DEVICE FOR CHEMILUMINESCENCE ANALYSIS

Abstract

A device for chemiluminescence analysis includes: a reaction chamber; a first inlet opening for introducing a sample gas into the reaction chamber via a first supply line; a second inlet opening for introducing a reaction gas into the reaction chamber via a second supply line; an outlet opening for discharging a mixture of the sample gas and the reaction gas out of the reaction chamber via an outlet line; a mixer unit in which the sample gas and the reaction gas are mixed; and a sensor unit for detecting chemiluminescent radiation in the reaction chamber, wherein the mixer unit is arranged in a first end region of the reaction chamber, and the sensor unit is arranged in a second end region of the reaction chamber opposite the first end region. An elemental analyzer including the device is also disclosed.

Claims

1-15. (canceled)

16. A device for chemiluminescence analysis, the device comprising: a reaction chamber having a first end region and a second end region opposite the first end region; a first inlet opening adapted to enable introducing a sample gas into the reactor chamber via a first supply line; a second inlet opening adapted to enable introducing a reaction gas into the reactor chamber via a second supply line, an outlet opening adapted to enable discharging a mixture of the sample gas and the reaction gas from the reactor chamber via an outlet line; a mixer unit configured to facilitate mixing of the sample gas and the reaction gas, the mixer unit arranged in the first end region of the reactor chamber; and a sensor unit configured to detect chemiluminescence radiation in the reactor chamber, the sensor unit arranged in the second end region of the reactor chamber.

17. The device of claim 16, wherein the sensor unit includes an image intensifier.

18. The device of claim 16, wherein the mixer unit includes a plurality of alternating first and second inlet openings configured to introduce the sample gas and the reaction gas into the reactor chamber, wherein the plurality of first inlet openings are each fluidically connected to the first supply line, and the plurality of second inlet openings are each fluidically connected to the second supply line.

19. The device of claim 18, wherein the mixer unit comprises a low-temperature cofired ceramic.

20. The device of claim 16, further comprising a temperature control unit configured and/or arranged to control a temperature of the sample gas and/or a temperature of the reaction gas before either is supplied to the mixer unit and/or introduced into the reactor chamber.

21. The device of claim 16, further comprising a reflection unit disposed in the first end region of the reactor chamber.

22. The device of claim 16, wherein the reactor chamber comprises a reflective material, or is at least partially coated with a reflective material on an area of an inner wall of the reactor chamber.

23. The device of claim 16, wherein the reactor chamber comprises a window in the second end region, and wherein the sensor unit is arranged outside the reactor chamber in a region about the window.

24. The device of claim 23, wherein the outlet opening is adapted to be annular and is fluidically connected to the outlet line, and wherein the outlet opening is arranged around the window.

25. The device of claim 23, further comprising an optical element configured to couple the chemiluminescence radiation into the sensor unit, wherein the optical element is arranged between the window and the sensor unit.

26. The device of claim 25, wherein the optical element is a converging lens or a total reflection element.

27. The device of claim 25, wherein an immersion medium is arranged between the optical element and a sensor of the sensor unit.

28. The device of claim 16, wherein the outlet opening is adapted to be annular and is fluidically connected to the outlet line, and wherein the outlet opening is disposed in the second end region.

29. The device of claim 16, wherein the reactor chamber is configured as a hollow cylinder.

30. The device of claim 16, wherein a diameter of the reactor chamber is greater than a diameter of the sensor unit.

31. An elemental analyzer for elemental analysis of a sample, the elemental analyzer comprising a device according to claim 16.

32. The elemental analyzer of claim 31, wherein the device is configured to analyze total nitrogen in a sample, nitrogen oxide, or nitrogen dioxide.

Description

[0026] The invention and its advantageous embodiments are explained in further detail using the following Figure.

