Patent Application
20180164268
Hydrogen Sulfite (H2S) is a toxic gas.
There is a growing need to detect decreasing concentrations of Hydrogen Sulfite.
There may be provided a gas sensor for sensing Hydrogen Sulfite, wherein the gas sensor may include a sphere; and a gas analyzer; wherein the sphere may include a first aperture, a second aperture, and a first gas opening; wherein an interior of the sphere may be configured to scatter multiple times, a light beam that enters the sphere through the first aperture, before a scattered light beam exits the sphere through the second aperture; wherein the gas analyzer may be configured to receive the scattered light beam from the second aperture, and to analyze the scattered light beam by searching for one or more signs that may be indicative of a presence of the Hydrogen Sulfite in the sphere.
The gas sensor may include a light source that may be configured to direct the light beam through the first aperture.
The multiple times exceed three.
The gas sensor may include a gas flow control unit that may be configured to force the Hydrogen Sulfite to flow through the sphere.
The one or more signs may be one or more absorbance patterns that may be indicative of an absorbance of the Hydrogen Sulfite in the scattered light beam.
The light beam may be configured to be scattered N times before exiting from the second aperture, wherein the scattering generates N-1 sets of scattered light beams, wherein the second aperture may be positioned outside a propagation path of each of the N-1 sets of scattered light beams. N is a positive integer that exceeds 1.
The interior of the sphere may be configured to scatter the light beam multiple times thereby defining a folded optical path that may exceed a diameter of the sphere by a factor that may range between 2.5 and five.
The interior of the sphere may be configured to scatter the light beam multiple times thereby defining a folded optical path that may exceed a diameter of the sphere by a factor that may exceed two.
The wavelength of the light beam may range between 180 and 300 nanometer.
The first aperture has a circular shape and the second aperture may be a slit.
The sphere may include a second gas opening.
An imaginary arc passes through the first gas opening, a second gas opening, and the first aperture, wherein the first aperture may be located at the center of the imaginary arc and the first and second gas openings may be located at opposite ends of the imaginary arc.
The gas sensor may include a movement unit that may be configured to move a light source of the gas sensor, the sphere and the gas analyzer.
The gas sensor may include a movement unit that may be configured to introduce movement between the light source and the sphere.
There may be provided a method for sensing Hydrogen Sulfite by a gas sensor, the method may include receiving, by first aperture of a sphere of the gas sensor, a light beam; wherein the sphere may include a second aperture and a first gas opening; scattering multiple times, by an interior of the sphere, the light beam to provide a scattered light beam that exits the sphere through the second aperture; receiving, by a gas analyzer of the gas sensor, the scattered light beam from the second aperture; and analyzing the scattered light beam by searching for one or more signs that may be indicative of a presence of the Hydrogen Sulfite in the sphere.
The method may include directing by a light source of the gas sensor, the light beam through the first aperture.
The multiple times exceed three.
The method may include forcing, by a gas flow control unit, the Hydrogen Sulfite to flow through the sphere.
The one or more signs may be one or more absorbance patterns that may be indicative of an absorbance of the Hydrogen Sulfite in the scattered light beam.
The method may include scattering the light beam, by the sphere, N times before exiting from the second aperture, thereby generating N-1 sets of scattered light beams, wherein the second aperture may be positioned outside a propagation path of each of the N-1 sets of scattered light beams.
The method may include scattering the light multiple times along a folded optical path that may exceed a diameter of the sphere by a factor that may range between 2.5 and five.
The method may include scattering the light multiple times along a folded optical path that may exceed a diameter of the sphere by a factor that may exceed two.
The a wavelength of the light beam may range between 180 and 300 nanometer.
The first aperture has a circular shape and the second aperture may be a slit.
The sphere may include a second gas opening.
An imaginary arc passes through the first gas opening, a second gas opening, and the first aperture, wherein the first aperture may be located at the center of the imaginary arc and the first and second gas openings may be located at opposite ends of the imaginary arc.
The method moving the light source of the gas sensor, the sphere and the gas analyzer.
The method may include introducing movement between the light source and the sphere.
The subject matter regarded as the invention is particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in the concluding portion of the specification. The invention, however, both as to organization and method of operation, together with objects, features, and advantages thereof, may best be understood by reference to the following detailed description when read with the accompanying drawings in which:
In the following detailed description, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the invention. However, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the present invention may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known methods, procedures, and components have not been described in detail so as not to obscure the present invention.
The subject matter regarded as the invention is particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in the concluding portion of the specification. The invention, however, both as to organization and method of operation, together with objects, features, and advantages thereof, may best be understood by reference to the following detailed description when read with the accompanying drawings.
