Devices and methods for measuring analyte concentration

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10137423-B2
Application number	US-201514810461-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 27, 2015
Priority date	Jul 30, 2014
Publication date	Nov 27, 2018
Grant date	Nov 27, 2018

Abstract

Disclosed herein are devices and methods for the detection, quantification and/or monitoring of analytes. The systems and methods can be used, for example, to rapidly monitor gases downhole in a well.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A device for sensing an analyte, the device comprising:
a membrane that allows diffusion of an analyte;
an active measuring area for measuring a concentration of the analyte;
a sensing chamber situated between the membrane and the active measuring area, the sensing chamber including a wall and comprising a mediating fluid, the sensing chamber being defined by the membrane, the active measuring area and the wall; and
an element for producing convection within the mediating fluid to facilitate mixing of the analyte diffusing through the membrane in the mediating fluid to thereby reduce a response time for the active measuring area to measure the presence of the analyte in the mediating fluid.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the element comprises a magnetic stirrer placed inside the sensing chamber.

3. The device of claim 2 , wherein the device further comprises an external magnetic drive positioned outside the sensing chamber for activating the magnetic stirrer.

4. The device of claim 1 , wherein the device further comprises a diaphragm adjacent the sensing chamber and the element is capable of vibrating the diaphragm to agitate the mediating fluid.

5. The device of claim 4 , wherein the element comprises a motor driven agitator positioned outside the sensing chamber that is capable of agitating the mediating fluid through the diaphragm.

6. The device of claim 4 , wherein the element comprises a pulsed solenoid agitator positioned outside the sensing chamber that is capable of agitating the mediating fluid through the diaphragm.

7. The device of claim 4 , wherein the element comprises a high frequency ultrasonic agitator positioned outside the sensing chamber that is capable of agitating the mediating fluid through the diaphragm.

8. The device of claim 1 , wherein the element comprises a high frequency ultrasonic agitator positioned inside the sensing chamber that is capable of agitating the mediating fluid.

9. The device of claim 1 , wherein the element comprises a magnet tethered to a shim positioned in the mediating fluid and an electromagnet positioned outside the sensing chamber, wherein the shim is capable of vibrating when subjected to a magnetic field from the electromagnet.

10. The device of claim 1 , wherein the device comprises an electrochemical device.

11. The device of claim 10 , wherein the active measuring area includes an electrode.

12. The device of claim 1 , wherein the analyte is selected from the group consisting of H 2 , O 2 , CO 2 , CH 4 , and C 2 H 6 .

13. The device of claim 1 , wherein the analyte is H 2 S.

14. The device of claim 1 , further comprising a first channel for directing the flow of a testing fluid towards the membrane and a second channel for directing the flow of the testing fluid away from the membrane.

15. A method of measuring an analyte concentration of a testing fluid, the method comprising:
providing a device, comprising:
a membrane that allows diffusion of an analyte,
an active measuring area for measuring a concentration of the analyte,
a sensing chamber situated between the membrane and the active measuring area, the sensing chamber including a wall and comprising a mediating fluid, the sensing chamber being defined by the membrane, the active measuring area and the wall, and
an element for producing convection within the mediating fluid;

contacting the testing fluid with the membrane for a time sufficient to allow the analyte when present to diffuse through the membrane into the mediating fluid of the sensing chamber;
producing convection in the sensing chamber using the element to facilitate mixing of the mediating fluid; and
measuring the analyte concentration adjacent the active measuring area.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the element comprises a magnetic stirrer placed inside the sensing chamber and the method further comprises applying a magnetic field to the magnetic stirrer to produce convection in the sensing chamber.

17. The method of claim 15 , wherein the device further comprises a diaphragm adjacent the sensing chamber and the method further comprises vibrating the diaphragm to agitate the mediating fluid.

18. The method of claim 15 , wherein the element comprises a high frequency ultrasonic agitator positioned inside the sensing chamber and the method comprises agitating the mediating fluid.

19. The method of claim 15 , wherein the element comprises an electroactive polymer adjacent the mediating fluid and the method comprises applying a potential to the electroactive polymer to cause the electroactive polymer to expand and contract and produce convention in the mediating fluid.

20. The method of claim 15 , further comprising directing the flow of the testing fluid towards the membrane using a first channel to allow contact of the testing fluid with the membrane and then directing the flow of the testing fluid away from the membrane using a second channel.

Assignees

• Schlumberger Technology Corp

Inventors

• Mcguinness Kay
• Lawrence Nathan Scott
• Meredith Andrew
• Warrillow Andrew
• Pirolli Laurent

Classifications

• B01F13/0818 Primary

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic

• G01N33/2841

  Gas in oils, e.g. hydrogen in insulating oils · CPC title

• B01F11/0266

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic

• G01N33/2823 Primary

  Raw oil, drilling fluid or polyphasic mixtures · CPC title

• B01F11/0048

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic