Claims
- 1. A method for determining the makeup of a mixture of known refrigerants comprising the steps of:
- providing an analysis chamber;
- providing an electric field of known potential within said analysis chamber;
- admitting into said analysis chamber a gaseous sample containing a mixture of known refrigerants;
- providing a pulse of free electrons within said electric field so that said pulse of free electrons interacts with said mixture so that a swarm of electrically charged particles is produced within said electric field;
- measuring the mobility of said electrically charged particles within said electric field; and,
- comparing said measurement to data obtained from mixtures of said refrigerants having known makeup.
- 2. The method as defined in claim 1 wherein said electric field is provided by a circuit means comprising a pair of spaced electrodes, one electrode being negatively charged with respect to the other electrode.
- 3. The apparatus as defined in claim 2 wherein said pulse of free electrons is provided by a pulsing means comprising a low work function metal surface on said negatively charged electrode, said low work function metal surface facing said other electrode; and an illuminating means for illuminating said low work function metal surface with ultraviolet light.
- 4. The method as defined in claim 1 wherein said pulse of free electrons is provided by a radioactive source disposed to provide a collimated beam of radiation within said electric field.
- 5. The method as defined in claim 1 further comprising a step for controlling gas pressure within said analysis chamber.
Government Interests
The U.S. Government has rights in this invention pursuant to contract no. DE-AC05-84OR21400 between the U.S. Department of Energy and Martin Marietta Energy Systems, Inc.
US Referenced Citations (15)