Method and apparatus for detection of trace impurities in an impure inert gas

摘要

A method is described for the quantitative measurement of traces of gas, particularly CO.sub.2 and CH.sub.4 which constitute impurities in impure inert gases such as rare gases and nitrogen, by means of the use of a known analyzer for reducing gases which uses a bed of mecuric oxide and makes the measurement by an optical method of the mercury vapors produced which are proportional in to the concentration of the impurities to be detected. The method of the present invention subjects the impure inert gas to an electric discharge which may be at a high voltage, capable of ionizing the impurities before the impure inert gas is made to pass through the bed of mecuric oxide. The device according to the invention comprises, between a gas-chromatographic separation column and the analyzer, an electrode within a passage through which flows the gas to be analyzed and in which there is an ionizing discharge.