Envirotech Corporation

Xertex Corporation

Yoshihiro Takahashi

Robert T Moore

Maria A Rey

Thomas M Stephens

Robert J Joyce

Larry E Maley

A sample aqueous stream including one or more organic compounds capable of partial oxidation to acid form are flowed continuously through an ultraviolet light reactor in which the sample is exposed to ultraviolet light in the presence of oxygen under conditions to partially oxidize the organic compounds to convert at least a portion of them to their corresponding ionized organic acids. Thereafter, the sample stream continuously flows through a conductivity cell in which the changing conductivity of the sample is detected as an indication of the presence of organic compounds in the sample stream.

Organic spill monitor

X-ray fluorescence spectrometer for determining the sulfur content of oil and other matrices, and method of calibrating the same. The spectrometer comprises a pulse height analyzer and a computer for analyzing the energy spectrum of photons emitted by a sample in regions corresponding to the energy levels of photons emitted by sulfur and the target line x-rays scattered by the sample. The windows through which the energy is sampled are adjusted to provide a calibration curve of predetermined shape, and a built-in standard is analyzed and a value corresponding to the ratio of the relative intensities of the fluorescent energy from the standard and the scattered target line x-ray radiation is stored during initial calibration of the system. Thereafter, the system is recalibrated simply by analyzing the build-in standard again, adjusting the sampling windows, and adjusting a constant in the relationship by which the sulfur content is determined to compensate for drift in the system.

X-Ray fluorescence spectrometer and method of calibrating the same

A sulfur dioxide-containing analysis stream, such as formed by the oxidative pyrolysis of a sulfur-containing liquid, is passed through a trapping medium comprising metal or metal oxide, preferably nickel oxide, wherein the sulfur dioxide is retained while the remainder of the gas flows through. Thereafter, the flow of analysis gas is discontinued and the trap zone is heated to release the sulfur dioxide, which is passed in an inert carrier gas stream through a sulfur dioxide detector such as a conductivity cell. Halides in the analysis stream are removed prior to trapping by being dissolved in an aqueous liquid in a scrubbing chamber. Such chamber is regenerated by vaporizing the halide-containing aqueous solution and venting it. Also, a system of the foregoing type including two traps and a single detector whereby two samples are alternately analyzed and trapped to reduce the overall analysis time.

Sulfur dioxide analysis system

An apparatus for determining total carbon in each one of a plurality of discrete liquid samples comprises a reactor (13), and a pump (12) and flowline (11) for maintaining a continuous flow of a liquid containing an oxidizing agent into the reactor (13). The liquid samples are introduced in succession into the reactor (13), either by means of a syringe injection port (19) in the flowline (11), or by means of a rotary valve (203) and sample loop (204) in a recirculation line (202) through which carbon-free liquid is withdrawn from and circulated back to the reactor (13). A mercury vapor lamp (17) is immersed in the liquid in the reactor (13) for irradiating the liquid sample and the oxidizing agent in the reactor (13) with ultraviolet energy in order to oxidize to carbon dioxide any carbonaceous matter in the liquid sample. A sparger (20) is provided to remove the carbon dioxide so produced from the reactor (13); and a carbon dioxide detector (24) is provided to measure the carbon dioxide produced as a result of the oxidation of carbonaceous matter in the reactor (13). Electronic integrator circuitry (25) provides a measure of total carbon present in the carbon dioxide produced in the time interval during which carbonaceous matter in each liquid sample is being oxidized.

Determination of total carbon in liquid samples

A system and process for determining the concentration of nonmethane organic chemicals in a gaseous sample includes a separation system to receive the gaseous sample. In the separation system nonmethane organic chemicals including ethylene and ethane are reversibly retained on a packing material while methane and inert gases pass through the separation system and are vented. Thereafter a carrier gas is directed through the separation system, the nonmethane organic chemicals are released into the carrier gas, and the carrier gas containing the organic chemicals is conveyed to an analyzer for analysis of the organic chemicals.

System and process for total gaseous nonmethane organic analysis

A three phase process for determining total organic halides in water. The first phase is a sorptive process including passing a liquid through a packed bed of sorptive material thereby removing quantitatively, purgeable and non-purgeable, organic halides and thereafter passing an inorganic halide displacement wash solution through the bed to displace inorganic halides. The second and third phases are a combination combustion and titration whereby organic bromides and other organic halides entering the combustion phase are quantitatively titrated coulometrically. The second and third phases include in a first heating zone heating a sample, such as the sorptive material following the first phase, in the presence of a mild oxidant to a temperature sufficient to vaporize water; in a second heating zone heating any remaining sample from the first heating zone and gases therefrom in the presence of an oxidant to a temperature sufficient to complete combustion of the sample and gases; and concurrently titrating coulometrically the gases from the second heating zone.

Determination of total organic halides in water

A furnace assembly for use in a chemical analysis system utilizing high-temperature pyrolytic techniques includes a refractory tube which defines a heated chamber wherein samples are pyrolyzed, inlet and outlet cap members mounted on opposite ends of the refractory tube, a cylindrical heating assembly which spacedly surrounds the refractory tube, and a frame which fixedly supports both the refractory tube and the heating assembly in a vertical orientation. The frame includes a stationary mounting plate and at least two rod-like members which fixedly extend in parallel downward from the stationary plate on opposite sides of the heating assembly. The heating assembly is fixed to the rods and a springy plate member is fixedly connected between the rods to provide a support upon which the outlet cap member rests and to press upwardly against the refractory tube when the same elongates during heating so that the upper and lower cap members are forceably sealed against the respective ends of the refractory tube.

Pyrolysis furnace

A device for sparging carbon dioxide from an acidified aqueous stream for use in a system for quantitatively determining the organic carbon content of the stream has a body with vertically extending cavities formed therethrough and passageways which connect the cavities in series so that the aqueous stream travels the length of a cavity before passing into the next. Dispersion tubes are mounted in the cavities for dispersing fine bubbles of sparging gas into the aqueous stream. The gas and carbon dioxide which has evolved from the aqueous stream is collected and discharged through the cavities.

Growing community of inventors

San Jose, CA, United States of America

Yoshihiro Takahashi