Tsi, Inc.

David B Blackford

Thomas A Kerrick

David S Ensor

Frank D Dorman

Stanley L Kaufman

James L Blesener

Peter P Hairston

Gilmore J Sem

Darrell D Havir

Elizabeth A Hill

Kevin T Pate

Georg Schurmann

Frederic R Quant

The concentration of non-volatile residue in a test solvent is determined by generating multiple liquid droplets from a liquid stream including the solvent and ultrapure water. The droplets are dried to form a stream of multiple particles of the non-volatile residue. A supply of ultrapure deionized water is caused to flow continuously toward a non-volatile residue monitor, at a constant fluid flow rate. Upstream of the residue monitor, a syringe is provided for intermittently injecting a test solvent into the fluid stream. In one case, the solvent is injected for several minutes at a constant flow rate substantially less than that of the ultrapure water. A mixing valve, downstream of the point of solvent introduction, causes turbulent flow to thoroughly mix the solvent and water. In an alternative approach, a syringe is used to instantaneously inject solvent in the form of bursts. In this case, flow is laminar rather than turbulent, to maintain the solvent burst separate from the water, while it flows with the water in the fluid stream. In either case, the composite of liquid and solvent is provided to the residue monitor. The monitor output is a particle count. A microprocessor receives the particle count and converts the count to derive values for non-volatile residue concentration in the solvent.

Syringe injection system for measuring non-volatile residue in solvents

A system for determining the fractional capture efficiency of filters includes two filters having substantially the same capture efficiency connected in series. A steady, controlled flow of ultrapure water and a colloidal silica suspension is directed through both filters, with respective stages of the flow upstream of the upstream filter, between the filters and downstream of the downstream filter, directed to respective non-volatile residue monitors. Each residue monitor produces a digital output representing the non-volatile residue concentration at its respective stage. A microprocessor receives the digital outputs and generates respective residue values indicating residue concentration in parts per billion. The three residue values are used to characterize the residue by proportion of the colloidal silica suspension to other residue components, and to calculate filter capture efficiency with respect to the colloidal silica. In an alternative embodiment, a valve selectively, individually and alternatively directs each one of the flow stages to a single non-volatile residue monitor. As a further alternative, when the concentration of dissolved impurities is known to be small as compared to the colloidal silica concentration, filter efficiency can be determined using a single filter and two non-volatile residue monitors.

Apparatus and process for determining filter efficiency in removing

A particle flux counter apparatus utilizing light extinction. The apparatus utilizes two oppositely disposed cylindrical mirrors (21a, 21b) to bounce a beam back and forth between them, the beam traversing the length of the cylindrical mirrors (21a, 21b) in incremental steps. A plane mirror (22) is cooperatively located to reflect the beam back between the system to traverse the length of the cylindrical mirrors (21a, 21b) a second time in incremented steps. The two sets of steps interleaving such that the beam forms a sheet of light. A detector (60) monitors the intensity of the beam. As particles in a sample aerosol intersect the beam, the light is extinguished and the beam intensity changes. The detector (60) transmits a signal to a microprocessor (108) analyzation. The apparatus also utilizes a feedback circuit (300) to regulate the beam intensity and alternatively provides for modulating the beam to provide for higher peak power into the detector (60) and elimination of common mode noise.

Single particle detector method and apparatus utilizing light extinction

An apparatus for measuring nonvolatile residue concentrations in liquid is disclosed. A plurality of fixed and adjustable flow restrictive elements are utilized and arranged in-line from a fluid supply source to provide a constant, pressure controlled flow of liquid to the measuring apparatus and allow for real-time measurements and optimal concentration detection. An atomizer atomizes the liquid into droplets which are dried to nonvolatile residue particles. The nonvolatile residue particle concentration is then determined utilizing an electrostatic aerosol detector. The invention further discloses apparatus for collecting a sample of nonvolatile residue for analysis and identification using a corona precipitator.

Apparatus for measuring impurity concentrations in a liquid

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Saint Paul, MN, United States of America

David B Blackford