It will be appreciated that for simplicity and clarity of illustration, elements shown in the figures have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements may be exaggerated relative to other elements for clarity. Further, where considered appropriate, reference numerals may be repeated among the figures to indicate corresponding or analogous elements.
Because the illustrated embodiments of the present invention may for the most part, be implemented using electronic components and circuits known to those skilled in the art, details will not be explained in any greater extent than that considered necessary as illustrated above, for the understanding and appreciation of the underlying concepts of the present invention and in order not to obfuscate or distract from the teachings of the present invention.
The following text may refer to Hydrogen Sulfite but the gas sensor may be used to detect any other gases—especially toxic gases.
According to an embodiment of the invention there is provided a gas sensor that may detect low concentrations of Hydrogen Sulfite—even between 1-5 parts per million (PPM). The gas sensor may also detect higher concentration of Hydrogen Sulfite.
The gas sensor is reliable, highly sensitive, fast and cost effective.
The gas sensor may include a light source, a sphere and a gas analyzer such as a spectrometer for performing broadband absorption spectroscopy in the range of 180-300 nm.
Gas sensor 10 includes sphere 20, light source 30 and gas analyzer 40.
In
Light beam 50 from light source 30 enters through first aperture 21 of the sphere 20, passes through the Hydrogen Sulfite (if it exists in the sphere), and is scattered from the interior of the sphere to provide one or more scattered light beams that may further interact with the Hydrogen Sulfite and then also be reflected and/or scattered from the interior of the sphere.
This process may be repeated (once or multiple times) until a scattered light beam exits from a second aperture of the sphere—and may be analyzed by the spectrometer.
Gas (that may or may not include Hydrogen Sulfite) may enter the sphere through the first gas opening 23 (see arrows 123) and exit the sphere through the first gas opening (see
The gas may be forced to move through the sphere (for example by using air vents)—or may not be forced to move through the sphere.
The sphere provides a folded optical path thereby increasing the sensitivity of the gas sensor. The folded optical path enables multiple interactions between light beams (the light beam that entered the sphere any scattered light beams) and the Hydrogen Sulfite, thereby increasing the absorbance of various wavelengths in the Hydrogen Sulfite. The absorbance pattern is detected by the gas analyzer.
In
In
In
In
Other spectrometer sand/or other gas analyzers may be provided.
Spectrometer 40 generates a spectrum of the scattered light beam, and based on the spectrum—especially intensity of spectral components—may find one or more signs to the presence of the Hydrogen Sulfite within the sphere. These signs may be absorbance patterns.
The Hydrogen Sulfite has a certain signature that represents certain attenuations in certain spectral components. The spectrometer searches for this signature.
The spectrometer may include or may be coupled to a processor for processing detection signals from the image sensor—and searching for an absorbance pattern that is characteristic of the Hydrogen Sulfite.
In
Non-limiting technical parameters of the sensor may include:
The gas sensor can be mounted at a fixed position, can be moved in order to scan an area, and the like.
There may be provided a method for sensing gas using the mentioned above sensor.
The method may include:
The positions, shapes and sized of the first and second gas apertures and/or of the first and second aperture may change from those illustrated in
Method 400 may start by step 410 of directing, by a light source of the gas sensor, a light beam through a first aperture of a sphere of the gas sensor.
The sphere may also include a second aperture and a first gas opening.
The sphere may also include a second gas opening.
The Hydrogen Sulfite may flow within the sphere and between the first and second gas apertures.
An imaginary arc may pass through the first gas opening, a second gas opening, and the first aperture, wherein the first aperture is located at the center of the imaginary arc and the first and second gas openings are located at opposite ends of the imaginary arc.
The wavelength of the light beam may range between 180 and 300 nanometer.
The first aperture may have a circular shape and the second aperture may be a slit.
Step 410 may be followed by step 420 of receiving, by the first aperture, the light beam.
Step 420 may be followed by step 430 of scattering multiple times, by an interior of the sphere, the light beam to provide a scattered light beam that exits the sphere through the second aperture.
The multiple times may exceed two, may exceed three and the like.
The repetition defines a folded optical path that may exceed a diameter of the sphere—for example by a factor that ranges between 2.5 and five. The factor may exceed one and may even exceed five.
When the light is scattered N times during step 430—then N-1 sets of scattered light beams are generated. A set of scattered beams is generated during each scattering event. In order to enable the N scattering—the second aperture is positioned outside a propagation path of each of the N-1 sets of scattered light beams.
