Tubular membrane gas and volatile compounds sampler for fluid introduction at atmospheric to high pressure

摘要

A high-transmittance sampler of dissolved gases and volatile organic compounds (VOC) is described that is based upon a thin polymer membrane with tubular geometry. Very high hydrostatic pressures are maintained by surrounding the polymer tube or coating with sintered material. The sintered material can be surrounded by additional metal support, with holes for passage of molecules into the vacuum chamber of a sensor system such as a mass spectrometer. A method is described that uses the plastic behavior of the polymer to seal the ends of the sampler against leakage. Other features of the sampler are compact size, varied vacuum housing geometry, and provision for heat with regulation to the vacuum assembly of the sampler. The hydrodynamic design of fluid flow through the sampler and the compact and variable vacuum geometry allow greater response and sensitivity than previous samplers, and allow its operation to very high hydrostatic pressures.