Direct current detection

In contrast to a direct injection of dc or ac currents in the sample to be tested, the induction of eddy currents by an external excitation coil generates a locally limited current distribution. Since no electrical connection to the sample is required, eddy current NDE is easier to use from a practical point of view, however, the choice of the optimum measurement parameters, like e.g. the excitation frequency, is more critical. Furthermore, the calculation of the current flow in the sample from the measured field distribution tends to be more difficult than in case of a direct current injection. A homogenous field distribution produced by e.g. direct current injection or a sheet inducer [1] allows one to estimate more easily the defect geometry. However, for the detection of technically relevant cracks, these methods do not seem to be easily applicable and sensitive enough, especially in the case of deep lying and small cracks. 

Inductively coupled plasma (icp) emission, direct current plasma (dcp), and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (icp/ms) have taken over as the methods of choice for the simultaneous detection of metallic impurities in hafnium and hafnium compounds (29,30). 

A directional G/F relay basically is a power-measuring device, and is operated by the residual voltage of the system in conjunction with the residual current detected by the three CTs used for non-directional protection, as shown in Figure 21.19. To provide directional protection, therefore, a residual VT is also essential, in addition to the three residual CTs. The voltage phasor is used as a reference to establish the relative displacement of the fault current. In healthy conditions, i.e. when the current flows in the right direction. = 0. (refer to. Section 15.4.3 for details), and the relay remains inoperative. The relay operates only when the current flows in the reverse direction. 

This relay may be used only under unrestricted fault conditions, with three CTs as shown, tf the scheme is used under a restricted fault condition, with the fourth CT in the neutral, the directional relay will remain immune to any fault occurring outside the zone of the three CTs, as the fault current through the fourth CT will offset the residual current, detected by the three CTs (.Section 2l.6.,f), rendering the whole scheme non-functional. 

If the signal decay is a single-exponential curve, equations 16 and 17 result in values for X that are in agreement with each other. Dissimilar values indicate multiexponential decay, which usually means that the sample contains more than one fluorophore. Multiexponential decay can be resolved by using a phase fluorometer with phase sensitive detection. A time-independent, direct-current signal is produced that is proportional to the cosine of the difference between the phase angle of the detector ( D) and the phase angle of the fluorescence ( ) ... 

Image current detection is (currently) the only nondestructive detection method in MS. The two mass analyzers that employ image current detection are the FTICR and the orbi-trap. In the FTICR ions are trapped in a magnetic field and move in a circular motion with a frequency that depends on their m/z. Correspondingly, in the orbitrap ions move in harmonic oscillations in the z-direction with a frequency that is m/z dependent but independent of the energy and spatial spread of the ions. For detection ions are made... 

Moving-boundary electrophoretic techniques, originally demonstrated by Tiselius in 1937, employ a U-tube with the sample occupying the lower part of the U and the two limbs being carefully filled with a buffered electrolyte so as to maintain sharp boundaries with the sample. Electrodes are immersed in the electrolyte and direct current passed between them. The rate of migration of the sample in the electric field is measured by observing the movement of the boundary as a function of time. For colourless samples, differences in refractive index may be used to detect the boundary. Such moving-boundary techniques are used mainly in either studies of the physical characteristics of molecules or bulk preparative processes. 

A variety of sequences exist, which differ with respect to the detected interaction ( J, or Jx ) and the mode of detection ( C or H detected, magnitude or phased mode, phase cycling or gradients for coherence selection). In view of the reduced sensitivity of heteronudear experiments with respect to homonuclear COSY experiments and the steadily decreasing sample amounts submitted for NMR experiments, there is no doubt that the inverse ( H) detected, gradient enhanced experiments are currently the best methods to apply. However on older type spectrometers, not equipped for inverse detection the old-fashioned direct C detected experiments are still in use. 

For detection of the small number of scattered photons, modern photomultiplier tubes having low internal noise and high gain are used. The amplification method employed is generally direct-current amplification. 

The currently accepted mechanism for the hydrolysis of amides and esters catalyzed by the archetypal serine protease chymotrypsin involves the initial formation of a Michaelis complex followed by the acylation of Ser-195 to give an acylenzyme (Chapter 1) (equation 7.1). Much of the kinetic work with the enzyme has been directed toward detecting the acylenzyme. This work can be used to illustrate the available methods that are based on pre-steady state and steady state kinetics. The acylenzyme accumulates in the hydrolysis of activated or specific ester substrates (k2 > k3), so that the detection is relatively straightforward. Accumulation does not occur with the physiologically relevant peptides (k2 < k3), and detection is difficult. 

In contrast to gas chromatographic separations, which require the preparation of volatile derivatives of tin compounds, separations carried out by means of HPLC do not necessarily require preparations of derivatives. HPLC has been used in conjunction with several detection techniques, including photometers, atomic absorption spectrometers and direct current plasma emission spectrometers after hydride generation. Some recent studies have involved fluorimetric detection (Kleibohmer and Cammann, 1989) and hydride generation AAS. The latter has been applied to the quantification of TBT in coastal water. 

Childress, W.L., Erickson, D. and Krull, I.S. (1992) Trace selenium speciation via high-performance liquid chromatography with ultraviolet and direct-current plasma emission detection. In Element-specific Chromatographic Detection by Atomic Emission Spectroscopy (ed. Uden, PC.). American Chemical Society, Washington, DC, pp. 257-273. 

---