M. W. Technologies, Inc.

The United States of America As Represented by the United States

William H Marlow

John P Wagner

Andrew R McFarland

John C Rodgers

Carlos A Oritz

The present invention and its claims encompass principles, methods, apparatus, and applications for detection, quantification, and monitoring of responses of gases, vapors, aerosols, and mixtures thereof to initiators of exothermic reactions. While the invention can be utilized for any concentration level, the intended, normal utilization is for gases in which the concentrations of species capable of participating in exothermic chemistry are too low to support self-sustaining exothermic reactions leading to detonations or deflagrations as well as for gases in which other factors prevent the exothermic reaction chemistry from becoming self-sustaining. This abstract shall not be construed to define or limit in any way the scope of the invention, which is measured by the appended claims.

Detonation/deflagration precursor detection of gases, vapors, aerosols,

The present invention and its claims encompass principles, methods, apparatus, and applications for detection, quantification, and monitoring of responses of gases, vapors, aerosols, and mixtures thereof to initiators of exothermic reactions. While the invention can be utilized for any concentration level, the intended, normal utilization is for gases in which the concentrations of species capable of participating in exothermic chemistry are too low to support self-sustaining exothermic reactions leading to detonations or deflagrations as well as for gases in which other factors prevent the exothermic reaction chemistry from becoming self-sustaining.

Apparatus having reduced background for measuring radiation activity in aerosol particles. A continuous air monitoring sampler is described for use in detecting the presence of alpha-emitting aerosol particles. An inlet fractionating screen has been demonstrated to remove about 95% of freshly formed radon progeny from the aerosol sample, and approximately 33% of partially aged progeny. Addition of an electrical condenser and a modified dichotomous virtual impactor are expected to produce considerable improvement in these numbers, the goal being to enrich the transuranic (TRU) fraction of the aerosols. This offers the possibility of improving the signal-to-noise ratio for the detected alpha-particle energy spectrum in the region of interest for detecting TRU materials associated with aerosols, thereby enhancing the performance of background-compensation algorithms for improving the quality of alarm signals intended to warn personnel of potentially harmful quantities of TRU materials in the ambient air.

Growing community of inventors

College Station, TX, United States of America

William H Marlow