Portable air sampler
Inventors
KOCHER, Nathan G. • VELLUTATO, JR., Arthur L. • Churchvara, Jeffrey • Phillips, Mark A.
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-12209937-B2
Publication Date
2025-01-28
Expiration Date
Abstract
An air sampling device and method of sampling air. The device has a housing body and a retaining assembly for a sampling device. A plenum has a top end coupled to the housing body about an opening such that the plenum is in flow communication with the opening and receives air flow generally from the top end to the bottom end generally along the longitudinal length thereof. A flow connection is coupled to the bottom end of the plenum. A mass flow meter has an input coupled to the flow connection and is in flow communication with the plenum via the flow connection. A blower is configured to draw air past the sampling device, through the opening, and through the plenum, such that a measuring portion of the air flows through the flow connection and through the mass flow meter, which measured the flow rate of the measuring portion.
Core Innovation
An air sampling device for sampling air in a controlled environment is disclosed with a housing body having a top with an opening and a side, the housing body configured to retain a sampling device at the top about the opening. A plenum is provided having a longitudinal housing with an open top end and an open bottom end, the open top end coupled to the top of the housing body about the opening so that the longitudinal axis of the plenum is substantially coaxial with the opening and the plenum is in flow communication with the opening.
The disclosed device uses a mass flow meter having an input and an output, with the input coupled to the open bottom end of the longitudinal housing so that the mass flow meter is in direct flow communication with the plenum. A blower is disposed inside of the longitudinal housing and configured to draw air past the sampling device, through the opening, through the plenum, and through the mass flow meter, thereby allowing the air to move down longitudinally in the plenum.
The disclosed device further includes control using a processing device that receives a detected flow rate from the mass flow meter and controls a speed of the blower in response to the detected flow rate, including closed-loop blower speed control to maintain a desired flow rate. Electronics are described as residing in the lower chamber, and the processing device can also perform optional remote monitoring/network communication and USB event logging of event history including sampling, calibration, and administrative events.
Claims Coverage
The document identifies two independent claims and multiple dependent refinements. Across the independent claims, there are three inventive features covering coaxial plenum flow communication with a mass flow meter, a blower path that draws air through the opening and plenum, and a partitioned upper/lower chamber housing where a processing device controls blower speed based on a detected flow rate.
Coaxial plenum flow communication with mass flow meter
A housing body having a top with an opening and a side configured to retain a sampling device at the top about the opening; a plenum with a longitudinal housing having an open top end and an open bottom end, the open top end coupled to the top about the opening such that a longitudinal axis of the plenum is substantially coaxial with the opening and the plenum is in flow communication with the opening; and a mass flow meter having an input and an output with the input coupled to the open bottom end such that the mass flow meter is in direct flow communication with the plenum.
Blower draws air through opening, plenum, and mass flow meter
A blower disposed inside of the longitudinal housing of the plenum and configured to draw air past the sampling device, through the opening, through the plenum, and through the mass flow meter, thereby allowing the air to move down longitudinally in the plenum.
Partitioned upper/lower chambers with processing device controlling blower
A housing body having an upper chamber and a lower chamber; a partition in the housing body dividing the upper chamber and the lower chamber to prevent air flow between the upper chamber and the lower chamber; an opening at a top of the upper chamber; a retaining member at the top of the upper chamber about the opening; a mass flow meter located inside the upper chamber; a blower located inside the upper chamber and configured to draw air past the sampling device, through the opening, and through the mass flow meter; and a processing device located inside the lower chamber configured to receive a detected flow rate from the mass flow meter and control a speed of the blower in response to the detected flow rate.
Overall claim coverage emphasizes an air sampling device in a controlled environment that channels air from a top opening through a plenum and into a mass flow meter using an internal blower, and that uses a processing device to control blower speed based on a detected flow rate, with structural features including coaxial flow communication and an upper/lower chamber partition.
Stated Advantages
Allows the air to move down longitudinally in the plenum.
Closed-loop control maintains a desired flow rate using detected flow rate and blower speed control.
Provides remote monitoring/network communication and USB event logging of event history including sampling, calibration, and administrative events.
Provides ventilation/exhaust routing that can discharge air remotely to a location outside the clean environment.
Documented Applications
Sampling air in a controlled environment.
Remote discharge of exhaust/ventilation air to a location outside a clean environment.
Remote monitoring and event logging for sampling, calibration, and administrative events.
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