ALCO SENSOR 4 (Hand Held Breath Machine Used At The Side Of The Road)
INTRODUCTION
The Alco-Sensor IV with memory is an automated hand-held evidential analyzer. The Alco-Sensor IV with
memory follows a program driven test procedure. Each function is displayed which provides the operator
with step-by-step instructions.
How it Works
The instrument utilizes an electrochemical sensor (fuel cell) to quantify alcohol in the provided sample.
The fuel cell is a porous disk with a thin layer of platinum black on both faces. The disk is saturated with
an electrolyte and mounted in a valve assembly that is designed to draw a fixed volume sample across
the surface of the fuel cell. When a subject's breath sample is drawn across the top surface of the cell,
any alcohol that comes in contact with the cell's surface is broken down chemically. For each molecule of
alcohol that is broken down a given number of electrons are freed during the process. The number of
electrons generated are in proportion to the amount of alcohol in the sample. By measuring the number
of electrons (the resulting electrical signal) a digital BrAC (Breath Alcohol Concentration) is calculated
and reported.
THE INTOXIMETER EC/IR (BREATH MACHINE USED AT THE POLICE STATION)
INTRODUCTION
The evidential Intox EC/IR is a state-of-the-art breath alcohol analyzing instrument which incorporates
several analytical systems to optimize deep lung sampling, and other breath conditions in order to
ensure the best sample for analysis. The instrument also offers an analog control system which controls
all functions of the instrument.
How it Works
The instrument monitors the subjects breath flow and volume and/or uses the IR sensor to provide
continuous determination of alcohol concentration in the breath. This is called "real time" analysis of the
breath sample and offers several benefits. First it allows the unit to make a determination of the
presence of mouth alcohol and second, it allows the instrument to determine when a deep lung sample is
in the sample manifold and ready for analysis.
Once the instrument determines that the subject has provided a deep lung breath sample the instrument
automatically collects a breath sample and presents it to the fuel cell sensor for analysis. The
electro-chemical (fuel cell) is a porous disk with a thin layer of platinum black on both faces and
saturated with electrolyte. When the subject's breath sample is drawn across the top surface of the cell,
the alcohol that comes in contact with the cell's surface is broken down chemically. The alcohol is
converted to acetic acid plus electrons. The number of electrons generated are in proportion to the
amount of alcohol in the sample. By measuring the number of electrons (the resulting electrical signal)
the output is converted to a digital BrAC (Breath Alcohol Concentration) value.
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