Licensable Technologies
: Engineering
: Electronics
Method and Apparatus for Detecting Halogenated Hydrocarbons
Abstract
A halogenated hydrocarbon (HHC) detector is formed from a silent discharge (also called a dielectric barrier discharge) plasma generator. A silent discharge plasma device receives a gas sample that may contain one or more HHCs and produces free radicals and excited electrons for oxidizing the HHCs in the gas sample to produce water, carbon dioxide, and an acid including halogens in the HHCs. A detector is used to sensitively detect the presence of the acid. A conductivity cell detector combines the oxidation products with a solvent where dissociation of the acid increases the conductivity of the solvent. The conductivity cell output signal is then functionally related to the presence of HHCs in the gas sample. Other detectors include electrochemical cells, infrared spectrometers, and negative ion mobility spectrometers.
IP Status: Available Exclusively
Reference Number: 42
S Number: DOE reference no.(s): 80,435
Patents & Applications:
United States National Patent Number 5665604 Issued on 09/09/1997
Posted: 09-28-2004
Contact
John Mott
Technology Transfer Division
Los Alamos National Laboratory
P.O. Box 1663, MailStop C334
(505) 665-0883
jmott@lanl.gov