Abstract: A spectroscopic fluid sample cell for the transmission and detection of radiation with the key components being a housing; a centripetal acceleration chamber formed by the housing and extending through the housing for circulating a fluid through the housing over a curvilinear flow path about a rotational axis; a pair of windows aligned along a common axis intersecting a portion of the chamber and parallel to the rotational axis; a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet in communication with the centripetal acceleration chamber; and a flow director positioned in the housing to induce centripetal acceleration on fluid passing through the chamber and establish a radial composition gradient across the fluid chamber has been developed.

Abstract: A probe for fiber optic spectroscopy, having a radiation transparent window for the emission of radiation and an optical fiber that extends through the interior of a hollow housing, surrounds the fiber with a cushioning sleeve to provide an optical cable that preserves optical fiber connections and dampen vibration of the optical cable. The sleeve provides a structure around the optical fiber that is more compressible than the optical fiber and has a significantly greater mass than the optical fiber. Excess cable length may be provided along its path through the housing to impinge the cable against the interior walls of the housing and thereby dampen vibration by providing additional node points through contact of the sleeve with the housing wall. Helical twisting of the cable along its path through the housing further stabilizes the shape of the fiber optic cable within the housing and maintains a regular spacing of contact points with the housing.

Abstract: A spectroscopic fluid sample apparatus for the transmission and detection of radiation with the key components being a housing; a helical bore formed by the housing and extending through the housing for conducting the sample fluid through the bore to induce centripetal acceleration on the sample fluid and establish a radial composition gradient across the sample fluid in the bore; a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet each in fluid communication with the helical bore; and a spectroscopic sample interface in fluid communication with the fluid outlet has been developed.

Abstract: On line and essentially continuous measurements of hydrogen peroxide vapor in the presence of water vapor can be made using near infrared (NIR) spectroscopy using fiber optic cables to transmit infrared radiation between, e.g, a sterilization chamber and the NIR instrument. Hydrogen peroxide absorbs selectively at about 1420 nm, where water vapor also absorbs, but the absorbance at 1420 nm can be corrected for water vapor measurements at remote wavelengths where H.sub.2 O.sub.2 is transparent. The measurement process may be conveniently made by applying a multivariant statistical technique to the spectrum obtained over one or more bands within the 900-2000 nm region using the correlation obtained for a calibration set for which analogous measurements are made over the same region.

Abstract: On line and essentially continuous measurements of hydrogen peroxide vapor in the presence of water vapor can be made using near infrared (NIR) spectroscopy using fiber optic cables to transmit infrared radiation between, e.g, a sterilization chamber and the NIR instrument. Measurement of hydrogen peroxide concentration in the foregoing manner is incorporated into a control system which automatically adds gaseous hydrogen peroxide to the sterilization chamber when the measured concentration falls below a precalculated value. Such a control system ensures the presence in the sterilization chamber of an adequate concentration of gaseous hydrogen peroxide to effect sterilization throughout the sterilization procedure.

Abstract: On line and essentially continuous measurements of hydrogen peroxide vapor in the presence of water vapor can be made using near infrared (NIR) spectroscopy using fiber optic cables to transmit infrared radiation between, e.g, a sterilization chamber and the NIR instrument. Hydrogen peroxide absorbs selectively at about 1420 nm, where water vapor also absorbs, but the absorbance at 1420 nm can be corrected for water vapor measurements at remote wavelengths where H.sub.2 O.sub.2 is transparent. The measurement process also may be incorporated into a control system assuring optimum hydrogen peroxide vapor concentrations for the sterilization procedure.

Abstract: A method of operating a spectrometer to determine property and/or composition data of a sample comprises an on-line spectral measurement of the sample using a computer controlled spectrometer, statistical analysis of the sample data based upon a statistical model using sample calibration data, and automatically identifying a sample if necessary based upon statistical and expert system (rule-based) criteria. Sample collection based upon statistical criteria consists of performing a statistical or rule-based check against the model to identify measurement data which are indicative of chemical species not in the samples already stored in the model. Samples identified either by a statistical criteria or using an expert system (rule-based decisions) are used preferably to isolate the liquid sample using a computer controlled automatic sampling system. The samples can be saved for subsequent laboratory analysis in removable sample containers.