Abstract: A micromachined integrated opto-thermal sensor having a rapidly intensity varying or pulsing light source, an interference filter, shadow masking or reflective blocking of light from thermal sensors, or differential operation, a gas cavity into which the detected gas can flow into via a channel or filter, and thermal detector elements to sense the heating of the gas caused by the absorption of light at a particular wavelength by the specific gas to be detected. Another version of the sensor is one with a dual cavity. One cavity contains the gas to be detected and the other cavity is sealed from the ambient environment and contains no gas. Signals from the detectors from the cavities are subtracted from each other resulting in the elimination of a fixed signal due to radiation impinging the detectors.

Abstract: A method and device for the detection of vapors of cocaine and associated compounds are disclosed. The method involves sampling a volume of air suspected of containing cocaine vapors, passing this air through a filtration system that removes any particulate matter and binds vapors of cocaine and associated compounds, if present, for further analysis. A preferred associated compound-vapor is that of ecgonidine methyl ester (EDME), and a marker for the presence of cocaine. The device is comprised of a sampling, filtration and vacuum port components and can be easily attached to a container, and suction source, for the sampling of air.

Abstract: A hand-portable, modular and temperature programmable gas chromatography aratus having reduced power consumption requirements is disclosed. The gas chromatography module includes a ring oven for housing a gas chromatography capillary column and programmable means for controlling the temperature of said column within the ring. The gas chromatography capillary column includes a sampling end and an effluent end. The sampling end of the GC capillary column is in fluid communication with a sampling nozzle and a vacuum pulse generating means. The vacuum generating means generates a sample pulse and directs the sample pulse to the sampling end of the gas chromatography capillary column during sample injection mode. During standby mode only clean dry air is directed to the column. The module is also easily interfaced with secondary sample detection or analysis instruments so that additional identification dimensions can added.

Abstract: The present invention, a thrombo visco-elastogram (TVE), measures the changes in blood elastic and viscous properties in the magnitude and phase of the hydro-dynamic impedance of a tubular blood sample as the thrombus is formed. The present invention is an apparatus and method for assessment of visco-elasticity and shear adherence strength properties of blood clots. An apparatus for practicing the invention includes a tubular conduit connected to a fluid-filled cylindrical chamber and a fluid-filled reservoir, a piezo-electric bender attached to the fluid-filled cylindrical chamber, which creates a volume variation in the fluid-filled cylindrical chamber, a fluid source capable of injecting a fluid into the tubular conduit, a blood source capable of injecting blood into the tubular conduit, and a microprocessor to supply a sinusoidal wave form or limited band frequency content signal to the piezo-electric bender and record and analyze resulting pressure signals.

Abstract: An improvement is disclosed for a boiler leak system that (a) measures fluid input into the recovery boiler system, (b) measures fluid output from the recovery boiler system, and (c) calculates fluid leakage loss based on an average difference between the measured fluid input and output values. The improvement increases the accuracy and responsiveness of calculating and interpreting the difference between the input and output fluid flow of the boiler. One aspect of the invention is an improved method which includes (1) compensating for the effects of boiler drum swelling and shrinking; (2) using multiple time frames to calculate the average differences between input and output such that a balance is struck between a highly responsive leak indication (short time frame) and a highly accurate leak indication (longer time frame); and/or (3) indicating a leak only after a predetermined certain sequence of significant differences between input and output is reached.

Abstract: A process to obtain the shear storage modulus G'(.omega.) and/or the shear loss modulus G"(.omega.) of a polymer is provided. This process comprises: (a) producing a viscosity data set by measuring the viscosity of said polymer at various shear rates, while said polymer is in a melted state; (b) producing a parameter data set that comprises values for .eta..sub.0, .tau..sub..eta. and .alpha. by analyzing said viscosity data set; and (c) obtaining said shear storage modulus G'(.omega.) and the shear loss modulus G"(.omega.) by using said parameter data set.

