CA1282257C - Apparatus used to detect noxious substances in air that is supplied toaccommodations in which individuals stay - Google Patents

Apparatus used to detect noxious substances in air that is supplied toaccommodations in which individuals stay

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Publication number
CA1282257C
CA1282257C CA000507198A CA507198A CA1282257C CA 1282257 C CA1282257 C CA 1282257C CA 000507198 A CA000507198 A CA 000507198A CA 507198 A CA507198 A CA 507198A CA 1282257 C CA1282257 C CA 1282257C
Authority
CA
Canada
Prior art keywords
air
housing
pulsator
detection device
sensor
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
CA000507198A
Other languages
French (fr)
Inventor
Heinz Holter
Heinrich Igelbuscher
Heinrich Gresch
Heribert Dewert
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Individual
Original Assignee
Individual
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Priority claimed from DE19853514588 external-priority patent/DE3514588A1/en
Priority claimed from DE19853518320 external-priority patent/DE3518320A1/en
Priority claimed from DE19853522834 external-priority patent/DE3522834A1/en
Priority claimed from DE19863604340 external-priority patent/DE3604340A1/en
Application filed by Individual filed Critical Individual
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of CA1282257C publication Critical patent/CA1282257C/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • BPERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60HARRANGEMENTS OF HEATING, COOLING, VENTILATING OR OTHER AIR-TREATING DEVICES SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR PASSENGER OR GOODS SPACES OF VEHICLES
    • B60H3/00Other air-treating devices
    • B60H3/06Filtering
    • GPHYSICS
    • G01MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01NINVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
    • G01N33/00Investigating or analysing materials by specific methods not covered by groups G01N1/00 - G01N31/00
    • G01N33/0004Gaseous mixtures, e.g. polluted air
    • G01N33/0009General constructional details of gas analysers, e.g. portable test equipment
    • G01N33/0011Sample conditioning
    • G01N33/0016Sample conditioning by regulating a physical variable, e.g. pressure or temperature
    • BPERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60HARRANGEMENTS OF HEATING, COOLING, VENTILATING OR OTHER AIR-TREATING DEVICES SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR PASSENGER OR GOODS SPACES OF VEHICLES
    • B60H3/00Other air-treating devices
    • B60H3/06Filtering
    • B60H2003/0683Filtering the quality of the filter or the air being checked

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • Analytical Chemistry (AREA)
  • Food Science & Technology (AREA)
  • Medicinal Chemistry (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
  • Biochemistry (AREA)
  • General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Immunology (AREA)
  • Pathology (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Air-Conditioning For Vehicles (AREA)

Abstract

ABSTRACT
The present invention relates to an apparatus used to detect noxious substances in air that is supplied to accommodation used for personnel, preferably the cab of a motor vehicle, by the use of one or a plurality of sensors, and to indicate and/or control and/or regulate filter systems and/or ventilation systems, depending on the value or values provided by the sensor or sensors.
In order to create an apparatus of the type described, which is economical and requires little maintenance, takes up little space when installed, which responds to all the usual contminants present in the air, and which ensures that a reliable warning of these is given, the present invention proposes that the sensor be located within a housing, the incident side of said sensor being preceded by a measurement port within said housing, said measure-ment port opening out into an air chamber of the housing, a pulsator being arranged within this air chamber, one or a plural-ity of air inlet ports opening into the cylinder space of said air chamber that is remote from the sensor. The pulsator is form-ed by a piston that is coupled to an oscillator. An air condition-ing apparatus is provided within the air chamber, preferably as a heating apparatus.

Description

1~ 8~ 7 24004-38 The present invention relates to an apparatus used to detect noxious substances in air that is supplied to accommodation used for personnel, preferably the cab of a motor vehicle, by the use of one or a plurality of sensors, and to indicate and/or control and/or regulate filter systems and/or ventilation systems, depending on the value or values provided by the sensor or sensors.
In order to remove noxious substances that are contained in the air that is supplied to accommodation for personnel it is first necessary to identify these in order that signals and/or manipulated variables can be generated so that filtering processes and/or ventilation systems can be activated or shut down.
It has already been proposed that analytical devices be provided in order to detect noxious substances in the air; however, such devices are comparatively costly from the points of view of acquisition and operation, quite apart from the fact that they can only determine individual components of noxious substances.
Semiconductor-based sensors can also be used for this ., - 1 - ~

