Apparatus using radioactive particles for measuring gas temperatures

Claim 2

Apparatus for producing a signal indicative of the temperature of a heated gas, comprising: a beta particle emitter; means including a beta particle detector for generating a first signal indicative of the attenuation of the beta particles in a body of gas located between said emitter and said detector; pressure transducer means for generating a second signal indicative of the pressure on the body of gas; and means having as inputs said first and second signals for producing a third signal indicative of the average temperature of said gas along a path between said emitter and said detector.

Claim 3

The signal producing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the beta particle emitter is selected from the group consisting of nickel 63; carbon 14; promethium 147; krypton 85; thallium 204; phosphorous 32; strontium, yttrium 90; and ruthenium, rhodium 106.

Claim 4

The signal producing apparatus of claim 2, wherein the beta particle emitter is krypton 85.

Claim 5

The signal producing apparatus of claim 1, wherein said detector is disposed at a location removed from said body of gas and including means for conducting beta particles from said body of gas to said detector and means for preventing foreign matter from being deposited on said beta particle emitter and on the conducting means.

Claim 6

The signal producing apparatus of claim 1, together with means for cooling said detector to thereby keep it from being overheated.

Claim 7

Apparatus for producing a signal indicative of the temperature of a heated gas, comprising a beta particle source; a detector disposed in spaced relationship to and aligned with said source, said detector being designed to generate an output signal each time a beta particle impinges thereon, whereby the detector output signals constitute a count of the particles striking the detectoR; pulse discriminator means for separating signals indicative of noise from those generated by said detector; means for converting the detector output signals to a varying voltage signal indicative of the detector count rate; means for converting the count rate signal to one which is indicative of the density of a body of gas located between said source and said detector; transducer means for generating a signal indicative of the pressure on said body of gas; and means for dividing said pressure signal by said density signal to thereby produce a signal indicative of the average temperature of said body of gas along a path between the beta particle source and the detector.

Claim 8

Apparatus for producing a signal indicative of the temperature of a heated gas, comprising a beta particle source; a detector disposed in spaced relationship to and aligned with said source, said detector being designed to generate an output signal each time a beta particle impinges thereon, whereby the detector output signals constitute a count of the particles striking the detectoR; pulse discriminator means for separating signals indicative of noise from those generated by said detector; means for converting the detector output signals to a varying voltage signal indicative of the detector count rate; means for converting the count rate signal to one which is indicative of the density of a body of gas located between said source and said detector; transducer means for generating a signal indicative of the pressure on said body of gas; and means for dividing said pressure signal by said density signal to thereby produce a signal indicative of the average temperature of said body of gas along a path between the beta particle source and the detector.

Claim 9

The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the means for converting the particle count signals to the varying voltage count rate signal is incorporated in said detector.

Claim 10

The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the means for converting the varying voltage count rate signal to the density signal comprises means for converting said count rate signal to a signal indicative of the logarithm of the count rate; means for generating a reference signal indicative of the logarithm of the count rate of the particles emitted from the beta particle source at a selected temperature and pressure in a given gas or gas mixture and means for subtracting the logarithmic detector count rate signal from the logarithmic reference signal count rate at the selected temperature and pressure and in the same gas or gas mixture.

Claim 11

The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the means for generating the reference signal comprises means for generating a signal having the value J10 where J10 Jae S where Ja is the detector generated count rate at a selected temperature To, a selected pressure Po, and a selected gas density Rho o, Alpha is an effective attenuation constant for the beta particle source, and S is the distance through of the body of gas to be monitored, which is traversed by the beta particles.

Claim 12

The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the means for converting the varying voltage count rate signal to the density signal comprises means for converting said count rate signal to a signal indicative of the logarithm of the count rate; means for generating a signal indicative of the logarithm of the count rate in vacuo of the particles emitted from the beta particle source; and means for subtracting the logarithmic detector count rate signal from the logarithmic in vacuo count rate signal.

Claim 13

The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the means for dividing the pressure signal by the density signal is means for performing the operation K1P Divided by (K2 - log J) where

Claim 14

The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the means for dividing the pressure signal by the density signal is means for performing the operation K1P Divided by K2 + log C'' - log J where:

Claim 15

The apparatus of claim 6, together with means connected to said signal dividing means and activatable by the output signal therefrom to produce a digital readout indicative of the average temperature of the gases between the beta particle source and the beta particle detector.

