Self-Calibrated AI Gas Analyzer for Drift and Atmospheric Interference
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Solution Overview
Problem
Optical gas sensing methods face challenges in practical continuous gas measurement due to the need for evacuating gas cells for background measurements and the interference of mid-infrared absorbing molecules like water and carbon dioxide, which affect accurate identification and quantification of target analytes.
Innovation Solution
A self-calibrated AI-based gas analyzer that includes a light source, gas cell, spectral sensor, and AI engine, with a self-calibration component to compensate for spectral drift without a reference gas cell, and atmospheric compensation to reduce the impact of undesired substances.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If background measurement is performed by evacuating the gas cell before each sample measurement, then measurement precision is improved, but productivity deteriorates due to the time-consuming evacuation process
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs background measurements in advance and stores them for later use, eliminating the need to evacuate the gas cell before each sample measurement. This preliminary action resolves the contradiction by maintaining measurement precision through pre-acquired background data while significantly improving productivity by removing the time-consuming evacuation step from the regular measurement workflow.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a copy of the background measurement (reference spectrum) and stores it for repeated use. Instead of performing the actual background measurement (evacuation) each time, the system uses the copied reference spectrum to compensate for spectral drift, thereby maintaining precision without repeating the productivity-reducing evacuation process.
2Measurement precision
If a reference gas cell is used for background measurement, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity increases due to requiring additional gas cells and measurement systems
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the background measurement function with the sample measurement function by using the same gas cell and spectrometer for both purposes. The system alternates between taking background measurements (with evacuated or reference gas) and sample measurements within the same hardware, eliminating the need for separate reference gas cells and reducing device complexity while maintaining measurement precision through proper spectral compensation.
Solution Approach 2:
The gas cell and spectrometer are designed to serve multiple functions: they can perform both background measurements (when evacuated or filled with reference gas) and sample measurements (when filled with sample gas). This multi-functionality eliminates the need for dedicated reference gas cells, reducing device complexity while maintaining the ability to achieve high measurement precision through spectral drift compensation.
3Measurement precision
If mid-infrared spectroscopy is used for gas detection, then sensitivity is improved, but measurement precision deteriorates due to interference from atmospheric gases like water vapor and carbon dioxide
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the harmful effect of atmospheric gases (water vapor, carbon dioxide) into a beneficial tool for calibration. By intentionally filling the gas cell with these atmospheric gases and measuring their absorption spectra, the system creates reference data that can be used to identify and compensate for their interference in sample measurements, thereby improving measurement precision while maintaining the sensitivity advantages of mid-infrared spectroscopy.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses atmospheric gases as an intermediary substance to create reference spectra that mediate between the instrument's response and the actual sample measurements. By measuring the absorption characteristics of known atmospheric gases under controlled conditions, the system establishes a reference framework that enables accurate compensation for atmospheric interference in subsequent sample analyses, improving measurement precision without sacrificing sensitivity.
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
Enables continuous gas analysis with improved accuracy by compensating for spectral drift and atmospheric interference, allowing for real-time monitoring of air quality and gas concentrations.
Implementation Method 1
Optical methods may be based on spectroscopy, interferometry, or ellipsometry, where the sensing occurs for the refractive index, absorbance and/or fluorescence properties of the analyte molecules
Implementation Method 2
a self-calibration component configured to enable calibration of the sample spectrum to compensate for spectral drift of the spectral sensor
Implementation Method 3
the presence of mid-infrared (mid-IR) absorbing molecules in the atmosphere, such as water (H2O) and carbon dioxide (CO2), further presents a challenge of infrared (IR) spectroscopy in the open environment because the spectral contribution of atmospheric gases can hinder the accurate identification and quantification of target analytes
Data Source
AI summary
Aspects relate to a compact and low-cost gas analyzer that can be used for different types of gas analysis, such as air quality analysis. The gas analyzer can include a light source, a gas cell configured to receive a sample (e.g., a gas under test), a spectral sensor including a spectrometer and a detector, and an artificial intelligence (AI) engine. Light can enter the gas cell and interact with the sample to produce output light that may be measured by the spectral sensor. The resulting spectrum produced by the spectral sensor may be analyzed by the AI engine to produce a result. The gas analyzer further includes a self-calibration component configured to enable calibration of the sample spectrum to compensate for spectral drift of the spectral sensor.