1'~82Z57 purpose, ~nd generally speaking these fulfill the demand that they respond to the usual contaminants present in the air. However, relative to their response sensitivity, the operating range of such sensors lies significantly above the concentration levels of many noxious substances which can be tolerated by humans.
Furthermore, semiconductor-based sensors are sensitive to temper-ature variations and different flow velocities of the air flows that are to be monitored. In addition, the response times of such sensors--particularly in the range of low concentrations--and their decontamination times are too high to permit them to be used, for example, to control filter systems and/or ventilation systems in a motor-vehicle cab.
Proceeding from this prior art, it is the object of the present invention to create an apparatus that is economical and requires little maintenance, that requires little installation space, and that responds to all normally encountered contaminants in the air and provides a reliable warning of these.
The present invention provides a device for the detection of noxious substances in air being supplied to a compartment occupied by people, said detection device comprising:
a housing centered on an upright axis and adapted to be traversed by an air flow to be analyzed; a first air chamber formed in said ; housing; a second air chamber formed in said housing upstream of ; said first chamber, said second chamber being cylindrical and centered on said axis; a sensor disposed in said first chamber;
a measuring slot formed in a wall of said housing separating said " ~ , ~X822~i7 first and second chambers, said measuring slot being upstream of said sensor and in registration therewith for directing said air flow against said sensor; a pulsator disposed in said second chamber for controlling said air flow through said housing to insure a constant air flushing of said sensor; at least one air inlet formed in said housing and opening into said second chamber upstream of said pulsator for the admission of air into said second chamber; and at least one first air outlet formed in said housing at one end thereof and opening into said first chamber downstream of said sensor for venting said air flow from said first chamber.
It is advantageous that one or a plurality of air outlet ports open out from the cylinder space of the air chamber which is proximate to the sensor, so that a well-blended and constant flow of air acts on the sensor.
In the vicinity of the departure side of the sensor there are air outlet channels in the wall of the housing; the portion of the air that enters the housing and acts on the sensor can flow out through these.
The pulsator is formed from a piston that is coupled to an oscillator, it being advantageous that this oscillator form the end of the housing which is remote from the sensor, which results in a very compact unit.
According to a further feature of the present invention, the piston generates resistance to flow that differs depending on the direction of flow. If the piston is caused to oscillate, this :

, ~

82~57 genera~es a directional flow that is directed towards the sensor.
To this end, the piston has a saw-tooth profile on its exterior such that the wider areas are oriented towards the sensor. Thus oscillation of the piston generates a previously selected ' , ~;~8'~2~i7 flow of air, and at the same time ensures that the air that is to be monitored is drawn into the housing./
The air inlet ports and the air outlet ports are so configured as to be of assymetrical flow cross-section.
These ports widen out, for example, from the air chamber to the outside, in the manner of diffusors. This ensures that during pulsation of the air caused by the pulsator, sufficient air to ensure that the sensor is adequately washed enters the housing./
It is advantageous that the air be conditioned within the air chamber, this being done, for example, by an air heater. This is located in the air chamber, in the area between the pulsator and the measurement port. This conditioning ensures an even temperature of the air that is directed to the sensor so that this sensor is acted upon within its optimal response range. Thus, the sensor provides a signal that is as far as possible independent of temperature. In this way, the characteristic curve of the sensor is so linearized in the lower range of operation that warnings of noxious substances can be yenerated even in the lower range of concentrations./
According to a further feature of the present invention, a heater is associated with the pulsator. It is advantageous that this be located in the wall of the housing and/or in the area between the wall of the housing and the 1~82257 pulsator and/or on the outside of the pulsator. This supplementary heating apparatus, in the form of a heating element wire, for example, means that there is additional heating of the air that is to be monitored, even in the area of the oscillator, which has proved to be most advantageous for operation during the winter months./
According to a further feature of the present invention, the sensor is arranged within a pressure-resistant housing in which preconditioned air is directed to the sensor under pressure, so that even the slightest traces of odorous substances can be detected by the sensor for measurement and used to generate an indication and/or a controlling pulse./
According to a further feature of the invention the column of air ahead of the incident side of the sensor is caused to oscillate, such oscillation being at a high frequency. The oscillating column of air that acts on the incident side of the sensor leads to a comparatively rapid "washing off" of the quantity of noxious substance on the incident side of the sensor, and thus to a considerable increase in decontamination times, whereby any influence by the outer housing is precluded by the external flow./
Within the framework of the present invention it is also possible to heat the incident side of the sensor, so as to ensure the most constant temperature conditions possible./

`

, ' .

