Patent ID: 8614096

Claim:
A method of determining a total HF concentration metric in an environment comprising: (a) measuring an uncorrected HF concentration metric in the environment based on a first infrared absorption measurement at a wavelength corresponding to a vibrational frequency of a non-hydrogen bonded gas phase HF molecule; (b) determining an ambient H 2 O concentration metric in the environment available for reaction with the non-hydrogen bonded gas phase HF molecules at or about the time of obtaining the first infrared absorption measurement; (c) calculating a HF hydrate concentration metric in the environment based on the uncorrected HF concentration metric, the ambient H 2 O concentration metric and a reaction equilibrium relationship between the non-hydrogen bonded gas phase HF molecule and the HF hydrate; and (d) determining the total HF concentration metric in the environment based on the uncorrected HF concentration metric and an amount of HF determined by the HF hydrate concentration metric.