Gas detector using a Golay cell

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9829428-B2
Application number	US-201715400554-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 6, 2017
Priority date	Oct 9, 2015
Publication date	Nov 28, 2017
Grant date	Nov 28, 2017

Abstract

Gas detector devices, systems, and methods using a Golay cell are described herein. One device includes a microphone having a front surface with a sound collecting aperture for receiving sound, a substrate, a gas cavity formed in the substrate such that the gas cavity is in gas communication with the sound collecting aperture and the front surface forms a side surface of the gas cavity, and a window abutting the substrate to form a side surface of the gas cavity.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A gas detector device, comprising:
a substrate;
a plurality of Golay cells formed on the substrate, wherein each Golay cell of the plurality of Golay cells comprises:
a microphone having a front surface with a sound collecting aperture for receiving sound;
a gas cavity formed in the substrate such that the gas cavity is in gas communication with the sound collecting aperture and the front surface forms a side surface of the gas cavity;
a gas in the gas cavity; and
a window abutting the substrate to form a side surface of the gas cavity.

2. The gas detector device of claim 1 , wherein a first gas in a first Golay cell of the plurality of Golay cells has a different composition than a second gas in a second Golay cell of the plurality of Golay cells.

3. The gas detector device of claim 1 , wherein a first gas in a first Golay cell of the plurality of Golay cells is the same as a composition of a second gas in a second Golay cell of the plurality of Golay cells.

4. The gas detector device of claim 1 , wherein a first gas in a first Golay cell of the plurality of Golay cells is a mixture of a plurality of gases.

5. The gas detector device of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of Golay cells are configured to sense a plurality of gases simultaneously.

6. The gas detector device of claim 1 , wherein the window is opaque to all light that is not within a particular range of wavelengths.

7. The gas detector device of claim 1 , wherein the gas cavity has only a particular set of gases therein.

8. The gas detector device of claim 1 , wherein the cavity is sealed such that ambient gas cannot enter the cavity once it is sealed.

9. A gas detection system, comprising:
at least one light source;
a plurality of Golay cells, wherein each Golay cell of the plurality of Golay cells comprises:
a microphone having front surface with a sound collecting aperture for receiving sound;
a substrate abutting the front surface of the microphone;
a gas cavity formed in the substrate such that the gas cavity is in gas communication with the aperture; and
a window abutting the substrate forming a side surface of the gas cavity,
wherein the light source is positioned to direct light toward the gas detector.

10. The gas detection system of claim 9 , wherein the at least one light source is configured to directed light to each of the plurality of Golay cells.

11. The gas detection system of claim 9 , wherein the at least one light source comprises a plurality of light sources corresponding to the plurality of Golay cells, and wherein each light source of the plurality of light sources is configured to direct light towards a corresponding Golay cell of the plurality of Golay cells.

12. The gas detection system of claim 9 , further comprising an optical generation chamber.

13. The gas detection system of claim 12 , wherein the light source is within the optical generation chamber.

14. The gas detection system of claim 12 , wherein the optical generation chamber is formed from at least one wall having a material that includes a gas permeable portion.

15. The gas detection system of claim 12 , wherein the optical generation chamber is formed by an interior surface and at least a portion of the surface is reflective.

16. The gas detection system of claim 12 , wherein the optical generation chamber is formed by an interior surface and the entire interior surface is reflective.

17. The gas detection system of claim 9 , wherein the light source generates infrared light and the window is transparent to the infrared light generated thereby allowing the light to pass through the window.

18. A method of detecting a gas, the method comprising:
directing a light source towards a gas cavity formed in a substrate;
passing radiation from the light source through a window abutting the substrate, wherein the window forms a side of the gas cavity;
absorbing the radiation from the light source with a gas disposed in the gas cavity;
generating an acoustic response to the absorbed radiation;
detecting the acoustic response with a microphone having a front surface with a sound collecting aperture in fluid communication with the gas cavity, wherein the front surface forms a side of the gas cavity
a window abutting the second surface of the substrate to seal the gas cavity.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the microphone and substrate are hermetically sealed together.

20. The method of claim 18 , wherein the substrate includes multiple layers.

Assignees

• Honeywell Int Inc

Inventors

• Yang Wei
• Marta Teresa M
• Willett Martin
• Watts Rodney R

Classifications

• G01N33/0027

  concerning the detector · CPC title

• G01N21/1702 Primary

  with opto-acoustic detection, e.g. for gases or analysing solids · CPC title

• G01N2201/067

  Electro-optic, magneto-optic, acousto-optic elements · CPC title

• G01N2021/1704

  in gases · CPC title

• G01J5/42 Primary

  using Golay cells · CPC title