Miniature toroidal radio frequency ion trap mass analyzer

A miniature ion trap mass analyzer is reported. The described analyzer is a 1/5-scale version of a previously reported toroidal radio frequency (rf) ion trap mass analyzer. The toroidal ion trap operates with maximum rf trapping voltages about 1 kVp-p or less; however despite the reduced dimensions, it retains roughly the same ion trapping capacity as conventional 3D quadrupole ion traps. The curved geometry provides for a compact mass analyzer. Unit-mass resolved mass spectra for n-butylbenzene, xenon, and naphthalene are reported and preliminary sensitivity data are shown for naphthalene. The expected linear mass scale with rf amplitude scan is obtained when scanned using a conventional mass-selective instability scan mode combined with resonance ejection.     

Analysis of Titan tholin pyrolysis products by comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography-time-of-flight mass spectrometry

The reddish brown haze that surrounds Titan, Saturn's largest moon, is thought to consist of tholin-like organic aerosols. Tholins are complex materials of largely unknown structure. The very high peak capacity and structured chromatograms obtained from comprehensive two-dimensional GC (GC x GC) are attractive attributes for the characterization of tholin pyrolysis products. In this report, GC x GC with time-of-flight MS detection and a flash pyrolysis inlet is used to characterize tholin pyrolysis products. Identified pyrolysis products include low-molecular-weight nitriles, alkyl substituted pyrroles, linear and branched hydrocarbons, alkyl-substituted benzenes and PAH compounds. The pyrolysis of standards found in tholin pyrolysate showed that little alteration occurred and thus these structures are likely present in the tholin material.     

2D transient filtration model for aluminum

A two-dimensional, transient mathematical model representing the behavior of a deep-bed filter was developed. The flow and mass fraction equations are solved using CFX™ commercial code. The rate equation representing the inclusion deposition and re-entrainment is incorporated into a model as a source term of the mass fraction equation. The resistance of the bed is calculated using the pressure drop calculated by the Ergun equation. The model takes into account all the major physical processes occurring during filtration. For each time step, the model calculates the inclusion concentrations remaining in the liquid and deposited on the filter media. It updates the bed porosity and bed particle size as the inclusions deposit. The model can use either an average inclusion size or a discrete inclusion size distribution. It is also possible to assign different densities to different inclusion sizes if an inclusion distribution is used.