Heated Optical Cell Manifold for Uniform Gas Analysis

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing gas analyzers face issues with continuous analysis due to temperature differences between sample and purge gases, leading to standby times and responsivity deterioration, and clogged gas introduction paths that hinder accurate gas component judgment.

Innovation Solution

An optical cell design with a separable manifold member and heating mechanism that allows easy replacement and adjustment of gas introduction paths, ensuring uniform gas temperature and positioning, and separate introduction and exit points for gases.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If the sample gas introduction path is integrally connected to the optical cell, then the structural integrity is improved, but the ease of repair deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestructural integrityVSAvoidease of replacement
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSEase of repair

Solution Approach 1:

The gas introduction path is divided into a separable manifold member that can be detached from the optical cell. This segmentation allows the manifold member to be easily replaced when clogged, while the optical cell itself remains intact and reusable, thus resolving the contradiction between structural integrity and ease of repair.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Stability of the object's composition

If the heating mechanism heats the gas for a longer period, then the temperature uniformity is improved, but the analysis time increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetemperature uniformityVSAvoidanalysis time
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The heating mechanism pre-heats the gas in the manifold member and gas introduction path before the gas reaches the optical cell. This preliminary heating action ensures that the gas temperature is already uniform and stable when analysis begins, eliminating the need for extended heating periods during analysis and thus resolving the contradiction between temperature uniformity and analysis time.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

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

Facilitates quick measurements by minimizing temperature differences and preventing path clogging, enabling accurate and continuous gas analysis with improved responsivity.

Implementation Method 1

a heating mechanism heating the manifold member

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectJoule heating: Joule Heating

Data Source

PatentEP3572791B1Optical cell and gas analyzer
Publication Date: 2025.11.05 HORIBA LTD
  • EP3572791B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3572791B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3572791B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

An optical cell is provided which can easily solve a decrease in an amount of gas introduced into an inner space by a gas introduction path and also which can make, relatively small, a temperature difference between various types of gas introduced into the inner space. The optical cell of an elongated shape has an inner space into which gas is introduced and includes: a cell main body forming the inner space; a manifold member being separably connected to an outer surface of the cell main body extending in a longitudinal direction; and a heating mechanism heating the manifold member, in which the cell main body has a through hole penetrating from the outer surface into the inner space, and the manifold member has a gas introduction path extending along the longitudinal direction and guiding the gas, which has been taken in from the outside, from one side to another side in the longitudinal direction and then guiding the gas to the inner space through the through hole.