Gas Analyzer Using Acoustic Refractive Index for Continuous Composition
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current gas analysis methods, such as gas chromatography, face challenges in accurately measuring hydrogen concentration when hydrogen is used as a carrier gas and suffer from increased measurement errors with inert gases, and are limited by batch processing, preventing continual measurements. Additionally, semiconductor-based instruments provide high accuracy but with slow response speeds.
Innovation Solution
A gas analysis method and analyzer that compute the concentration of methane, hydrogen, and carbon dioxide in a mixture gas using refractive index and sonic speed measurements, employing specific relational expressions to account for measurement errors and enable continuous monitoring with high accuracy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If gas chromatography is used for gas composition analysis, then measurement accuracy can be maintained, but continual measurement cannot be performed due to batch processing limitations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical batch processing system of gas chromatography with an acoustic measurement system using ultrasonic speed of sound measurements. This substitution enables continuous real-time measurement while maintaining accuracy through mathematical calculation of gas composition based on acoustic properties, eliminating the batch processing limitation.
2Measurement precision
If semiconductor sensors are used for hydrogen measurement, then measurement accuracy is high, but response speed becomes slow
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the slow semiconductor sensor system with an acoustic measurement system that uses ultrasonic transducers. This mechanical-to-acoustic substitution provides rapid response times while maintaining measurement accuracy through calculation of gas composition from speed of sound measurements, overcoming the slow response limitation of semiconductor sensors.
3Ease of operation
If inert gas such as helium or argon is used as carrier gas in gas chromatography, then measurement can be performed, but measurement error increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the carrier gas from the measurement system entirely by using acoustic measurements in the presence of the sample gas itself. This eliminates the need for inert carrier gases like helium or argon, thereby removing the source of measurement error while maintaining the ability to perform measurements.
4Ease of operation
If hydrogen is used as carrier gas in gas chromatography, then measurement can be performed, but hydrogen concentration in the sample cannot be measured
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the carrier gas requirement from the measurement system by using direct acoustic measurements. This extraction of the carrier gas function allows hydrogen concentration in the sample to be accurately measured through speed of sound calculations without the interference that occurs when hydrogen is used as carrier gas in chromatography.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach allows for high-accuracy, continuous detection of gas compositions with rapid response times, overcoming the limitations of existing methods by reliably measuring carbon dioxide and other components in mixture gases, particularly those produced through methanation reactions.
Implementation Method 1
a refractive index measurement unit (11) configured to measure a refractive index of the gas to be analyzed
Implementation Method 2
a sonic speed measurement mechanism (15) configured to measure a sonic speed of the gas to be analyzed
Data Source
Figure 1~2
AI summary
Disclosed are a gas analysis method and a gas analyzer which enable, with high accuracy, continual analysis of compositions of a gas to be analyzed or a mixture gas predominantly composed of a methane gas and containing either one or both of a hydrogen gas and a carbon dioxide gas. On the basis of a refractive index equivalent output value and a sonic speed equivalent output value for a particular gas physical property of the gas to be analyzed, the concentration value of the carbon dioxide gas is computed by a particular relational expression. The concentration value of the methane gas and the concentration value of the hydrogen gas are computed on the basis of the value of the particular gas physical property; the value of the particular gas physical property of each component gas of the gas to be analyzed; and the volume fraction of each component gas.