GAS MEASURING DEVICE AND METHOD FOR MEASURING CYANOGEN IN THE PRESENCE OF HYDROGEN CYANIDE

Abstract

A gas measuring device (100) measures cyanogen in the presence of hydrogen cyanide. The gas measuring device (100) includes a measuring chamber (101), a heating element (103, 203) and an electrochemical sensor (105, 200). The measuring chamber (101) is configured to receive a sample. The heating element (103) is configured to thermally decompose cyanogen contained in the sample into decomposition products. The sensor (105, 200) is configured to detect the decomposition products of cyanogen, which are obtained by the thermal decomposition. A process measures cyanogen in the presence of hydrogen cyanide.

Claims

1. A gas measuring device for measuring cyanogen in the presence of hydrogen cyanide, the gas measuring device comprising: a measuring chamber; a heating element; an electrochemical sensor, wherein the measuring chamber is configured to receive a sample, wherein the heating element is configured to thermally decompose cyanogen contained in the sample into decomposition products, wherein the sensor is configured to detect the decomposition products of the cyanogen, which are obtained by the thermal decomposition; and a surface, which acts as a catalyst during the thermal decomposition of cyanogen, wherein the surface comprises at least one material from the following list of materials: platinum, palladium, ruthenium, rhodium, iridium, and osmium.

2. A gas measuring device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the heating element is configured to decompose cyanogen contained in the sample at least partially into nitrogen oxides, and the sensor is configured to detect nitrogen oxides.

3. A gas measuring device in accordance with claim 1, further comprising: a computing unit configured to calculate a concentration of hydrogen cyanide contained in the sample based on measured values determined by the sensor; or a computing unit wherein the sensor is configured to detect hydrogen cyanide and the computing unit is configured to calculate a concentration of hydrogen cyanide contained in the sample based on measured values determined by the sensor during a first time period before a thermal decomposition of the sample by the heating element and a concentration of cyanogen contained in the sample based on measured values determined by the sensor during a second time period after a thermal decomposition of the sample by the heating element.

4. A gas measuring device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the sensor and the heating element are combined into an integrated component and the heating element is configured to heat a surface of the integrated component.

5. A gas measuring device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the heating element or a combination of the heating element and the surface is configured to decompose cyanogen contained in the sample into nitrogen oxide or to hydrogen cyanide.

6. A gas measuring device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the measuring chamber comprises a filter unit that is permeable to cyanogen and is impermeable to hydrogen cyanide.

7. A gas measuring device in accordance with claim 1, further comprising a pump for introducing the sample into the measuring chamber.

8. A gas measuring device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the sensor or the heating element or the sensor and the heating element comprises a pellistor bead.

9. A gas measuring device in accordance with claim 1, further comprising an auxiliary sensor, wherein the sensor is configured to detect nitrogen oxides and the auxiliary sensor is configured to detect hydrogen cyanide.

10. A process for measuring cyanogen in the presence of hydrogen cyanide, wherein the process comprises: providing a gas measuring device, comprising a measuring chamber configured to receive a sample, a heating element configured to thermally decompose cyanogen contained in the sample into decomposition products, an electrochemical sensor configured to detect the decomposition products of the cyanogen, which are obtained by the thermal decomposition, and a surface configured to act as a catalyst during the thermal decomposition of cyanogen, the surface comprising at least one material from the group comprising platinum, palladium, ruthenium, rhodium, iridium, and osmium; feeding of a sample into the measuring chamber of the gas measuring device; thermally decomposing cyanogen present in the sample by means of the heating element of the gas measuring device; and detecting of decomposition products of the cyanogen, which are generated by the thermal decomposition, by means of the sensor of the gas measuring device.

11. A process in accordance with claim 10, further comprising detecting hydrogen cyanide.

12. A process in accordance with claim 11, wherein the hydrogen cyanide is detected by means of the sensor and comprises: a first detection step chronologically before the thermal decomposition and a second detection step chronologically after the thermal decomposition.

13. A gas measuring device for measuring an indication of cyanogen in a sample, the gas measuring device comprising: a measuring chamber configured to receive the sample; a heating element operatively disposed relative to the measuring chamber and configured to thermally decompose cyanogen contained in the sample into decomposition products; a catalytic surface operatively disposed relative to the measuring chamber and configured to act as a catalyst during thermal decomposition of cyanogen, the catalytic surface comprising a material selected from the group consisting of platinum, palladium, ruthenium, rhodium, iridium, and osmium; and an electrochemical sensor operatively disposed relative to the measuring chamber and configured to detect one or more decomposition products of the cyanogen, which are obtained by the thermal decomposition.

14. A gas measuring device in accordance with claim 13, further comprising a computing unit configured to determine an indication of a concentration of cyanogen based on measured values of decomposition products determined by the sensor.

15. A gas measuring device in accordance with claim 14, wherein: the heating element or a combination of the heating element and the catalytic surface is configured to decompose cyanogen contained in the sample into nitrogen oxide or at least partially into nitrogen oxides or into hydrogen cyanide; and the sensor is configured to detect nitrogen oxide, or nitrogen oxides, or hydrogen cyanide.

