Automatic volatility computer

Abstract

An automatic volatility computer is described as well as a method for automatically determining weight changes in substances containing volatile material. In particular, there is described an apparatus which automatically determines the percentage of volatiles in a substance which contains unknown quantities of polar volatiles such as water or moisture, solvents, plasticizers and the like. The apparatus provides rapid automatic analysis without operator assistance other than the placing of a sample on the automatic balance. In the preferred embodiment, a digital panel meter provides rapid readout coupled with the ability to recall the original weight and the weight obtained after removal of the volatiles.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An automatic volatility computer comprising automatic weighting means, microwave heating means .Iadd.including an enclosed heating chamber and a microwave energy source transmittably connected therewith, .Iaddend. a program controller means, memory circuit means, differential amplifier means, analog divider means and information readout means, said automatic weighing means being .Iadd.at least partially .Iaddend.positioned within said microwave heating .[.means.]. .Iadd.chamber.Iaddend., said controlling means being electrically connected to and programmed to sequentially actuate said weighing means and .[.mircrowave.]. .Iadd.microwave .Iaddend.heating means, said weighing means being .[.electrially.]. .Iadd.electrically .Iaddend.connected to said memory circuit means and hence to said differential amplifier means, said analog divider means being electrically connected to said differential amplifier means and said memory circuit means, the output thereof being electrically connected to said information readout means. 
     
     
       2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said microwave .[.heating means.]. .Iadd.energy source .Iaddend.is a magnetron radiation tube of 500 to 800 watts. 
     
     
       3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said information readout means is a digital panel meter. 
     
     
       4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said digital panel meter is equipped in conjunction with said program controller means and memory circuit means with memory recall means. 
     
     
       5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said information readout means is a printer for the production of printed copy of recorded and calculated results. 
     
     
       6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein analog divider means is preset to calculate the weight differential as percentage weight loss. 
     
     
       7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the microwave heating means has radiation coupling means associated therewith. 
     
     
       8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the microwave heating means has radiation mixing means associated therewith. 
     
     
       9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein heating means in addition to microwave means is provided. 
     
     
       10. A method for automatically computing the amount of volatile matter in a substance containing the same comprising programming an electrobalance positioned within a microwave oven to sequentially weigh the substance, actuate an electrical signal from said electrobalance to a memory circuit to record the weight, subjecting the substance to .[.mircrowave.]. .Iadd.microwave .Iaddend.heating for a period of time sufficient to remove the volatiles, reactuate said electrobalance to reweigh and record in a memory circuit the weight of said substance, electrically feeding said recorded weights to a differential amplifier and hence to an analog divider, compute the change in weight in said .Iadd.differential amplifier and feed the results to said .Iaddend. analog divider and transcribe the output signal from said analog divider into readable form. 
     
     
       11. The method of claim 10 wherein the volatile matter computed as present in a substance is the polar solvent therein. 
     
     
       12. The method of claim 10 wherein the microwave heating is for a period of 5 seconds to 10 minutes. 
     
     
       13. The method of claim 10 wherein the weight of the substance containing volatiles is within the range of about 2 grams to 1000 grams.