DETECTION AND QUANTIFICATION OF HAZARDOUS GASSES USING A MICROFLUDIC GAS ANALYZER

摘要

A low-cost, universal, microfluidic gas sensor-analyzer system for real-time (and near real-time) monitoring, detection, and identification of three-gas mixtures of elemental and compound gas species using measured bulk properties of density and viscosity was first introduced at the ISA Analysis Division 2000. Since that time, Defense Research Technologies, Inc. (DRT) has implemented the additional capability to simultaneously measure a third property - specific heat - which now permits the analysis of four-gas mixtures. Specific heat is determined by measuring the speed of sound in a micro-transmission line and applying appropriate thermodynamic relationships that include the measured density and viscosity. This paper presents the analytical basis for the four-gas universal analyzer and data validating its use to detect and quantify a number of industrial hazardous gasses to include acetone, butadiene, isopropyl alcohol, propane and nonane (e.g., kerosene/petroleum vapors).