Method and Apparatus for the Continuous Emissions Monitoring of Toxic Airborne Metal

The DoD Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division has developed a portable apparatus for the continuous real-time measurement of airborne metals, comprising an isokinetic sampler, a sample line, a sampling interface device, a pump, and an inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES). A method for this device to measure airborne metals using a sampling interface device that accommodates the high, continuous sample collection flow-rates necessary for isokinetic sampling while at the same time permiting sample air to be introduced into the plasma at preferred moderate flow-rates. A method for field standardization of the ICP-AES has also been developed whereby a relationship between aqueous solutions of metals and their aerosol counterparts can be established. This allows the field use of the aqueous metal solutions to simulate a particular range of airborne metal concentrations.

Potential Commercial Uses

• Apparatus can be used for the continuous monitoring of airborne toxic emissions.
  
• Apparatus can be used to identify unknown toxic airborne metals.

Benefits

• Allows continuous, real-time measurement of airborne emissions.
  
• Establishes a comparison between aqueous solutions of metals to their aerosol counterparts.

Options for Commercialization

The DoD Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division is curently seeking industrial partners to further develop applications for the Active Control of the combustion process in a Compact Waste Incinerator. This technology is described in Patent #5596405 issued to Seltzer et al. Licensing options are available for the manufacture and distribution of this technology for specific and general applications.

Contact

DoD Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division
Navy Case Number: 76669
1 Administration Circle
Code 4BT100-D, MS 202D
China Lake, CA 93555-6100
Tel: (760) 939-1074 Fax: (760) 939-1210

http://www.nawcwpns.navy.mil/techtransfer/patents/0302.html

Keywords

Environmental, Medical, Waste, Incinerators, Combustion