The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Mar. 14, 2000
Filed:
Nov. 28, 1997
Margaret K Faber, Corning, NY (US);
Yuming Xie, Painted Post, NY (US);
Corning Incorporated, Corning, NY (US);
Abstract
A system for measuring the non-methane HC concentration of gas sample, e.g. automotive exhaust gas, comprising first and second catalytic differential calorimetric sensors. The first catalytic differential calorimetric sensor is capable of producing a first output signal representative of the exothermic effect of the oxidation of the predominate oxidizable species (CO+H.sub.2 +non-methane HC combination) in the gas sample. The second catalytic differential calorimetric sensor is capable of producing a second output signal representative of the exothermic effect of the combined oxidation of the CO+H.sub.2 +alkene hydrocarbon species in the gas sample. Lastly, the system includes a means for comparing the first output signal with the second output signal, thereby indicating the total concentration of unburned aromatic and alkane hydrocarbon species in the gas sample which directly correlates to the total non-methane HC concentration. A method carried out by the system comprises the following steps: (a) contacting a first portion of an exhaust gas with a sensor and producing an output signal representative of the concentration of the predominate (CO+H.sub.2 +non-methane HC species) oxidizable species in the exhaust gas; (b) contacting a second portion of the exhaust gas with a second sensor and producing a second output signal representative of the combined concentration of CO+H.sub.2 +alkene hydrocarbon species in the second exhaust gas portion; and (c) determining the aromatic and alkane hydrocarbon species concentration, and thus the total non-methane HC concentration, of the exhaust gas by comparing the first output signal with the second output signal.