Preconcentrator and Detector Apparatus

摘要

IMS apparatus has a preconcentrator (20) connected at the inlet (2) of an IMS detector (1) such that all gas supplied to the detector flows through the preconcentrator. The preconcentrator comprises a metal tube (21) having a layer of silicone rubber (24) exposed on its inner surface (25). An electrical resistance heating element (22) extends under the silicone rubber layer (24) and is connected to a power source (23) such that the silicone rubber layer can be periodically heated to desorb substances absorbed by the layer and release them to flow to the IMS detector 1 at a higher concentration. The silicone rubber (24) can operate in the desorption phase in the presence of air without degradation.