GAS IMPURITY DETECTION PROCESS Russian patent published in 2008 - IPC G01N27/66 

FIELD: physics.

SUBSTANCE: invention concerns impurity indicators for gas medium, primarily to leakage detectors. Gas impurity detection process is based on change of current flowing in the medium. For that purpose a cell consisting of metal anode and cathode with voltage applied between them is placed into the analysed medium. The cell is irradiated by vacuum UV radiation, that knocks photoelectrons out of the cathode surface and ionises impurity gas, which adds medium conductivity. The voltage applied to inter-electrode gap generates a flow of free electrons in that gap, as well as positive and negative ions left from photoionisation of the gas and from electron attachment to the electronegative gas. Change in the gas content causes change in electric current between the electrodes. Sensitivity of the process can be adjusted by such parameters as voltage in the gap between electrodes, distance between lamp aperture and irradiated cathode surface, lamp frequency content.

EFFECT: obtaining of information on changes in a gas medium and impurity source.

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