~8Z2S7 An exe~plary version of the present invention will be described in greater detail below, on the basis of the drawings appended hereto. These drawings show the following:
Figure 1: a cross-section view of the apparatus;
Figure 2: a section of Figure l, showing part of the pulsator, this being at enlarged scale.
Reference number 1 indicates a sensor that is situated in an air chamber ll formed in a housing 2. Within the housing 2, a measurement slot 9 is formed in wall 12 facing the oncoming flow of air within the housing. The measurement slot 9 opens into the air chamber 5 of the housing 2. Within this air chamber 5 there is a pulsator 7. The air inlet openings 3 open into the cylinder area of the air chamber 5 upstream from pulsator 7. The air outlet openings 4 open out from the cylinder area of the air chamber 5 downstream from pulsator 7. In the area downstream of the sensor l there is an air channel 6 in the end face of the housing.
The pulsator 7 forms a piston that is connected to an oscillator 8. The oscillator 8 forms the end of the housing which is remote from the sensor l. It is preferable that a non-magnetic oscillator be used as the oscillator 8.
The upper or outlet end of the housing 2 is provided with a cap 13, which defines with the housing 2 the air chamber ll, the cap 13 having a skirt 14 spaced from the housing body and extending downwardly to overlie the openings 4 for preventing air from the airstream being tested from entering the openings 4.

,, . ..
. , ~.~

As can be seen in particular from Figure 2, the piston that serves as the pulsator 7 is of a saw-tooth profile on its exterior, the wider sections of which are oriented in the direction of the sensor 1. The direction of oscillation of the pulsator 7 is shown in Figure 2 by the double arrow, whilst the single arrows indicate the air flow that passes to the sensor 1.
The air inlet openings 3 and the air outlet openings 4 widen out from the air chamber 5 to the exterior of the housing, in the manner of diffusors.
Within the air chamber 5, the air is conditioned at 10, between the pulsator 7 and the measurement port 9.

. . .

~ .

. ~

lZ822S~

The pulsator 7 can be provided with a heating apparatus, for example, in the form of a heater coil, and this can be installed in the adjacent walls of the housing 2, between the walls of the housing and the pulsator 7 or even on the outside of the pulsator, in the vicinity of the saw-tooth profile; this heater has been omitted from the drawings in the interests of greater clarity.

Claims (18)

