A device and a method for detecting cigarette fly ash by a gray-scale difference based on machine vision (MV) are provided. A manipulator holds a cigarette as a detection sample to simulate a human smoking action, and multiple groups of cameras track a simulated smoking process of the detection sample synchronously in real time. It is determined whether fly ash appears based on a gray-scale difference of burning ash columns, produced without being subjected to flicking, in acquired images. A fly ash area of the burning ash columns of the cigarette is calculated by an area with the gray-scale difference of the burning ash columns of the cigarette in two sequential images of the burning ash columns of the cigarette, and a fly ash amount is further determined. The detection of the amount of fine fly ash is converted into the detection of the gray-scale difference.

The invention provides apparatus and methods for determining the isotope ratio of a sample. The apparatus comprises a dynamically heated chamber (1); a reactor (4), wherein an outlet of the dynamically heated chamber is coupled to a reactor inlet; an isotope ratio spectrometer (6), wherein an outlet of the reactor is coupled to a spectrometer inlet; such that a gas flow path is provided from the dynamically heated chamber to the isotope ratio spectrometer; wherein the apparatus includes at least one selective gas trap (3,5) in the gas flow path, the gas trap being configured to selectively and reversibly trap one or more gases present in the gas flow in use.

A water quality analyzer includes a combustion tube (2) for burning a liquid sample inside, a sample injector (6; 8) that executes sample injection operation into the combustion tube (2), a pressure sensor (28) that detects pressure inside the combustion tube (2), a temperature sensor (38) that detects a temperature of the combustion tube (2), and a determination part (46) configured to determine whether the combustion tube (2) and/or the sample injector (6; 8) is normal or abnormal based on an output of the pressure sensor (28) and an output of the temperature sensor (38) immediately after the sample injection operation by the sample injector (6; 8) is executed.

In order to remove dust attached to a filter member 40 to surely clean the filter member 40, an analysis apparatus 100 includes: a sample containing part 10 that contains a sample; the filter member 40 through which gas produced from the sample heated in the sample containing part 10 passes; and a gas flow path L1 adapted to lead the gas having passed through the filter member 40 to an analyzer. In addition, the filter member 40 is formed in a tubular shape, and in one end part of the filter member 40, a gas lead-out port 40a connecting to the gas flow path L1 is formed. Further, it is configured that the gas passes through a side wall part 42 of the filter member 40 from outside to inside, and flows from the gas lead-out port 40a to the gas flow path L1.

In order to remove dust attached to a filter member 40 to surely clean the filter member 40, an analysis apparatus 100 includes: a sample containing part 10 that contains a sample; the filter member 40 through which gas produced from the sample heated in the sample containing part 10 passes; and a gas flow path L1 adapted to lead the gas having passed through the filter member 40 to an analyzer. In addition, the filter member 40 is formed in a tubular shape, and in one end part of the filter member 40, a gas lead-out port 40a connecting to the gas flow path L1 is formed. Further, it is configured that the gas passes through a side wall part 42 of the filter member 40 from outside to inside, and flows from the gas lead-out port 40a to the gas flow path L1.

A device and method for headspace sampling is disclosed herein. The headspace sampling device comprises a sample holding device configured to be sealed in a vial. The sample holding device has a pair of electrodes gap spaced from one another and a basket extending between the electrodes configured to hold a sample. The basket is configured to heat a sample held therewith and volatize at least a portion of the sample upon an electrical current being passed through the electrodes and the basket.

Measurement arrangement for determining a constituent substance or quality parameter of water by thermal decomposition in a reaction module, delivery of the reaction product to a detector in a carrier gas flow, and evaluation of a detector signal for deriving a value of the constituent substance or quality parameter, wherein the reaction module is a vessel of vertical orientation during operation having an internal resistance heating or infrared heating, and has a head section into which the sample is introduced, a reaction zone, where the thermal decomposition is performed, as well as a foot section, from which the reaction product is output in the carrier gas flow, wherein the head section of the reaction module has an injection port for temporarily introducing an injection needle or permanently supporting a small supply tube, which injection port comprises an O-ring which is internally spring-loaded by a silicon padding or an inserted spring.

Measurement arrangement for determining a constituent substance or quality parameter of water by thermal decomposition in a reaction module, delivery of the reaction product to a detector in a carrier gas flow, and evaluation of a detector signal for deriving a value of the constituent substance or quality parameter, wherein the reaction module is a vessel of vertical orientation during operation having an internal resistance heating or infrared heating, and has a head section into which the sample is introduced, a reaction zone, where the thermal decomposition is performed, as well as a foot section, from which the reaction product is output in the carrier gas flow, wherein the head section of the reaction module has an injection port for temporarily introducing an injection needle or permanently supporting a small supply tube, which injection port comprises an O-ring which is internally spring-loaded by a silicon padding or an inserted spring.

The present invention relates generally to the generation of steam via the use of a combustion process to produce heat and, in one embodiment, to a device, system and/or method that enables one to control one or more process parameters of a combustion process so as to yield at least one desirable change in at least one downstream parameter. In one embodiment, the present invention is directed to a system and/or method for controlling at least one process parameter of a combustion process so as to yield at least one desirable change in at least one downstream process parameter associated with one or more of a wet flue gas desulfurization (WFGD) unit, a particulate collection device and/or control of additives thereto and/or a nitrogen oxide control device and/or control of additives thereto and/or additives to the system.

With a water, particulate and fibre mixture, a method of quantifying fibre content may include providing a sample of the mixture, filtering the sample to produce a particulate and fibre mixture, burning the particulate and fibre mixture to produce a fibre sample, and dissolving the fibre sample to produce a fibre solution. The fibre solution may be analyzed to determine an elemental content of the fibre solution. The elemental content may be compared to a known elemental content to estimate the fibre content.