Abstract: A measuring device which maximizes the surface area of a blade transducer, which is swingably coupled to a probe member, and utilizes the force of the medium, such as a slurry, flowing in an in-service pipeline to swingably align the blade transducer in a desired measuring position. The swingable coupling of the blade transducer to the probe member provides for the retraction from and insertion into the medium flowing in the in-service pipeline for repairs, replacement, or sanitization or other maintenance or servicing of such blade transducer, without shutting down the pipeline and related processes, without compromising the integrity of or disturbing the connection (sealed, flanged, welded or otherwise) between the measuring device and the transducer port in such pipeline and significantly minimizing the environmental exposure of the medium.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a device used for the direct measurement of the permeability of rock fragments coming directly from the drilling of an oil well and commonly called cuttings, consisting of a hollow cylindrical body (c) that presents an inlet hole for the fluid (i), a thread for closing it (h) and a hydraulic seal (g) in which is placed the sample holder disk (d) which rests on the seal (g) and is overlapped by a porous sintered steel septum (e) on which a closing plug (f) is situated with an outlet hole for the fluid (i') and the same is also provided with a thread (h') to enable it to close on the body (c).The device can be used to obtain, directly on site, the measurement of permeability along the whole length of an oil well.

Abstract: A humidity sensor of a heat conduction type which enables a humidity measurement to be produced by a single temperature sensing resistor so as to reduce a change in characteristic depending on a temperature change of the measurement atmosphere and to reduce the cost, comprises a temperature sensing resistor 1 and three fixed resistors R.sub.1, R.sub.2 and R.sub.3 which form a Wheatstone bridge circuit. The humidity is measured by utilizing the fact that the heat dissipation of the temperature sensing resistor 1 changes depending on the humidity. The temperature sensing resistor 1 is heated by a heat generator 2 for self-radiation of Joule heat so that the temperature of the temperature sensing resistor 1 is controlled to be at a constant temperature of 150.degree. C. or more. The output voltage value of the Wheatstone bridge circuit is corrected with reference to the variation of the output voltage value depending on the ambient temperature of the temperature sensing resistor 1.

Abstract: A shield is disposed between a gas chromatograph unit and a mass spectrometer unit and, further, the space between the gas chromatograph unit and the space the shield and the mass spectrometer unit are ventilated by a ventilating fan or ventilating fans. Thus the change in the temperature of the mass spectrometer unit is suppressed within a small range, so that the accuracy of analysis is enhanced.

Abstract: A film heater and thick-film electrode pads are provided on one main surface of a heat-resistant insulating substrate and are connected by through holes to a metal oxide semiconductor film on the tail surface. Pads are made of a gold alloy such as Au--Pt and connected to leads of Pt--W, etc.

Abstract: A flash point measuring apparatus including a sample vessel 11 made of an electrically conductive material, a heating device 17 for heating a sample S contained in the sample vessel 11, an igniting heat source 13 arranged above the sample vessel and made of an electrically conductive material, a temperature detecting device 12 for detecting a temperature of the sample S contained in the sample vessel 11, and a current amplifier 15 connected to the sample vessel 11 serving as a cathode and the igniting heat source 13 serving as an anode. Each time a temperature of the sample S is increased by 2.degree. C., the igniting heat source is moved in a horizontal plane above the sample surface at a predetermined speed. When a mixture of a vapor of the sample S and an air is ignited, a flame ion current flows between the sample vessel 11 and the igniting heat source 13. A flash point of the sample S is measured as a temperature of the sample at which the flame ion current is detected by the current amplifier 15.

Abstract: A combustible gas sensor that uses a resistively heated, noble metal-coated, micromachined polycrystalline Si filament to calorimetrically detect the presence and concentration of combustible gases. The filaments tested to date are 2 .mu.m thick.times.10 .mu.m wide.times.100, 250, 500, or 1000 .mu.m-long polycrystalline Si; some are overcoated with a 0.25 .mu.m-thick protective CVD Si.sub.3 N.sub.4 layer. A thin catalytic Pt film was deposited by CVD from the precursor Pt(acac).sub.2 onto microfilaments resistively heated to approximately 500.degree. C.; Pt deposits only on the hot filament. Using a constant-resistance-mode feedback circuit, Pt-coated filaments operating at ca. 300.degree. C. (35 mW input power) respond linearly, in terms of the change in supply current required to maintain constant resistance (temperature), to H.sub.2 concentrations between 100 ppm and 1% in an 80/20 N.sub.2 /O.sub.2 mixture. Other catalytic materials can also be used.