[0027] FIG. 1 shows an advantageous embodiment for a device 1 according to the invention. The device 1 has a lower base plate 2 and an upper base plate 3 which may respectively be designed in the form of a ceramic plate, for example. The first base plate 2 is located in a first end region E1 of the device, and the second base plate 3 is located in a second end region E2 of the device 1. A spacer 4 is arranged between the two base plates 2, 3. For the shown embodiment, the reactor chamber 6 is formed in the shape of a through-hole through the spacer 4.

[0028] The gaseous reactants, the sample gas, and the reaction gas are introduced into the reactor chamber 6 via fluidic connections for a first 5a and a second supply line 5b, which are arranged in the region of the lower base plate 2. Optionally, a temperature control unit 7 can be provided by means of which the sample gas and/or the reaction gas can be controlled, especially, before the gas(es) arrive(s) in the reactor chamber 6. For the embodiment shown here, the temperature control unit 7 is arranged in the region of the lower base plate 2 by way of example and comprises a resistance element.

[0029] The reactants arrive in the reactor chamber 6 via the mixer unit 8. The mixer unit 8 is designed in the form of a spray head and comprises a plurality of first 9 and second inlet openings 10, which here are arranged alternating and are fluidically connected to the first 5a or second supply line 5b, respectively. By using the mixer unit 8, a uniform introduction of the reaction gas and the sample gas into the reactor chamber 6 can be ensured.

[0030] Upon contact, a spontaneous reaction of the sample gas and the reaction gas takes place, wherein chemiluminescence occurs. The intensity of this luminous phenomenon serves as a measure of the concentration of one of the reactants.

[0031] In order to increase the sensitivity of the measurement, it is expedient to direct as much light as possible to the sensor unit 11 arranged in the second end region E2. For this purpose, a reflection unit 12, for example in the form of a perforated mirror, is arranged as an optional component in the first end region E1. Likewise, the surfaces of the reactor chamber 6 may optionally be made of a reflective material or coated with a reflective material.

[0032] For the shown embodiment, the sensor unit 11 comprises an optical element 13 and a sensor 14, wherein an immersion medium 15 is arranged between the optical element 13 and the sensor 14, which reduces coupling losses at the interfaces between the sensor 14 and the optical element. The sensor 14 can, for example, be a photomultiplier or a photodiode. The optical element 13 is, for example, a converging lens.

[0033] The products, excess reactants, and carrier gases are discharged as exhaust gas out of the reactor chamber 6 via a second hole in the spacer, via a concentrically circling exhaust channel (m) in the upper plate. The fluidic and electrical connections can be executed in such a way that they are restricted to the lower plate 2.

[0034] The outlet opening 16 is likewise located in the second end region E2. For the embodiment shown here, it is designed to be annular and fluidically connected to the outlet line 17. Through the outlet opening 16, products, excess reactants, as well as carrier gases pass out of the reactor chamber 6 as exhaust gases via the outlet line 17. For the shown embodiment for a device 1 according to the invention, all fluidic and electrical connections are advantageously arranged in the region of the lower base plate 2 and are accordingly designed in such a way that they are restricted to the lower base plate 2. This greatly simplifies the design of the device 1.

[0035] It is to be noted that the present invention is by no means limited to the embodiment shown here. This is to be understood merely as an example. Other variants may comprise other embodiments mentioned in the description. Numerous further possible structures of the reaction chamber 6 are also conceivable and likewise fall within the scope of the present invention. A preferred application for a device 1 according to the invention consists of the use in an elemental analyzer, not separately shown here. A further preferred application is to provide a portable instrument for chemiluminescence analysis which is usable especially in the field of environmental analysis.

TABLE-US-00001 Reference Signs 1 Device 2 Lower base plate 3 Upper base plate 4 Spacer 5 a,b First, second supply line 6 Reactor chamber 7 Temperature control unit 8 Mixer unit 9 First inlet openings 10 Second inlet openings 11 Sensor unit 12 Reflection unit 13 Optical element 14 Sensor 15 Immersion medium 16 Outlet opening 17 Outlet line E1 First end region E2 Second end region