Title:
PORTABLE GAS CHROMATOGRAPH MASS SPECTROMETER FOR ON-SITE CHEMICAL ANALYSES
Document Type and Number:
WIPO Patent Application WO/2000/062054
Kind Code:
A2
Abstract:
A portable, lightweight (approximately 25 kg) gas chromatograph mass spectrometer, including the entire vacuum system, can perform qualitative and quantitative analyses of all sample types in the field. The GC/MS has a conveniently configured layout of components for ease of serviceability and maintenance. The GC/MS system can be transported under operating or near-operating conditions (i.e., under vacuum and at elevated temperature) to reduce the downtime before samples can be analyzed on-site.
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Inventors:
HAAS JEFFREY S
BUSHMAN JOHN F
HOWARD DOUGLAS E
WONG JAMES L
ECKELS JOEL D
BUSHMAN JOHN F
HOWARD DOUGLAS E
WONG JAMES L
ECKELS JOEL D
Application Number:
PCT/US2000/009624
Publication Date:
October 19, 2000
Filing Date:
April 11, 2000
Export Citation:
Assignee:
UNIV CALIFORNIA (US)
International Classes:
G01N30/72; G01N27/62; H01J49/26; G01N30/88; (IPC1-7): G01N30/72
Foreign References:
| US5477046A | 1995-12-19 | |||
| US5611846A | 1997-03-18 | |||
| US5313061A | 1994-05-17 | |||
| US5525799A | 1996-06-11 |
Attorney, Agent or Firm:
Thompson, Alan H. (CA, US)
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Claims:
CLAIMS
| 1. | A portable gas chromatograph mass spectrometer system for onsite chemical analyses of samples, comprising: a mass spectrometer; a chamber for containing the mass spectrometer; a vacuum system connected to the chamber for maintaining a vacuum in the chamber; a gas chromatograph; an internal carrier gas supply connected to the gas chromatograph; and an electronic control system connected to the mass spectrometer and the gas chromatograph; wherein the system has a weight of about 25 kilograms or less. |
| 2. | The system as recited in Claim 1, wherein the system has a volume of about four cubic feet (0.1 cubic meters) or less. |
| 3. | The system as recited in Claim 1, wherein the vacuum system comprises a turbomolecular drag pump. |
| 4. | The system as recited in Claim 3, wherein the vacuum system further comprises a roughing pump to back up the turbomolecular pump. |
| 5. | The system as recited in Claim 3, wherein the vacuum system further comprises an ion pump for maintaining a vacuum in the chamber during transport of the system while the system is not analyzing samples. |
| 6. | The system as recited in Claim 1, wherein the vacuum system comprises at least two turbomolecular drag pumps. |
| 7. | The system as recited in Claim 1, wherein the gas chromatograph comprises an injector for receiving a sample to be analyzed, wherein the injector comprises an injection sleeve for containing the sample when vaporized and is connected via a carrier gas line to the carrier gas supply, whereby the carrier gas flows through the sleeve. |
| 8. | The system as recited in Claim 7, wherein the injector is connected via a line and a valve to the vacuum chamber. |
| 9. | The system as recited in Claim 7, wherein the internal carrier gas supply comprises a gas cylinder. |
| 10. | The system as recited in Claim 7, further comprising a line for connecting the injector to an external carrier gas supply. |
| 11. | The system as recited in Claim 7, wherein the sleeve has a volume of about 0.2 cm3 or less. |
| 12. | The system as recited in Claim 7, further comprising a sight glass for visual inspection of the injection sleeve. |
| 13. | The system as recited in Claim 1, wherein the vacuum chamber has a volume of about 3200 cm3 or less. |
| 14. | The system as recited in Claim 1, further comprising a heater connected to the mass spectrometer for maintaining an elevated temperature during transport of the system while the system is not analyzing samples. |
| 15. | The system as recited in Claim 1, wherein the vacuum system comprises an ion pump for maintaining a vacuum in the chamber during transport of the system while the system is not analyzing samples, and further comprising a heater connected to the mass spectrometer for maintaining an elevated temperature during transport, and further comprising means to connect the ion pump and the heater to an external temporary power source. |
