JP2003106961A - Environmental condition measuring device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To facilitate measurement by an environmental condition measuring device. SOLUTION: The measuring device detects and measures a particular substance from air sampled from an area under surveillance. A sampling pipe introducing the air is provided on the measuring device and a cooling part using a solid cooling element is formed on the sampling pipe.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a measuring device for detecting environmental conditions such as pollution, gas leakage, and fire by measuring specified components in the atmosphere of a monitored area.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 5-128382.
As shown in the gazette, it is shown that a fire is detected as one of environmental conditions by sampling the atmosphere of a monitored area and analyzing the air by a mass spectrometer to detect a specified substance. ing.

[0003]

However, when using the above-mentioned measuring device, since air is simply introduced,
It may take time in terms of concentration until the substance specified by the measuring device can be detected. When measuring a specific substance in an extremely low concentration range, such as environmental pollution, it is necessary to devise a device, and it tends to be expensive and difficult to handle.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to facilitate the measurement by the environmental condition measuring device without difficulty.

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is a measuring device for detecting and measuring a specific substance from the air sampled from a monitoring area, the measuring device including a sampling pipe for introducing the air. It is characterized in that a cooling section using a solid cooling element is formed in the sampling tube.

The solid cooling element can be heated conversely, and the solvent may be sprayed in front of the cooling part of the sampling tube.

Further, the measuring device uses a mass spectrometer,
In particular, the mass spectrometer is one which is ionized by the electrospray method.

[0008]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION A first embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. FIG. 1 is a block diagram schematically showing the entire environmental condition measuring apparatus using the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a block diagram schematically showing the mass spectrometer of FIG.

In FIG. 1, 1 is a sampling tube, 2 is a cooling unit, 3 is a mass spectrometer, and 4 is a solvent spraying unit, which comprises a concentration controller 41 and a barrel tip 43 for spraying a mixed solvent of methanol / water. And an injector 42. A hygrometer 44 is used for adjusting the concentration adjuster 41.

Although the mass spectrometer 3'is a case where the position of the mass spectrometer 3 is changed as another embodiment, there is no problem in providing both of them depending on the purpose.

The cooling unit 2 is constructed by using a Peltier element 21 as a solid cooling element, and the cooled solvent is introduced into the mass spectrometer 3 from the hole 22 through the introduction pipe 23. ing. Here, the Peltier device 21
Is a type in which two kinds of metals having different properties are connected to each other, and when a current is passed through this, a Peltier effect occurs in which one endotherm is absorbed and the other end is heated. The Peltier element 21 uses a compound such as bismuth, antimony or tellurium as a metal material. Note that these metal materials are usually fixed with hard ceramics on the top and bottom, but in recent years, easy-to-handle elements that are fixed with a flexible material such as plastic are also used, and the name "fristor element" is also used.

Since such a Peltier element 21 has a substantially flat plate shape, it can be used in a space-saving manner when it is installed in a pipe line without taking up any space.

Further, since the Peltier element 21 as described above also has a heat generating function as described above, even when the substance is fixed to the hole 22 for flowing the solvent to the introduction pipe 23, it is regularly heated and diffused. Therefore, clogging can be prevented.

Although not shown in detail, the mass spectrometer 3 is composed of an ionization section, a mass separation section, and an ion detection section,
For measurement, it is first ionized in the ionization part, but as the ionization method, it is possible to use a so-called soft ionization method such as atmospheric pressure ionization method using β ray from radioactive metal, electrospray method ejected to high electric field. Even a substance having a molecular weight can be detected while suppressing fragmentation. Subsequent to such ionization, detection is performed by a detector via the quadrupole mass separation unit. FIG. 2 schematically shows the configuration of the mass spectrometer 3 by the electrospray method. The solvent introduced from the introduction tube 23 of FIG. 1 is discharged from the thin tube 31 to which a high voltage is applied, and droplets are formed. Molecules that have been ionized as and passed through the slit 32 are separated according to the mass number when passing through the separation unit 33, and are detected by the detector 34.

When the atmosphere is introduced into the sampling tube 1 from one room of the condominium, so-called VOC (volatile organic substance) is a cause of problems such as sick house, and formaldehyde and the like are discharged from the cylinder tip 43 as a solvent (methanol). / Water) and is collected by the solvent trapped in the cooling unit 2. This solvent is introduced into the mass spectrometer 3,
VO of formaldehyde etc. by the above method
C will be detected. Here, as VOC,
Benzene, toluene, xylene, etc. will be detected if they are generated from building materials in the sampling source room. In this way, as a countermeasure for sick houses, indoor V
It is used as an environmental condition measuring device for measuring OC.

If a burning odor is present in the sampled atmosphere, riboglucosan or the like is collected in the solvent and measured by the mass spectrometer 3 as in the case of VOC. A fire alarm can be issued based on the detected amount of riboglucosan. Similarly, when the mass spectrometer 3 detects ethane or propane, a gas leak alarm can be issued.

As another embodiment, it is possible to directly introduce a sampled atmosphere into such a mass spectrometer 3 ', and in that case, from the tip of the thin tube 31 in the mass spectrometer 3'. The atmosphere is spouted directly. When measuring a relatively stable gas molecule that is not trapped in the cooling unit 2, for example, a substance having a low boiling point or a substance that is insoluble in a solvent, the atmosphere cooled in the cooling unit 2 is measured by a mass spectrometer 3 ′.
Introduced into, makes it easier to measure. At the same time, by cooling without spraying the solvent, it becomes possible to separate water, and only gas molecules can be introduced into the mass spectrometer 3.

As described above, the present invention is a measuring device for detecting and measuring a specific substance from the air sampled from a monitoring area, the measuring device including a sampling pipe for introducing the air, Since the cooling part using the solid cooling element is formed in the sampling tube, there is an effect that the solvent and the measurement substance are easily collected and the measurement can be efficiently performed.

Further, the solid cooling element can be heated conversely, and it is possible to prevent the clogging of the hole in the introduction tube by heating and dissipating the adhered matter, and in front of the cooling part of the sampling tube. Alternatively, the solvent can be sprayed to collect the suspended matter.

Further, the measuring device uses a mass spectrometer,
In particular, the mass spectrometer is one that is ionized by the electrospray method, and even a polymer can be measured as it is.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a system configuration diagram of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic configuration diagram showing the mass spectrometer of FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

2 Cooling unit 21 Peltier element 3, 3'mass spectrometer

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A measuring device for detecting and measuring a specific substance from air sampled from a monitoring area, the measuring device comprising a sampling pipe for introducing the air, wherein the sampling pipe is provided with a solid cooling element. An environmental condition measuring device characterized by forming a cooling unit to be used. 2. The environmental condition measuring device according to claim 1, wherein the solid cooling element can be heated conversely. 3. The environmental condition measuring device according to claim 1, wherein the solvent is sprayed in front of the cooling part of the sampling tube. 4. The environmental condition measuring device according to claim 1, wherein the measuring device uses a mass spectrometer. 5. The environmental condition measuring device according to claim 4, wherein the mass spectrometer is ionized by an electrospray method.