Claim 16

The apparatus of claim 6, together with means connected to said signal dividing means and activatable by the output signal therefrom to provide a visual display of transients in the temperature of the gas between the beta particle source and the beta particle detector.

Claim 17

Apparatus for producing a signal indicative of the average temperature of a heated gas, comprising: a beta particle emitter; means including a beta particle detector disposed in spaced relation to and aligned with said emitter for generating a first signal indicative of the attenuation of the particles emitted from said beta particle emitter in a body of gas located between said emitter and said detector; means for generating a second signal indicative of the pressure on said gas; and means having as inputs said first and second signals for producing a signal which is indicative of the average temperature of the gas along a path between the beta particle emitter and the beta particle detector and has a magnitude determined by the algebraic fraction

Claim 18

Apparatus for producing a signal indicative of the average temperature of a heated gas, comprising: a beta particle emitter; means including a beta particle detector disposed in spaced relation to and aligned with said emitter for generating a first signal indicative of the attenuation of the particles emitted from said beta particle emitter in a body of gas located between said emitter and said detector; means for generating a second signal indicative of the pressure on said gas; and means having as inputs said first and second signals for producing a signal which is indicative of the average temperature of the gas along a path between the beta particle emitter and the beta particle detector and has a magnitude determined by the algebraic fraction

Claim 19

The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the spatial relation between the beta particle emitter and the beta particle detector with respect to the body of gas therebetween is such that 0.40 < Alpha Delta Rho S < 3.60, where Delta Rho is the change in density of the gases subjected to temperature measurement along the path traversed by the beta particles between the beta particle emitter and the beta particle detector, and S is the distance over which Delta Rho changes from the density of the gases at a standard temperature and pressure.

Claim 20

The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the signal producing means is capable of generating a signal having a magnitude determined by an algebraic expression as aforesaid, but also having in the denominator thereof the expression + log C where C is a constant which compensates for the polychromatic character of the beta particles emitted from the beta particle emitter.

Claim 21

The apparatus of claim 17, wherein C 1.1 + or - 25 percent of 1.1.

Claim 22

The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the signal producing means is capable of generating a signal having a magnitude determined by an algebraic expression as aforesaid, but also having in the denominator thereof the expression + log C'' where C'' is a constant which compensates for the attenuating effect of gases other than that subjected to temperature measurement on the particles emitted from the beta particle emitter.

Claim 23

The apparatus of claim 19, where 0.9 < or = C'' < or = 1.0.

Claim 24

The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the signal producing means is capable of generating a signal having a magnitude determined by an algebraic expression as aforesaid, but also having in the denominator thereof the expression log C + log C'' where C'' is a constant which compensates for the attenuating effect of gases other than that subjected to temperature measurement on the particles emitted from the beta particle emitter, and C is a constant which compensates for the polychromatic character of the beta particles emitted from the beta particle emitter.

Claim 25

The apparatus of claim 21, where 0.9 < or = C'' < or = 1.0.

Claim 26

Apparatus for producing a signal indicative of the average temperature of a heated gas, comprising: a beta particle emitter; means including a beta particle detector disposed in spaced relation to and aligned with said emitter for generating a first signal indicative of the attenuation of the particles emitted from said beta particle emitter in a body of gas located between said emitter and said detector; means for generating a second signal indicative of the pressure on said gas; and means having as inputs said first and second signals for producing a signal which is indicative of the average temperature of the gas along a path between the beta particle emitter and the beta particle detector and has a magnitude determined by the algebraic fraction

Claim 27

Apparatus for producing a signal indicative of the average temperature of a heated gas, comprising: a beta particle emitter; means including a beta particle detector disposed in spaced relation to and aligned with said emitter for generating a first signal indicative of the attenuation of the particles emitted from said beta particle emitter in a body of gas located between said emitter and said detector; means for generating a second signal indicative of the pressure on said gas; and means having as inputs said first and second signals for producing a signal which is indicative of the average temperature of the gas along a path between the beta particle emitter and the beta particle detector and has a magnitude determined by the algebraic fraction

Claim 28

The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the spatial relation between the beta particle emitter and the beta particle detector with respect to the body of gas therethrough is such that 0.40 < Alpha Rho S < 3.60, where Delta Rho is the change in density of the gases subjected to temperature measurement along the path traversed by the beta particles between the beta particles emitter and the beta particle detector, and S is the distance over which Delta Rho changes from the density of the gases at a standard temperature and pressure.