| 16. | The system as recited in Claim 15, wherein the heater maintains the mass spectrometer at about a selected operating temperature. |
| 17. | The system as recited in Claim 1, further comprising a control and display panel. |
| 18. | The system as recited in Claim 1, wherein the system has a power consumption of less than about 550 watts peak power load from cold startup. |
| 19. | The system as recited in Claim 1, wherein the system has a power consumption of less than about 250 watts during operation. |
| 20. | The system as recited in Claim 1, wherein the mass spectrometer has a resolution of less than about 0.1 AMU and a mass range of greater than about 800 AMU. |
Description:
INTERNATIONALSEARCHREPORT| IntemationalApplicationNo PATTUS00/09624 C.(Continuation)DOCUMENTSCONSIDEREDTOBERELEVANT Category°Citationofdocument,withindication,whereappropriate
,oftherelevantpassagesRelevanttoclaimNo. AUS5525799A(ANDRESENBRIANDET AL)1-3 11June1996(1996-06-11) citedintheapplication column3,line25-49 column4,line4-15 'nternational applicationNo. INTERNATIONALSEARCHREPORTPCT/US00/09624 Box IObservationswherecertainclaimswerefoundunsearchable(Continu
ationofitem1offirstsheet) ThisInternationalSearchReporthasnotbeenestablishedinrespecto
fcertainclaimsunderArticle17(2)(a)forthefollowingreasons: 1.1 ClaimsNos.: becausetheyrelatetosubjectmatternotrequiredtobesearchedbythi
sAuthority,namely: 2.2 ClaimsNos.: becausetheyrelatetopartsoftheinternationalApplicationthatdon
otcomplywiththeprescribedrequirementstosuch anextentthatnomeaningfulInternationalSearchcanbecarriedout,s
pecifically: 3.2 Claims Nos.: becausetheyaredependentclaimsandarenotdraftedinaccordancewit
hthesecondandthirdsentencesofRule6.4(a). Box11Observationswhereunityofinventionislacking(Continuation
ofitem2offirstsheet) ThisinternationalSearchingAuthorityfoundmultipleinventionsin
thisinternationalapplication,asfollows: seeadditionalsheet 1.As ailrequiredadditionalsearchfeesweretimelypaidbytheapplicant,
thisInternationalSearchReportcoversall searchableclaims. 2.! Asallsearchableclaimscouldbesearchedwithouteffortjustifyinga
nadditionalfee,thisAuthoritydidnotinvitepayment ofanyadditionalfee. 3.As onlysomeoftherequiredadditionalsearchfeesweretimelypaidbythe
applicant,thisInternationalSearchReport coversonlythoseclaimsforwhichfeeswerepaid,specificallyclaims
Nos.: 4.[Norequiredadditionalsearchfeesweretimelypaidbytheapplican
t.Consequently,thisInternationalSearchReportis restrictedtotheinventionfirstmentionedintheclaims ; itiscoveredbyclaimsNos.: 1-6,17 RemarkonProtest2 Theadditionalsearchfeeswereaccompaniedbytheapplicant'sprotes
t. u 2 Noprotestaccompaniedthepaymentofadditionalsearchfees. I International Application No. PCT/US 00/09624 FURTHER INFORMATION CONTINUED FROM PCTÅSA/210 This International Searching Authority found multiple (groups of) inventions in this international application, as follows: 1. Claims: 1-6,17 Portable gas chromatograph mass spectrometer system comprising a turbomolecular pump.
2. Claims: 7-12 Portable gas chromatograph mass spectrometer system comprising a vaporisation injector.
3. Claim: 13 Portable gas chromatograph mass spectrometer system comprising a vacuum chamber of less than 3200 cu. cm.
4. Claims: 14-16 Portable gas chromatograph mass spectrometer system comprising a transport heater.
5. Claim: 18 Portable gas chromatograph mass spectrometer system comprising 550 watts peak power.
6. Claim: 19 Portable gas chromatograph mass spectrometer system comprising 250 watts power during operation.
7. Claim: 20 Portable gas chromatograph mass spectrometer system comprising a resolution of about 0.1 AMU and a mass range of about 800 AMU. IN rERNATIONAL SEARCH REPORT Intemational ApplicationNo "Iformation on patent family members P/US 00/09624 P/US00/09624 PatentdocumentPublication Patent family Publication citedinsearchreportdatemember(s)date US5477046A19-12-1995US5451781A19-09-1995 US5611846A18-03-1997NONE US5313061A17-05-1994AU5856490A08-01-1991 CA2058763A,C07-12-1990 DE69028304D02-10-1996 DE69028304T24-04-1997 EP0476062A25-03-1992 GB2249662A,B13-05-1992 JP5500726T12-02-1993 WO9015658A27-12-1990 US5525799A11-06-1996NONE