BREATH CAPTURE AND ANALYSIS SYSTEM AND METHOD
A breath capture and analysis system includes a breath inlet for capturing a user's breath. The breath is drawn into the system and retained for analysis. The system includes a membrane that allows volatile organic compounds contained in the breath to pass therethrough. The volatile organic compounds pass into a vacuum chamber that includes a residual gas analyzer that is configured to analyze the volatile organic compounds. The analyzed breath is then vacated from the system.
1 . A breath capture and analysis system comprising:
a breath inlet coupled to a cylinder;
a piston disposed in the cylinder, the piston being actuated by an actuator;
a flow path coupled to the cylinder;
a selective media exposed to the flow path, the selective media allowing passage of volatile organic compounds therethrough;
a vacuum chamber coupled to the selective media;
a detection mechanism disposed in the vacuum chamber, wherein the detection mechanism is a residual gas analyzer comprising: an ionizer; a quadrapole; a signal multiplier;
and a signal detector; and
a pump coupled to the vacuum chamber.
2 . (canceled)
3 . The breath capture and analysis system of claim 1 , comprising:
a sampling pump fluidly coupled to the flow path and to the cylinder; and
a bypass exhaust coupled to the sampling pump.
4 . The breath capture and analysis system of claim 1 , comprising:
a long retention time flow path coupled to the vacuum chamber; and
a three-way valve selectively coupling the long retention time flow path to the cylinder and to an alternative inlet port.
5 . The breath capture and analysis system of claim 4 , comprising:
a bypass flow line bypassing the long retention time flow path; and
a bypass valve disposed in the bypass flow line.
6 . The breath capture and analysis system of claim 1 , wherein the breath inlet is constructed of copper.
7 . The breath capture and analysis system of claim 1 , wherein the breath inlet and the cylinder are heated.
8 . A method of capturing and analyzing a user's breath, the method comprising:
receiving a user's exhaled breath into a breath inlet;
drawing, via a piston, the user's exhaled breath into a cylinder;
holding the user's exhaled breath in the cylinder;
expelling, via the piston, the user's exhaled breath from the cylinder into a long retention time flow path, the long retention time flow path being exposed to a membrane, the membrane allowing selective passing of volatile organic compounds therethrough;
selectively passing volatile organic compounds through the membrane and into a vacuum chamber;
analyzing, via a residual gas analyzer, the volatile organic compounds in the vacuum chamber; and
transmitting results of the analysis to the user.
9 . The method of claim 8 , comprising flushing the cylinder and the long retention time flow path via a sampling pump.
10 . The method of claim 8 , comprising maximizing a level of detection for selected compounds via breath injection speed, membrane temperature, and RGA parameters.
11 . The method of claim 9 , comprising sampling ambient air through an alternative inlet port via the sampling pump.
12 . The method of claim 11 , comprising bypassing the long retention time flow path via a bypass flow line.
13 . The method of claim 12 , comprising fluidly coupling the bypass flow line to the alternative inlet port and to the cylinder via a three-way valve.
14 . The method of claim 8 , comprising exhausting the user's exhaled breath from the vacuum chamber.
15 . The method of claim 14 , comprising filtering the user's exhaled breath before the user's exhaled breath is exhausted.
16 . The method of claim 8 , comprising heating the breath inlet.
17 . The method of claim 8 , comprising instructing the user via an interface to exhale into the breath inlet.
18 . The method of claim 17 , comprising monitoring a sufficiency of the user's exhaled breath.
19 . A breath capture, concentration, and analysis system comprising:
a breath inlet coupled to a cylinder;
an absorber coupled to the breath inlet, the absorber containing an absorbent;
a thermal management system exposed to the absorber;
a piston disposed in the cylinder, the piston being actuated by a linear actuator;
the absorber being coupled to an analytical system; and
wherein varying a temperature of the absorber changes an affinity of the absorber for a select chemical compound.
20 . The system of claim 19 , wherein the absorber comprises a long retention time flow path coupled to the cylinder and a membrane exposed to the long retention time flow path, the membrane allowing passage of volatile organic compounds therethrough.