Appeal No. 2000-1983
Application No. 08/990,038
The invention is directed to a high-efficiency wetted
surface cyclonic air sampler. The sampler is used to strip a
target material from the ambient air and concentrate it in a
stripping liquid within the air sampler. The stripping liquid is
then delivered to any suitable detection apparatus for the target
material.
Independent claim 1 is reproduced as follows:
1. An air sampler; wherein said air sampler is adapted to
strip a target material from an air flow with a stripping liquid;
wherein said air sampler comprises:
a main body means comprising a main body, a main body inner
surface and a main body air chamber; wherein said main body inner
surface defines said main body air chamber; wherein said main
body air chamber is located within said main body;
wherein said air sampler further comprises an air inlet
means for permitting said air flow to enter said main body air
chamber; an air outlet means for permitting said air flow to exit
said main body air chamber; a liquid inlet means for permitting
said stripping liquid to enter said main body air chamber; a
liquid outlet means for permitting said stripping liquid to exit
said main body air chamber; and
wherein, during operation of said air sampler, said main
body means is for forming said air flow from said air inlet means
into a main body air vortex within said main body air chamber,
wherein said main body air vortex has a velocity with respect to
a stripping portion of said main body inner surface that is
selected to enable said main body air vortex to urge said
stripping liquid from said liquid inlet means to form a thin
liquid film on said stripping portion of said main body inner
surface, wherein said thin liquid film strips a film-stripped
part of said target material from said main body air vortex, and
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