with and carries the chemical agent vapors from the reservoir to a sample port;analyzing the mixture of conditioned air and chemical agent vapors at the sample port, said analyzing comprising the further steps of:providing a MINICAMS having removable PCT, wherein the PCT is separated from the MINICAMS;transferring the mixture of conditioned air and chemical agent vapors into the PCT;placing the PCT having the transferred chemical agent into the MINICAMS;sweeping the transferred chemical agent in the PCT with zero air;heating the PCT, wherein the chemical agent is desorbed;flowing a carrier gas across the heated PCT, wherein the desorbing chemical agent is mixed with the carrier gas; andmeasuring a chromatographic elution of the chemical agent within the carrier gas.