Thermedics Inc.

Thermo Electron Corporation

Holcroft & Company

Gabor Miskolczy

Eugene K Achter

David P Lieb

Paul K Shefsiek

Ain A Sonin

Edward J Burke

David P Rounbehler

Freeman W Fraim

Gianfranco D Zaccai

Lazaros J Lazaridis

Eugenie Hainsworth

Michel D Arney

Alf L Carroll

Leonard G Nowak

John B Dunlay

Seigo Matsuda

Gregory J Wendel

A highly selective, sensitive, fast detection system and method are disclosed for detecting vapors of specific compounds in air. Vapors emanating from compounds such as explosives, or stripped from surfaces using heat and suction from a hand-held sample gun, are collected on surface coated with gas chromatograph (GC) material which trap explosives vapors but repel nitric oxide, then are desorbed and concentrated in one or more cold spot concentrators. A high speed gas chromatograph (GC) separates the vapors, after which specific vapors are decomposed in two pyrolyzers arranged in parallel and the resulting nitric oxide is detected. A low temperature pyrolyzer with silver produces NO from nitramines or nitrite esters; a high temperature pyrolyzer decomposes all explosives vapors to permit detection of the remaining explosives. Also disclosed is a series arrangement of pyroloyzers and gas chromatographs and an NO detector to time-shift detection of certain vapors and facilitate very fast GC analyses. The use of hydrogen as a carrier gas, plus unique collectors and concentrators, high speed heaters, NO detectors, and very fast, temperature-programmable GC's enhance selectivity, sensitivity and speed of detection.

Hand-held sample gun for vapor collection

A highly selective, sensitive, fast detection system and method are disclosed for detecting vapors of specific compounds in air. Vapors emanating from compounds such as explosives, or stripped from surfaces using heat and suction from a hand-held sample gun, are collected on surfaces coated with gas chromatograph (GC) material which trap explosives vapors but repel nitric oxide, then are desorbed and concentrated in one or more cold spot concentrators. A high speed gas chromatograph (GC) separates the vapors, after which specific vapors are decomposed in two pyrolyzers arranged in parallel and the resulting nitric oxide is detected. A low temperature pyrolyzer with silver produces NO from nitramines or nitrite esters; a high temperature pyrolyzer decomposes all explosives vapors to permit detection of the remaining explosives. Also disclosed is a series arrangement of pyrolyzers and gas chromatographs and an NO detector to time-shift detection of certain vapors and facilitate very fast GC analyses. The use of hydrogen as a carrier gas, plus unique collectors and concentrators, high speed heaters, NO detectors, and very fast, temperature-programmable GC's enhance selectivity, sensitivity and speed of detection.

Vapor concentrator

(C) A highly selective, sensitive, fast detection system and method are disclosed for detecting vapors of specific compounds in air. Vapors emanating from compounds such as explosives, or stripped from surfaces using heat and suction from a hand-held sample gun, are collected on surfaces coated with gas chromatograph (GC) material which trap explosives vapors but repel nitric oxide, then are desorbed and concentrated in one or more cold spot concentrators. A high speed gas chromatograph (GC) separates the vapors, ater which specific vapors are decomposed in two pyrolyzers arranged in parallel and the resulting nitric oxide is detected. A low temperature pyrolyzer with silver produces NO from nitramines or nitrite esters; a high temperature pyrolyzer decomposes all explosives vapors to permit detection of the remaining explosives. Also disclosed is a series arrangement of pyrolyzers and gas chromatographs and an NO detector to time-shift detection of certain vapors and facilitate very fast GC analyses. The use of hydrogen as a carrier gas, plus unique collectors and concentrators, high speed heaters, NO detectors, and very fast, temperature-programmable GC's enhance selectivity, sensitivity and speed of detection.

Vapor collector/desorber with tube bundle and metal foil

Disclosed is a walk-in inspection apparatus for active production of air samples containing vapors of explosives, drugs, or other substances carried by a person. The apparatus includes a U-shaped booth with an open end through which a person walks past walls which may contain a metal detector, then stands facing a vertical end wall. In the collection of an air sample a blower outside the booth sucks a large volume of air around the person and horizontally through a vertical array of shaped funnels in the end wall and through ducts connected to a collection manifold for subsequent analysis. Infrared heaters in the end wall heat the clothing and skin of the person during sampling, and many small nozzles extending through the end wall direct low volume, high momentum pulsed jets of puffs of air at the person to dislodge vapors, expel air from beneath clothing, and disrupt stagnant boundary layers of air near the person. Curved shapes of portions of the booth and funnels provide smooth, low loss airflow, and height and distance sensors facilitate automatic operation of the inspection apparatus.

Walk-in inspection apparatus for producing air samples

Disclosed is a walk-in inspection apparatus for active production of air samples containing vapors of explosives, drugs, or other substances carried by a person. The apparatus includes a U-shaped booth with an open end through which a person walks past walls which may contain a metal detector, then stands in front of a mesh screen facing a vertical end wall containing a vertical array of shaped funnels. Light-transmissive wall sections near the end wall help encourage entry of the person into the booth, and the light colored mesh screen draws attention of a person in the booth away from the darker funnels. In the collection of an air sample a blower outside the booth sucks a large volume of air around the person and horizontally through the funnels in the end wall and through ducts into a collection manifold for subsequent analysis. During sampling, infrared heaters in the end wall heat the clothing and skin of the person and many small nozzles extending through the end wall direct pulsed jets or puffs of air at the person to dislodge vapors, expel air from beneath clothing, and disrupt stagnant boundary layers of air near the person. Substantially all of the air drawn around the person is collected, and curved shapes of portions of the booth, funnels, and ducts provide smooth, low loss airflow to the collection manifold.

Air-sampling apparatus with easy walk-in access

A heat pipe deicing system is disclosed for preventing accumulation of ice on portions of structures such as the deck, handrails, and ladders of a fishing vessel operating in very cold oceans. The heat pipe includes an evaporator in contact with a source of heat such as exhaust gases of an engine, one or more condensers positioned above the evaporator to cover surfaces to be deiced, and an insulated transition section for transporting a heat transfer fluid between the evaporator and condenser. The transition section and condenser have legs arranged to provide multiple passageways which assure continuous gravity-assisted return flow of condensed heat transfer fluid to the evaporator and a high level of deicing capacity even during pitching and rolling of the structure on which the deicing system is installed.

Heat pipe deicing apparatus

A furnace for heat treating metal slabs or strips includes a heating chamber through which stock is passed in confronting relationship to an array of jet impingement radiation burners. Combustion is separated from the stock by flat refractory plates having a plurality of holes uniformly distributed thereover which direct uniform jets of combustion products upon the strip or slab. The jets of combustion products heat the work by convection. Also, the refractory jet forming plates are heated to radiance so that heat energy is transferred to the work by radiation.

Jet implement radiation furnace, method and apparatus

A furnace for receiving continuously advancing stock in linear array is assembled from a number of independent furnace units. In each unit, a furnace chamber surrounds the advancing stock with a radiative wall. Each chamber is fired by gas burners which surround the stock at the chamber exit. The burners include a series of gas jets which feed the fuel, with or without air, radially into the chamber toward the stock and a series of air jets which are paired with the gas jets to feed combustion air axially into the chamber.

Growing community of inventors

Carlisle, MA, United States of America

Gabor Miskolczy