Gas exchange transient buffering systems and methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11719679-B2
Application number	US-202117198879-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 11, 2021
Priority date	Mar 20, 2020
Publication date	Aug 8, 2023
Grant date	Aug 8, 2023

Abstract

Gas exchange analysis methods and systems utilize a water vapor buffering component including a material configured to buffer water vapor in a flow of a gas, whereby fluctuations in the water vapor content in the flow of the gas are slowed for components downstream from the water vapor buffering component. Components downstream of the water vapor buffering component may include: a first water vapor sensor configured to receive the flow of the gas from the water vapor buffering component and configured to measure a first concentration of water vapor in the gas; a sample chamber configured to receive the gas exiting the water vapor buffering component or the first water vapor sensor and to hold a sample capable of adding or removing water vapor from the gas; and a second water vapor sensor configured to measure a second concentration of water vapor in the gas exiting the sample chamber.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A gas exchange analysis system, the system comprising:
a first water vapor sensor configured to receive a flow of a gas from a first gas flow line and configured to measure a first concentration of water vapor in the gas received from the first gas flow line;
a sample chamber configured to hold a sample capable of adding or removing water from the gas and configured to receive the gas exiting the first water vapor sensor or receive the flow of the gas from the first gas flow line;
a second water vapor sensor configured to measure a second concentration of water vapor in the gas exiting the sample chamber; and
a component in the first gas flow line before the first water vapor sensor and before the sample chamber, the component including an amount of a material, wherein the material absorbs water in the presence of a positive water concentration gradient and desorbs water in the presence of a negative water concentration gradient to thereby control a rate of fluctuations in water vapor content propagated in the flow of the gas to the first water vapor sensor and to the sample chamber from the component in the gas exchange system.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the material includes a Nafion structure.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the structure is selected from the group consisting of a bead, a tube and a flat membrane.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the material includes one or a plurality of Nafion beads.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the gas exchange analysis system is a leaf porometer.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the sample includes a photosynthesis and/or transpiration capable material.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first water vapor sensor includes one of a capacitive sensor, a resistive sensor, a thermal-conductivity-based sensor, an optical absorption gas analyzer, or a laser-based gas analyzer and wherein the second water vapor sensor includes one of a capacitive sensor, a resistive sensor, a thermal-conductivity-based sensor, an optical absorption gas analyzer, or a laser-based gas analyzer.

8. A method of reducing fluctuations of water content provided to a sample chamber in a gas exchange measurement system, the method comprising:
providing an incoming airstream having a variable water vapor content;
reducing water vapor content fluctuations in the incoming airstream using a component including a material that absorbs or desorbs water in the presence of a water concentration gradient, wherein the material absorbs water in the presence of a positive water concentration gradient and desorbs water in the presence of a negative water concentration gradient to thereby control a rate of fluctuations in the variable water vapor content in the incoming airstream propagated to a sample chamber downstream from the component in the gas exchange measurement system, wherein the sample chamber is configured to hold a sample capable of adding or removing water from the airstream.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the component includes a Nafion material.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the Nafion material has a structure selected from the group consisting of a bead, a tube and a membrane.

11. The method of claim 9 , further including adjusting an amount of surface area of the Nafion material exposed to the incoming airstream.

12. The method of claim 8 , wherein the component includes one or a plurality of Nafion beads.

13. The method of claim 8 , wherein the gas exchange system includes a first water vapor sensor configured to measure a first concentration value of water vapor in the airstream entering the sample chamber, and
a second water vapor sensor configured to measure a second concentration value of water vapor in the airstream exiting the sample chamber.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the first water vapor sensor includes one of a capacitive sensor, a resistive sensor, a thermal-conductivity-based sensor, an optical absorption gas analyzer, or a laser-based gas analyzer and wherein the second water vapor sensor includes one of a capacitive sensor, a resistive sensor, a thermal-conductivity-based sensor, an optical absorption gas analyzer, or a laser-based gas analyzer.

15. The method of claim 13 , further comprising continuously measuring the first water vapor concentration with the first water vapor sensor and continuously measuring the second water vapor concentration with the second water vapor sensor as the airstream continuously flows through or by the component, the first water vapor sensor, the sample chamber and the second water vapor sensor.

16. The method of claim 13 , wherein the first water vapor sensor is arranged in parallel with the sample chamber.

17. The method of claim 8 , wherein the first water vapor sensor is configured to measure a first concentration value of water vapor in the airstream exiting the component, and wherein the other components downstream of the component include at least:
the sample chamber, configured to receive the airstream exiting the component and to hold a sample capable of adding or removing water from the airstream, and
a second water vapor sensor configured to measure a second concentration value of water vapor in the airstream exiting the sample chamber.

18. The system of claim 8 , wherein the first water vapor sensor receives the flow of gas from the component in parallel with the sample chamber receiving gas from the component.

19. A gas exchange analysis system, the system comprising:
a component including an amount of a material that absorbs or desorbs water in the presence of a water concentration gradient, wherein the material absorbs water in the presence of a positive water concentration gradient and desorbs water in the presence of a negative water concentration gradient to thereby control a rate of fluctuations in the water vapor content in the flow of the gas propagated to components downstream from the component in the gas exchange system, wherein the components downstream of the component include:
a first water vapor sensor configured to receive the flow of the gas from the component and configured to measure a first concentration of water vapor in the gas;
a sample chamber configured to hold a sample capable of adding or removing water vapor from the gas entering the sample chamber, and configured to 1) receive the gas exiting the first water vapor sensor, or 2) receive the flow of the gas from the component; and
a second water vapor sensor configured to measure a second concentration of water vapor in the gas exiting the sample chamber.

20. The system of claim 19 , wherein the material includes a Nafion structure.

21. The system of claim 20 , wherein the structure is selected from the group consisting of a bead, a tube and a membrane.

22. The system of claim 19 , wherein the material includes one or a plurality of Nafion beads.

Assignees

• Li Cor Inc

Inventors

• Johnson Mark A
• Eckles Robert D
• Lynch Douglas J
• Mccoy Johnathan I E
• Hupp Jason

Classifications

• G01N33/0098 Primary

  Plants or trees (wood G01N33/46) · CPC title