Aerodyne Research, Inc.

Scott C Herndon

David D Nelson, Jr

Joseph R Roscioli

Joanne H Shorter

Jr David D Nelson

In various embodiments, rapid, sensitive detection of molecular hydrogen is achieved by in a detector that divides sample gas into two flows by dividing the sample gas before dampening variation and converting hydrogen to water vapor at two different points. For example, a detector may receive sample gas that includes ambient water vapor and hydrogen, divide the sample gas into a chemical conversion flow and bypass flow, perform a first chemical conversion of hydrogen in the chemical conversion flow to water vapor, alternate between drying the converted chemical conversion flow or the bypass flow to produce a modulated flow, perform a second chemical conversion of hydrogen in the modulated flow to water vapor, measure water vapor in the converted modulated flow to produce a water vapor signal, separate the water vapor signal in the time domain to extract a hydrogen-derived water vapor signal, and output a hydrogen signal based thereon.

Rapid, sensitive hydrogen detector with flow path difference compensation

In various embodiments, rapid, sensitive detection of molecular hydrogen is achieved by chemically converting hydrogen to water vapor and then detecting the water vapor as a surrogate for the hydrogen. Detection may be enhanced by dampening variation in ambient water vapor and rapidly actively modulating a hydrogen-derived water vapor component. For example, the detector may receive sample gas that includes ambient water vapor and hydrogen, dry the sample gas to dampen variation in the ambient water vapor, divide the sample gas into a chemical conversion flow and a bypass flow, chemically convert hydrogen in the chemical conversion flow to water vapor, alternate between measuring water vapor in the converted chemical conversion flow or the bypass flow to produce a water vapor signal, separate the water vapor signal in the time domain to extract a hydrogen-derived water vapor signal, and output a hydrogen signal based on the hydrogen-derived water vapor signal.

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Littleton, MA, United States of America

Scott C Herndon