Abstract: A furnace system has a furnace-tube-cap (FTC) and a slider. The FTC has a first-cap-portion coupled to a furnace tube of a furnace, a second-cap-portion with a bearing-assembly-arrangement (BAA), and an inner-tube-cap-channel (ITCC) passing from the first-to-second cap portion with an ITCC sealing arrangement extending outside the ITCC. The slider slides in the BAA to/from inject-and-rinse positions, and has a first-ramp (FR), a first-raised-surface (FRS), an intermediate-lower-surface (ILS), a second-ramp (SR), and a second-raised-surface (SRS). When the slider moves to the inject-or-rinse positions, the BAA forces a slider-part to push against an inner-channel-sealing-arrangement (ICSA) as the BAA goes from the FR-to-FRS, or the SR-to-SRS. When the slider is in the inject-or-rinse position, a first-slider-part seals the ITCC sealing arrangement.

Abstract: According to some embodiments, the present invention may include, or take the form of, a total organic carbon analyzer, featuring an injector, a reactor, condensation components and two three-way valves. The injector may be configured to provide a sample. The reactor may be configured to vaporize the sample received. The condensation components may be configured to condense and trap the sample vaporized by the reactor. The two three-way valves may be arranged between the reactor and the condensation components and configured to allow flow to either bypass or pass through the reactor and the condensation components, while in the bypass mode, the sample being injected at an appropriate rate so as to allow the sample to condense at or near the same rate as the sample is being injected.

Abstract: A sliding style furnace cap features a furnace tube cap and a slider. The furnace tube cap has a first cap portion to couple to a furnace tube of a furnace, and a second cap portion with a bearing assembly arrangement. The furnace tube cap also has an inner tube cap channel passing through it with an inner tube cap channel sealing arrangement configured to extend outside the inner tube cap channel. The slider has an orifice/channel configured therein passing through the slider, couples and slides in the bearing assembly arrangement from an inject position to a rinse position, and vice versa, has a cam-like contoured surface with a first ramp configured to couple a first raised surface and an intermediate lower surface, and with a second ramp configured to couple the intermediate lower surface to a second raised surface.

Abstract: A flow-through gas cell and a method for passing a sample gas through a flow-through gas cell for spectroscopy are disclosed. In an embodiment, a flow-through gas cell is disclosed. The gas cell includes a substantially cylindrical interior cavity. The interior cavity comprises an inner surface that is reflective. In addition, the gas cell includes a gas inlet and a gas outlet. In the gas cell, a source is disposed on a side of the gas cell, and a detector is disposed on the same side of the gas cell as the source. The source emits electromagnetic radiation, and the detector detects electromagnetic radiation. The gas cell further includes mirrors disposed on opposing ends of the interior cavity.

Abstract: A flow-through gas cell and a method for passing a sample gas through a flow-through gas cell for spectroscopy are disclosed. In an embodiment, a flow-through gas cell is disclosed. The gas cell includes a substantially cylindrical interior cavity. The interior cavity comprises an inner surface that is reflective. In addition, the gas cell includes a gas inlet and a gas outlet. In the gas cell, a source is disposed on a side of the gas cell, and a detector is disposed on the same side of the gas cell as the source. The source emits electromagnetic radiation, and the detector detects electromagnetic radiation. The gas cell further includes mirrors disposed on opposing ends of the interior cavity.

Abstract: An apparatus and method are disclosed to detect foam above a liquid sample in a sparge vessel, and disrupt any foam that may exist. The foam sensor includes an optical emitter and optical sensor coupled to a sparge vessel above the level of the liquid sample. Foam is detected if the light beam is attenuated or blocked. The foam disrupter provides thermal energy to raise the temperature of a surface in the sparge vessel to break up the foam, which may condense on the walls of the sparge vessel.

Abstract: A sparge vessel having a liquid sample is heated with an immersion heater to more completely purge the analytes from the sample to a sorbent trap. A thermocouple may be used to help the immersion heater maintain the sample at a desired temperature between 70 and 85 degrees C.

Abstract: An apparatus and method are disclosed to detect foam above a liquid sample in a sparge vessel, and disrupt any foam that may exist. The foam sensor includes an optical emitter and optical sensor coupled to a sparge vessel above the level of the liquid sample. Foam is detected if the light beam is attenuated or blocked. The foam disrupter provides thermal energy to raise the temperature of a surface in the sparge vessel to break up the foam, which may condense on the walls of the sparge vessel.

Abstract: A microtrap sample concentrator useful for concentrating a sample of purged gas containing analytes for delivery to an analytical instrument, including: a tube containing at least one sorbent material which retains or traps analytes; where greater than 30% of all trapped analytes are directly delivered to an analytical instrument at a desorption flow rate of one to three cc/min, without splitting or cryogenic focusing the trapped analytes; where delivery of the trapped analytes to the analytical instrument is achieved by passing the trapped analytes through a passage being selectively connectable between the microtrap and the analytical instrument, the passage connected to a vent; where the temperature of the passage is not lower than ambient room temperature; and where the passage is heated to a temperature sufficient to vaporize water in the passage and to expel the vaporized water out of the vent.

Abstract: A photoionization detector (PID) and an improved halogen specific detector are disclosed, for direct connection of the PID outlet to the halogen specific detector inlet. The tandem detector is used for detection of volatile organic compounds and the like. A jet assembly and seal between the PID and halogen specific detector provide a leak free and upswept dead volume-free connection between the two detectors.