Abstract: A pump seal flushing ring (12) for a vehicle fluid pump (10) includes a top portion (22) and a bottom portion (20) and a tapered wall (36) extending therebetween. The bottom portion (20) has an opening (28) formed therein for communicating with a pump seal (52) to seal off the fluid chamber of the pump from the mechanical portion of the pump. The tapered wall (36) has a plurality of holes (48) formed therein that are uniformly spaced about the periphery of the tapered wall (36) to evenly communicate fluid to all portions of the seal (52).

Abstract: A method of identifying an analyte, using a chemical sensor (e.g., a piezoelectric crystal oscillator) which produces an output frequency responsive to different analytes by a characteristic change in the output frequency. The sensor is exposed to a step change (to) in concentration of the analyte and the resulting frequency characteristic measured. An expression for this characteristic is derived consisting of two exponential functions (F, S), one (F) derived from the early part of the frequency characteristic and the other (S) from the latter part. The four parameters (A.sub.2, A.sub.3, A.sub.4, A.sub.5) resulting from the functions so obtained are characteristic of the particular analyte.