Fuse for detecting failure of gas trap

Abstract

A gas detection fuse comprising a thin strip or sheet of a conductive material, such as a metal, connecting two electrodes for detecting a gas of interest. The metal is selected to be reactive with the gas of interest, and has a relatively large surface area, such that when the gas of interest contacts the metal, the electrical connection between the electrodes is broken (e.g., due to the metal losing physical integrity, or becoming non-conductive, as a result of the reaction with the gas). The gas of interest may be chlorine, and the conducting material may be tin. When the tin is exposed to chlorine the tin becomes oxidized to produce liquid tin tetrachloride, thus breaking the electrical connection.

Description

technical field [0001] The present disclosure generally relates to detection of hazardous gases. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to devices for detecting the presence of chlorine gas escaping a halogen trap. Background technique [0002] Sample analyzers such as Total Organic Carbon (TOC) analyzers can sometimes produce hazardous gases, depending on the sample being analyzed. In particular, chlorine gas generated when analyzing samples containing chlorides is highly corrosive and can potentially cause personal injury and equipment failure in the field. Some TOC analyzers, including the InnovOx™ TOC Analyzer from GE Analytical Instruments, include halogen traps. For example, activated carbon in a halogen trap can absorb between 20% and 50% of its mass in chlorine (P. Lodewyckx and L. Verhoeven, Using the Modified Wheeler-Jonas Equation to Describe the Absorption of Inorganic Molecular Chlorine, 2003 1 25, pp. 1217-1219). However, once the reactive sites ...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

Typical commercially available gas sensors for measuring chlorine tend to be relatively complex and expensive

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