Apparatus and methods for identifying and quantifying compounds using a plurality of pulsed rare gas photoionization detectors

摘要

A pulsed discharge photoinoization detector is set forth which comprises a plurality of closed chambers for receiving different types of carrier gas flowing there through between inlets and outlets. The carrier gases are exposed to a pair of electrodes forming a spark across each chamber and through each carrier gas. At least one component of each type of carrier gas is excited within each chamber by the spark discharges, and the resonance energies of each type of carrier gas are different. The sample to be analyzed is split and a portion is injected into each of the closed chambers where it is exposed to the excited carrier gases. Carrier gases, upon decay, serve as sources of ionizing radiation of differing energy which react with compounds within the sample gas producing ionization currents which are a function of the types of sample gas compounds and the types of carrier gases. Ionization currents are measured in each detector chamber simultaneously and are used to uniquely identify unknown compounds within the sample gas.