16. A gas measuring device in accordance with claim 15, wherein the computing unit is configured to calculate a concentration of hydrogen cyanide contained in the sample based on measured values determined by the sensor.

17. A gas measuring device in accordance with claim 15, wherein: the sensor is configured to detect hydrogen cyanide; and the computing unit is configured to calculate a concentration of hydrogen cyanide contained in the sample based on measured values determined by the sensor during a first time period prior to a thermal decomposition of the sample by the heating element and calculate a concentration of cyanogen contained in the sample based on measured values determined by the sensor during a second time period subsequent to the thermal decomposition of the sample by the heating element.

18. A gas measuring device in accordance with claim 14, wherein: the sensor and the heating element are comprised by an integrated component; the catalytic surface is comprised by a surface of the integrated component; and the heating element is configured to heat the surface of the integrated component.

19. A gas measuring device in accordance with claim 14, further comprising an auxiliary sensor, wherein the sensor is configured to detect nitrogen oxides and the auxiliary sensor is configured to detect hydrogen cyanide.

20. A gas measuring device in accordance with claim 14, wherein the measuring chamber comprises a filter unit that is permeable to cyanogen and is impermeable to hydrogen cyanide.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0042] In the drawings:

[0043] FIG. 1 is a schematic view of an embodiment of the gas measuring device according to the present invention;

[0044] FIG. 2 is a schematic view of another embodiment of the sensor provided according to the present invention; and

[0045] FIG. 3 is a flow diagram showing a course of a process according to the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0046] Referring to the drawings, FIG. 1 shows a gas measuring device 100. The gas measuring device 100 comprises a measuring chamber 101, a heating element 103 and an electrochemical sensor 105.

[0047] To measure a concentration of cyanogen in the presence of hydrogen cyanide, a sample present in the measuring chamber 101 is heated by means of the heating element 103 and is, as a result, thermally decomposed. The decomposition products formed by the thermal decomposition are detected by means of the sensor 105. A concentration of cyanogen in the sample can be inferred, for example, with the use of an optional computing unit 107 on the basis of measured values determined by the sensor 105.

[0048] As an alternative, measured values determined by the sensor 105 can be used directly to display a concentration of cyanogen in the sample. The sensor 105 may be connected to this end, for example, to an output unit 109, for example, to a display and/or to a speaker.

[0049] Provisions may be made for the computing unit 107 to be configured to output a warning by means of the output unit 109 when a concentration of cyanogen or hydrogen cyanide present in a particular sample is above a predefined threshold value.

[0050] The gas measuring device 100 is a mobile or portable gas measuring device with a power source in this case, so that the gas measuring device can be used “in the field.”

[0051] In order to minimize the energy demand for a thermal decomposition of cyanogen molecules in the sample and to control a decomposition process into selected decomposition products, for example, nitrogen oxides or hydrogen cyanide, a catalytic surface 111 may be arranged in the chamber 101, especially at the heating element 103.

[0052] FIG. 2 shows a sensor 200. The sensor 200 is an integrated component and comprises a measuring electrode 201, a heating element 203 and a catalytic surface 205 in the form of a pellistor bead, which encloses the heating element 203 and is configured as an integral component of the heating element 203. Thermal energy generated by the heating element 203 is correspondingly transferred to the catalytic surface 205.

[0053] As soon as a cyanogen molecule comes into contact with the catalytic surface 205, the cyanogen molecule is decomposed thermally into, for example, nitrogen dioxide and carbon dioxide based on the thermal energy introduced into the catalytic surface 205 and based on the catalytic properties of the catalytic surface 205.

[0054] The sensor 200 is configured specifically for the detection of nitrogen dioxide and it correspondingly determines a measured value as a function of a measured concentration of nitrogen dioxide. The determined measured value is correspondingly proportional to a concentration of cyanogen and makes it possible to assess whether a cyanogen concentration in an environment is above or below a predefined threshold value.

[0055] FIG. 3 shows a process 300. The process 300 comprises a provision step 301 for the provision of a possible embodiment of the gas measuring device being proposed, a feed step 303 for feeding a sample into the measuring chamber of the gas measuring device, a decomposition step for the thermal decomposition of cyanogen present in the sample by means of the heating element of the gas measuring device, and a detection step 305 for the detection of decomposition products of the cyanogen, which are generated by the decomposition step, by means of the sensor of the gas measuring device.

[0056] While specific embodiments of the invention have been shown and described in detail to illustrate the application of the principles of the invention, it will be understood that the invention may be embodied otherwise without departing from such principles.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

[0057] 100 Gas measuring device [0058] 101 Measuring chamber [0059] 103 Heating element [0060] 105 Sensor [0061] 107 Computing unit [0062] 109 Output unit [0063] 111 Catalytic surface [0064] 200 Sensor [0065] 201 Measuring electrode [0066] 203 Heating element [0067] 205 Catalytic surface [0068] 300 Process [0069] 301 Provision step [0070] 303 Feed step [0071] 305 Detection step