Water vapor differential minimization systems and methods for gas exchange measurements of aqueous or water saturated samples
Inventors
Hupp, Jason • Johnson, Mark • Eckles, Bob • Lynch, Douglas
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-11761893-B2
Publication Date
2023-09-19
Expiration Date
Abstract
Systems and method for minimizing the impact of water vapor or other interferent analyte on analyte concentration measurements in a gas exchange measurement system. A system is includes a gas source, first and second gas analyzers coupled to first and second gas flow lines and configured to measure first and second concentrations of a target analyte in the first and second gas flow lines, respectively, a sample chamber configured to hold a water saturable sample, and a water vapor selective element and having a first and second inputs fluidly coupling the gas source to first and second sides, respectively, of the water vapor selective element, and at least one output fluidly coupling the first side of the water vapor selective element to the first and second gas flow lines and a second output coupling the second side of the water vapor selective element to the second gas flow line.
Core Innovation
The invention relates to gas analysis systems and methods for measuring a concentration of a target analyte in a gas using at least one gas analyzer coupled to a first gas flow line and a second gas flow line. The system includes a sample chamber configured to hold a water saturable sample or aqueous sample and a filter component configured to interface the sample chamber with both gas flow lines through a water vapor selective element. The filter component has inputs that couple the gas source to a first side of the water vapor selective element and couple the output of the sample chamber to a second side of the water vapor selective element, and has outputs that couple the first side and second side to the first and second gas flow lines, respectively.
The water vapor selective element separates portions and allows water or water vapor to pass across the element from the second portion to the first portion, while thereby making the water vapor concentration in gas measured in the first gas flow line substantially the same as in the second gas flow line. In the system, the gas in the first and second gas flow lines is received from respective outputs of the water vapor selective element, and the analyzers measure first and second concentrations of the target analyte in those gas streams. A concentration of the target analyte is then determined based on the first and second concentration values, while maintaining substantially matched water vapor concentrations between the two flow lines.
The water vapor selective element is specified as a membrane, including a Nafion membrane. A control sub-system may control at least one gas analyzer for real-time measurements, and a flow swapping mechanism may alternately couple the gas analyzer to the first and second gas flow lines so the analyzer measures the first and second target-analyte concentrations in a time-interleaved manner. The sample chamber can hold a sample containing photosynthesis capable material, a respiratory material, or a metabolically active material, substance, or organism, including where the sample is capable of generating a second analyte and the target analyte.
Claims Coverage
The document includes three independent claims. Across them, the core coverage focuses on gas analysis systems and methods using first and second gas flow lines with at least one gas analyzer, a sample chamber, and a filter component with a water vapor selective element arranged so water vapor concentrations are substantially the same between the flow lines, with additional refinements covering membrane selectivity, target/second analyte identities, control or time-interleaved measurement, and sample content constraints.
Gas analysis system with water vapor selective element coupling two gas flow lines
A gas analysis system having a gas source providing a flow of a gas; at least one gas analyzer coupled to a first gas flow line to measure a first concentration of a target analyte and coupled to a second gas flow line to measure a second concentration of the target analyte; a sample chamber configured to hold a water saturable sample or aqueous sample; and a filter component including a water vapor selective element with a first input coupling the gas source to a first side of the water vapor selective element, a second input coupling an output of the sample chamber to a second side of the water vapor selective element, and outputs coupling the first side to the first gas flow line and to the second gas flow line and coupling the second side to the second gas flow line.
Method of measuring target analyte with substantially same water vapor concentrations in two gas flow lines
A method of measuring a concentration of a target analyte in a gas in a gas analysis system with at least one gas analyzer, a sample chamber configured to hold a water saturable sample or aqueous sample, and a filter component including a water vapor selective element that separates a first portion from a second portion and allows substantially only water or water vapor to pass across the element from the second portion to the first portion, where the filter component has a first input coupling a gas source to the first portion, a second input coupling an output of the sample chamber to the second portion, and at least one output coupling the first portion to a first gas flow line and to the second gas flow line and a second output coupling the second portion to the second gas flow line; the method provides a flow through the filter component to the first and second gas flow lines, measures a first concentration value and a second concentration value of the target analyte in the respective gas flow lines using the at least one gas analyzer, and determines a concentration of the target analyte based on the first and second concentration values, whereby a water vapor concentration in the first gas flow line is substantially the same as a water vapor concentration in the second gas flow line.
Gas analysis system preventing target analyte passage while allowing second analyte passage across membrane
A gas analysis system having a gas source providing a flow of a gas; at least one gas analyzer coupled to a first gas flow line to measure a first concentration of a target analyte and coupled to a second gas flow line to measure a second concentration of the target analyte; a sample chamber configured to hold a sample capable of generating a second analyte and the target analyte; and a filter component including a filter element with a first input coupling the gas source to a first side of the filter element, a second input coupling an output of the sample chamber to a second side of the filter element, and at least one output coupling the first side of the filter element to the first gas flow line and to the second gas flow line and a second output coupling the second side of the filter element to the second gas flow line, wherein the filter element is configured to allow the second analyte to pass from the second side of the membrane to the first side of the membrane and prevent passage of the target analyte from the second side of the membrane to the first side of the membrane.
The independent claims collectively cover gas analysis systems and methods that measure a target analyte using gas from first and second gas flow lines, while employing a filter component with a water vapor selective element arranged so water vapor concentrations between the two measured streams are substantially the same. The coverage further includes membrane selectivity, analyte-directional passage concepts, and optional refinements such as real-time control and time-interleaved measurement, as well as constraints on sample contents and analyte species.
Stated Advantages
Water vapor concentration in the first gas flow line measured by the at least one gas analyzer is substantially the same as a water vapor concentration of the gas in the second gas flow line measured by the at least one gas analyzer.
Allows measurement while using a water vapor selective element to minimize water-vapor-related differential error for target analytes.
Documented Applications
Gas exchange measurements of water-saturable or aqueous samples, including samples holding photosynthesis capable material, respiratory material, or metabolically active material, substance, or organism.
Respiratory and photosynthesis-capable measurements using open flow through gas exchange system architectures.
Use in gas analysis systems configured for measuring target analytes such as CO2, CH4, O2 and isotopes.
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