1. A device for the detection of noxious substances in air being supplied to a compartment occupied by people, said detection device comprising:
a housing centered on an upright axis and adapted to be traversed by an air flow to be analyzed;
a first air chamber formed in said housing;
a second air chamber formed in said housing upstream of said first chamber, said second chamber being cylindrical and centered on said axis;
a sensor disposed in said first chamber;
a measuring slot formed in a wall of said housing separating said first and second chambers, said measuring slot being upstream of said sensor and in registration therewith for directing said air flow against said sensor;
a pulsator disposed in said second chamber for controlling said air flow through said housing to insure a constant air flushing of said sensor;
at least one air inlet formed in said housing and opening into said second chamber upstream of said pulsator for the admission of air into said second chamber; and at least one first air outlet formed in said housing at one end thereof and opening into said first chamber downstream of said sensor for venting said air flow from said first chamber.
2. The detection device defined in claim 1 further comprising at least one second air outlet formed in said housing and opening into said second chamber downstream of said pulsator for venting a portion of said air flow from said second chamber to provide a uniform and constant air flow to said sensor.
3. The detection device defined in claim 1 further comprising an oscillator coupled with said pulsator, said pulsator forming a piston driven by said oscillator for producing an air flow directed at said measuring slot.
4. The detection device defined in claim 3 wherein said oscillator forms another end of said housing opposite from said one end.
5. The detection device defined in claim 3 wherein said piston has different flow resistances in different flow directions.
6. The detection device defined in claim 3 wherein said piston is circular and centered on said upright axis, said piston having a saw tooth outline with peaks thereof lying in alignment in the axial direction.
7. The detection device defined in claim 2 wherein said air inlet and second air outlet are noncylindrical.
.
8. The detection device defined in claim 7 wherein said air inlet and said second air outlet widen outwardly to form respective diffusers.
9. The detection device defined in claim 1 further comprising an air conditioning device disposed in said second chamber between said pulsator and said measuring slot.
10. The detection device defined in claim 9 wherein said air conditioning device is a heating device.
11. The detection device defined in claim 1 further comprising a heating device for said pulsator.
12. The detection device defined in claim 11 wherein said heating device for said pulsator is disposed in a wall of said housing adjacent said pulsator.
13. The detection device defined in claim 11 wherein said heating device for said pulsator is disposed between a wall of said housing and said pulsator.
14. The detection device defined in claim 11 wherein said heating device for said pulsator is disposed on said pulsator.
15. The detection device defined in claim 9 wherein said housing is pressure-proof, whereby a preconditioned quantity of air can be fed to said sensor in a compressed state.
16. The detection device defined in claim 3 wherein said air flow forms a column which is caused to vibrate by said piston driven by said oscillator, preferably at a high frequency, in front of the side of said sensor against which said air flow is directed.
17. The detection device defined in claim l wherein the side of said sensor against which said air flow is directed is heated.
18. The detection device defined in claim 2 further comprising a skirt provided on said housing overlying said second air outlet and spaced therefrom for preventing air from an airstream being tested from entering said second air outlet.
CA000507198A 1985-04-23 1986-04-22 Apparatus used to detect noxious substances in air that is supplied toaccommodations in which individuals stay Expired - Lifetime CA1282257C (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (8)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
DE19853514588 DE3514588A1 (en) 1985-04-23 1985-04-23 Housing for sensors, preferably for use in protective cabins in motor vehicles with controlled and temperature-controlled air flow
DEP3514588.9 1985-04-23
DEP3518320.9 1985-05-22
DE19853518320 DE3518320A1 (en) 1985-05-22 1985-05-22 Sensor with heated piston pump
DE19853522834 DE3522834A1 (en) 1985-06-26 1985-06-26 Sensor for sensing odours
DEP3522834.2 1985-06-26
DE19863604340 DE3604340A1 (en) 1986-02-12 1986-02-12 Oscillating-vane pump with a sensor cell
DEP3604340.0 1986-02-12

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
CA1282257C true CA1282257C (en) 1991-04-02

Family

ID=27433346

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
CA000507198A Expired - Lifetime CA1282257C (en) 1985-04-23 1986-04-22 Apparatus used to detect noxious substances in air that is supplied toaccommodations in which individuals stay

Country Status (5)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0221971B1 (en)
BR (1) BR8606641A (en)
CA (1) CA1282257C (en)
DE (1) DE3665044D1 (en)
WO (1) WO1986006331A1 (en)

Family Cites Families (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2899282A (en) * 1954-11-19 1959-08-11 Means for measuring the contents of a combustible
JPS5934525B2 (en) * 1980-06-17 1984-08-23 株式会社デンソー Automotive air conditioning control device
DE3100681A1 (en) * 1981-01-12 1982-08-12 Erhard Dipl.-Ing.agr. 8000 München Grolitsch Process for supplying the human organism with air free of harmful substances and containing sufficient oxygen
DE3304324C3 (en) * 1983-02-09 1996-08-14 Bayerische Motoren Werke Ag Method for controlling a ventilation device for the interior of a motor vehicle and device for carrying out this method
EP0160010B1 (en) * 1983-10-11 1987-12-16 Hölter, Heinz, Dipl.-Ing. Device for purifying of polluted air
CH667739A5 (en) * 1984-04-04 1988-10-31 Cerberus Ag METHOD AND DEVICE FOR DETECTING REDUCING GASES IN A GAS MIXTURE.
CH668648A5 (en) * 1984-04-04 1989-01-13 Cerberus Ag METHOD AND DEVICE FOR DETECTING REDUCING GASES IN A GAS MIXTURE.

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
EP0221971B1 (en) 1989-08-16
WO1986006331A1 (en) 1986-11-06
BR8606641A (en) 1987-08-04
EP0221971A1 (en) 1987-05-20
DE3665044D1 (en) 1989-09-21

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