Patent ID: 6516654
Filing Date: 2003-02-11
Classification: G01N,Y02A

Abstract:
A method for analyzing particulate matter in a gas, comprising:providing a heating furnace with a filter which has captured particulate matter contained in an engine emission; feeding an inert gas into the heating furnace; heating the filter at a predetermined temperature while passing an inert gas into the heating furnace to evaporate the hydrocarbon and sulfate contained in the particulate matter; actuating a controllable valve attaching a gas feeder to the heating furnace thereby restricting the flow of inert gas and permitting the flow of oxygen to the heating furnace; oxidizing the evaporated hydrocarbon into CO2 and reducing the evaporated sulfate into SO2; analyzing the CO2 and SO2 with a gas analyzer unit; heating the filter while flowing oxygen into the heating furnace to oxidize the particulate matter remaining on the filter to have it generate CO2; and analyzing CO2 with the gas analyzer unit.