Claim 29

The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the signal producing means is capable of generating a signal having a magnitude determined by an algebraic expression as aforesaid, but also having in the denominator thereof the expression +1nC where C is a constant which compensates for the polychromatic character of the beta particles emitted from the beta particle emitter.

Claim 30

The apparatus of claim 25, wherein C 1.1 + or - 25 percent of 1.1.

Claim 31

The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the signal producing means is capable of generating a signal having a magnitude determined by an algebraic expression as aforesaid, but also having in the denominator thereof the expression +1nC'' where C'' is a constant which compensates for the attenuating effect of gases other than that subjected to tempeRature measurement on the particles emitted from the beta particle emitter.

Claim 32

The apparatus of claim 27, where 0.9 < or = C'' < or = 1.0.

Claim 33

The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the signal producing means is capable of generating a signal having a magnitude determined by an algebraic expression as aforesaid, but also having in the denominator thereof the expression 1nC + 1nC'' where C'' is a constant which compensates for the attenuating effect of gases other than that subjected to temperature measurement on the particles emitted from the beta particle emitter, and C is a constant which compensates for the polychromatic character of the beta particles emitted from the beta particle emitter.

Claim 34

The apparatus of claim 29, where 0.9 < or = C'' < or = 1.0.

Claim 35

The apparatus of claim 30, where C 1.1 + or - 25 percent of 1.1.

Claim 36

The apparatus of claim 29, where C 1.1 + or - 25 percent of 1.1.

Claim 37

Apparatus for producing a signal indicative of the average temperature of a heated gas, comprising: a beta particle emitter; means including a beta particle detector disposed in spaced relation to and aligned with said emitter for generating a first signal indicative of the attenuation of the particles emitted from said beta particle emitter in a body of gas located between said emitter and said detector; means for generating a second signal indicative of the pressure on said gas; and means having as inputs said first and second signals for producing a signal which is indicative of the average temperature of the gas along a path between the beta particle emitter and the beta particle detector and has a magnitude determined by the algebraic fraction

Claim 38

Apparatus for producing a signal indicative of the average temperature of a heated gas, comprising: a beta particle emitter; means including a beta particle detector disposed in spaced relation to and aligned with said emitter for generating a first signal indicative of the attenuation of the particles emitted from said beta particle emitter in a body of gas located between said emitter and said detector; means for generating a second signal indicative of the pressure on said gas; and means having as inputs said first and second signals for producing a signal which is indicative of the average temperature of the gas along a path between the beta particle emitter and the beta particle detector and has a magnitude determined by the algebraic fraction

Claim 39

The apparatus of claim 33, wherein the signal producing means is capable of generating a signal having a magnitude determined by an algebraic expression as aforesaid, but also having in the denominator thereof the expression +1nC where C is a constant which compensates for the polychromatic character of the beta particles emitted from the beta particle emitter.

Claim 40

The apparatus of claim 34, wherein C 1.1 + or - 25 percent of 1.1.

Claim 41

The apparatus of claim 32, wherein the signal producing means is capable of generating a signal having a magnitude determined by an algebraic expression as aforesaid, but also having in the denominator thereof the expression +1nC'' where C'' is a constant which compensates for the attenuating effect of gases other than that subjected to temperature measurement on the particles emitted from the beta particle emitter.

Claim 42

The apparatus of claim 36, where 0.9 < or = C'' < or = 1.0.

Claim 43

The apparatus of claim 33, wherein the signal producing means is capable of generating a signal having a magnitude determined by an algebraic expression as aforesaid, but also having in the denominator thereof the expression 1nC + 1nC'' where C'' is a constant which compensates for the attenuating effect of gases other than that subjected to temperature measurement on the particles emitted from the beta particle emitter, and C is a constant which compensates for the polychromatic character of the beta particles emitted from the beta particle emitter.

Claim 44

The apparatus of claim 38, Where 0.9 < or = C'' < or = 1.0.

Claim 45

The apparatus of claim 38, where C 1.1 + or - 25 percent of 1.1.

Claim 46

The apparatus of claim 33, wherein the spatial relation between the beta particle emitter and the beta particle detector with respect to the body of gas therebetween is such that 0.40 < Alpha Delta Rho S < 3.60, where Delta Rho is the change in density of the gases subjected to temperature measurement along the path traversed by the beta particles between the beta particle emitter and the beta particle detector, and S is the distance over which Delta Rho changes from the density of the gases at a standard temperature and pressure.