Step 430 may be followed by step 440 of receiving, by a gas analyzer of the gas sensor, the scattered light beam from the second aperture.
Step 440 may be followed by step 450 of analyzing the scattered light beam by searching for one or more signs that are indicative of a presence of the Hydrogen Sulfite in the sphere.
The one or more signs may be absorbance patters of the Hydrogen Sulfite.
Step 430 and/or step 440 may be followed by step 410.
The light beam may be a continuous light beam or a pulsed light beam.
The gas sensor may be static during step 430.
Alternatively—method 400 may include step 402 of moving the gas sensor in relation to its environment—thereby scanning a presence of the Hydrogen Sulfite within a certain region of interest. The method may include introducing movement between the sphere and the light source.
The Hydrogen Sulfite may flow into and/or out of the sphere in a forced manner.
Method 400 may include step 404 of forcing the Hydrogen Sulfite to move through the sphere.
For example—step 404 may include inducing the Hydrogen Sulfite to flow from the first gas aperture and to exit the sphere through a second gas aperture (or even back through the first gas aperture).
Method 400 may include generating an alert or any notification about the results of the analysis. The alert or notification may be wirelessly transmitted and/or transmitted by wire, and/or stored in a memory unit and/or outputted by a man machine interface. The alert may be an audio-visual alert. The alert or notification may be short-range and/or long-range transmitted.
Unit 150 may include at least one out of:
In the foregoing specification, the invention has been described with reference to specific examples of embodiments of the invention. It will, however, be evident that various modifications and changes may be made therein without departing from the broader spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.
Those skilled in the art will recognize that the boundaries between logic blocks are merely illustrative and that alternative embodiments may merge logic blocks or circuit elements or impose an alternate decomposition of functionality upon various logic blocks or circuit elements. Thus, it is to be understood that the architectures depicted herein are merely exemplary, and that in fact many other architectures may be implemented which achieve the same functionality.
Any arrangement of components to achieve the same functionality is effectively “associated” such that the desired functionality is achieved. Hence, any two components herein combined to achieve a particular functionality may be seen as “associated with” each other such that the desired functionality is achieved, irrespective of architectures or intermedial components. Likewise, any two components so associated can also be viewed as being “operably connected,” or “operably coupled,” to each other to achieve the desired functionality.
Furthermore, those skilled in the art will recognize that boundaries between the above described operations merely illustrative. The multiple operations may be combined into a single operation, a single operation may be distributed in additional operations and operations may be executed at least partially overlapping in time. Moreover, alternative embodiments may include multiple instances of a particular operation, and the order of operations may be altered in various other embodiments.
Also for example, in one embodiment, the illustrated examples may be implemented as circuitry located on a single integrated circuit or within a same device. Alternatively, the examples may be implemented as any number of separate integrated circuits or separate devices interconnected with each other in a suitable manner.
However, other modifications, variations and alternatives are also possible. The specifications and drawings are, accordingly, to be regarded in an illustrative rather than in a restrictive sense.
In the claims, any reference signs placed between parentheses shall not be construed as limiting the claim. The word ‘comprising’ does not exclude the presence of other elements or steps then those listed in a claim. Furthermore, the terms “a” or “an,” as used herein, are defined as one or more than one. Also, the use of introductory phrases such as “at least one” and “one or more” in the claims should not be construed to imply that the introduction of another claim element by the indefinite articles “a” or “an” limits any particular claim containing such introduced claim element to inventions containing only one such element, even when the same claim includes the introductory phrases “one or more” or “at least one” and indefinite articles such as “a” or “an.” The same holds true for the use of definite articles. Unless stated otherwise, terms such as “first” and “second” are used to arbitrarily distinguish between the elements such terms describe. Thus, these terms are not necessarily intended to indicate temporal or other prioritization of such elements. The mere fact that certain measures are recited in mutually different claims does not indicate that a combination of these measures cannot be used to advantage.
While certain features of the invention have been illustrated and described herein, many modifications, substitutions, changes, and equivalents will now occur to those of ordinary skill in the art. It is, therefore, to be understood that the appended claims are intended to cover all such modifications and changes as fall within the true spirit of the invention.
The terms “including”, “comprising”, “having”, “consisting” and “consisting essentially of” are used in an interchangeable manner. For example- any method may include at least the steps included in the figures and/or in the specification, only the steps included in the figures and/or the specification. The same applies to the pool cleaning robot and the mobile computer.
This patent application claims priority from U.S. provisional patent Ser. No. 62/398233 filing date 22 Sep. 2017, which is incorporated herein by reference.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 62398233 | Sep 2016 | US |