Abstract: A method of introducing selectivity to a non-selective gas sensor for determining an amount of a gas of interest contained in a measurement gas wherein the non-selective gas sensor responds not only to the gas of interest but also to other interfering gases contained in the measurement gas, the method includes the steps of periodically modulating a specified flux of a measurement gas at a first predetermined frequency, periodically modulating a specified flux of a gas of interest at a second predetermined frequency, adding the modulated flux of the gas of interest to the modulated flux of the measurement gas, exposing a non-selective gas sensor to the combination of the modulated flux of the measurement gas and the modulated flux of the gas of interest, measuring a sensor output of the non-selective gas sensor at zero frequency (DC) and at specified frequencies (AC), and determining an original concentration of the gas of interest in the measurement gas from the measured sensor output at zero frequency and at

Abstract: A method of measuring external leakage, which comprises the steps of introducing a first gas different from main component gasses of an external atmosphere into a pipe having a leak, adding H.sub.2 gas (or H.sub.2 -containing gas) to the first has at a down-stream point, and measuring gas components entering from the external atmosphere of the leak by an atmospheric ionization mass spectrometer (atmospheric pressure ionization mass spectrometer) at a further downstream point (for example, N.sub.2 H.sup.+ is detected when the external atmosphere is the N.sub.2 gas). A method of measuring the external leakage of a gas supply piping line having a plurality of branch piping lines comprises the steps of introducing H.sub.2 gas (or a H.sub.

Abstract: A device for measuring metal purity, comprising a receptacle for holding a sample of molten metal, the receptacle being made, at least internally, from an insulating refractory material and having a bottom wall provided with a hole containing a filter element. The bottom wall is substantially impermeable to air except at the hold. An enclosed collection vessel is positioned below the receptacle for collecting molten metal which passes through the filter element from the receptacle, the collection vessel having an opening permitting extraction of gas from within the vessel to enable a vacuum to be generated within the vessel during use of the device. A leak-tight seal is established between the receptacle for molten metal and the collection vessel to permit vacuum generated in the collection vessel to draw molten metal into the collection vessel from the receptacle through the filter.

Abstract: A method for determining an amount of a gas of interest contained in a measurement gas includes the steps of periodically modulating a specified flux of a measurement gas at a first predetermined frequency, periodically modulating a specified flux of a specified gas that can react non-linearly with the gas of interest at a second predetermined frequency, adding the modulated flux of the specified gas to the modulated flux of the measurement gas, passing the mixture of the two modulated gas fluxes through a reactor where the gas of interest reacts with the specified gas to produce a third gas, exposing a gas sensor that can respond to the third gas present in the gas mixture after the reactor, measuring the sensor output at zero frequency (DC) and at specified frequencies (AC), and determining the original concentration of the gas of interest in the measurement gas from the measured sensor output at zero frequency and at the specified frequencies.

Abstract: Foam tester device, which is useful for testing the foaming of liquids at elevated temperatures, has an insulated cabinet containing a temperature-regulatable volume; a heater capable of heating a gas for the volume; a feature to circulate heated gas in the volume; an access system such that sample container(s), each capable of holding a liquid sample, is(are) insertable into the volume so as to be heated; and a feature, for example, a window, to observe any sample(s) in the sample container(s) such that observation can be conducted from outside the cabinet. The foam tester is a gas, especially air, bath. Cooling may be provided by water or other liquid, for example, propylene glycol and water mixture, and/or by insert of a cooling device, for example, a cooling carosel or insert drawer in place of the foam tester sample carousel. Foam test operation is simplified, and the foam tester may be employed to operate sample testing cycles without removal of samples from the tester between tests.

Abstract: A photo-acoustic leak detection system for detecting a gas leaking from a component includes a beam, having a wavelength, incident on the component and producing an acoustic signal. A second acoustic signal is also produced when an air source dilutes the gas leaking from the component. A signal processor receives sensor signals indicative of both acoustic signals and uses the second sensor signal as a non-leak baseline measurement and provides an output signal indicative of whether a leak exists.

Abstract: Proposed is a device for testing the porosity of dielectric foil, particularly rubber products, such as condoms (2) with a cover holder over which the rubber product is placed, and of one or more outer electrodes (5), whereby the cover holder (1) and the outer electrodes (5) are connected to a source of voltage and an electrical gauge, whereby the outer electrodes (5) are in the form of points and the outer electrodes (5) and the cover holder (1) are relatively moveable toward one another so that the skin of the rubber product can gradually be scanned by the outer electrodes (5), and the gauge measures the flow of current in each electrode and by this measurement corresponds to the electrode in a reference measurement for the state in which there is an absence of material without the application of a rubber product, thereby showing a defect.