Abstract: A modular system and method for testing and measuring various physical and chemical properties of substances includes a user interface unit having a micro controller, a power source, a display, and an input device; and a sensing module having a sensor probe, a signal conditioner, and a sensor controller. The user interface unit and the sensing modules are in electrical communication with one another such that sensor data generated by the one or more sensor probes, corresponding to one or more properties of the substances, is transmitted to the micro controller of the user interface unit. The user interface unit can be used to remotely view, test, record, and analyze data obtained by the sensing module, which module may be located at a remote location. The user interface unit and the sensing module may be in wired or wireless communication according to various known wired and wireless connection means.

Abstract: A modular system and method for testing and measuring various physical and chemical properties of substances includes a user interface unit having a micro controller, a power source, a display, and an input device; and a sensing module having a sensor probe, a signal conditioner, and a sensor controller. The user interface unit and the sensing modules are in electrical communication with one another such that sensor data generated by the one or more sensor probes, corresponding to one or more properties of the substances, is transmitted to the micro controller of the user interface unit. The user interface unit can be used to remotely view, test, record, and analyze data obtained by the sensing module, which module may be located at a remote location. The user interface unit and the sensing module may be in wired or wireless communication according to various known wired and wireless connection means.

Abstract: A device for automatic processing of contaminated refrigerant from an air conditioning system, said device comprising a compressor for compressing refrigerant. Said device further comprising an oil separator, said oil separator receiving compressed refrigerant from said compressor; said oil separator further including means for draining oil separated from said compressed refrigerant. Said device further comprising a storage tank, said storage tank receiving and temporarily containing said compressed refrigerant from said oil separator. Said storage tank including a vapor port and a liquid port. Said device further comprising a vacuum pump for creating low pressure within said device during evacuation of refrigerant. Said device further comprising a low pressure service hose for connecting said device to said air conditioning system. Said device further comprising a high pressure service hose for connecting said device to said air conditioning system.

Abstract: A device for automatic processing of contaminated refrigerant from an air conditioning system, said device comprising a compressor for compressing refrigerant. Said device further comprising an oil separator, said oil separator receiving compressed refrigerant from said compressor; said oil separator further including means for draining oil separated from said compressed refrigerant. Said device further comprising a storage tank, said storage tank receiving and temporarily containing said compressed refrigerant from said oil separator. Said storage tank including a vapor port and a liquid port. Said device further comprising a vacuum pump for creating low pressure within said device during evacuation of refrigerant. Said device further comprising a low pressure service hose for connecting said device to said air conditioning system. Said device further comprising a high pressure service hose for connecting said device to said air conditioning system.

Abstract: An improved corona discharge detection probe, including a corona discharge gas detector, the detector including electronic circuitry, a cathode electrode, an anode electrode spaced from the cathode electrode, and a mechanism for constraining through the probe the flow of atmospheric air to be sensed. The probe has a tip for initially receiving the flow of atmospheric air to be sensed. An external chamber is included, the external chamber being securable to the tip of the detector probe. An adsorbent material is placed within the external chamber about the detector probe such that ambient atmosphere first flows through the chamber prior to encountering the probe tip. The adsorbent material acts to adsorb water vapor in a controlled manner, such that changes in the water vapor level do not affect the detection probe circuitry and thereby eliminates false alarms.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for automatically compensating for gain variations, component aging and drift characteristics of an associated circuit when trying to detect a leak. In the preferred embodiment an analog to digital converter will convert an analog signal from a sensor to a digital representation. A microprocessor will read the digital representation and compute the percentage change of the difference in values of the digital representations. Wherever the percentage change is greater than a threshold value, the microprocessor will activate an alarm to inform the user.

Abstract: A halogen gas detector employing the negative corona principal is equipped with a corona discharge sensing tip utilizing the "electrical wind" phenomenon of field corona discharge to create a continuous flow of the gas sample being sensed through the corona, thereby ensuring that virtually every molecule of halogen gas impurity comes into contact with the corona discharge for dependable, uniform, and substantially instantaneous gas sensing operation.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for measuring the presence of trace amounts of a halogen gas in ambient air by changes in conductivity of a negative corona in an electrical sensing gap due to the presence therein of such electro-negative gas molecules, utilizes a digital feedback loop sensitive to gap corona current to adjust the high voltage producing the corona discharge to obtain the optimum corona current for best sensitivity irrespective of the concentration of the halogen contaminant present. The presence of the halogen gas contaminant in the air is indicated by a bi-level audible alarm consisting of a periodically interrupted tone the frequency of which goes above or below a base line value to indicate small variations in impurity concentration above or below the base line concentration, and the tone interruption rate of which, at the same time, increases for large impurity concentrations.