Turbidity sensor with improved flow path

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10670524-B2
Application number	US-201916443817-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 17, 2019
Priority date	Jun 17, 2015
Publication date	Jun 2, 2020
Grant date	Jun 2, 2020

Abstract

Systems and methods for increasing the accuracy of a turbidity sensor are disclosed. The systems include a turbidity sensor and a flow module with a specialized flow path, with the turbidity sensor engaging with the flow module such that a measurement zone of the turbidity sensor is disposed within a flow path of the flow module and a bypass path of the flow module does not pass through the measurement zone. The methods include flowing a fluid containing bubbles into a system that separates the fluid in the flow module into a first stream of fluid containing relatively more bubbles and a second stream of fluid containing relatively fewer bubbles, the first stream flowing through a bypass path that does not pass through the measurement zone, and the second stream flowing through the measurement zone of the turbidity sensor.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A system for measuring the turbidity of a fluid, the system comprising:
a turbidity sensor with a body and a first end that includes a light source and a measurement zone between two prongs that extend away from the body in parallel at the first end; and
a flow module that includes a top end, a bottom end opposite the top end thereof, an inlet, and an outlet, the inlet and outlet defining a flow path therebetween;
wherein the turbidity sensor engages with the flow module such that the two prongs of the turbidity sensor are disposed within the flow path of the flow module and the outlet is located above the measurement zone; and
a gap between an outer sidewall of at least one of the two prongs and an inner wall of the flow module and located above the measurement zone and configured to accommodate bubbles in the fluid to permit bubbles in the fluid to pass from the inlet to the outlet via the gap and outside the measurement zone.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the inlet of the flow module is located along a first side thereof and the outlet is located along a second side thereof, the first side located opposite the second side.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein both the inlet and the outlet of the flow module are located along a same side thereof.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the turbidity sensor extends into the flow path through an opening in the flow module.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the opening in the flow module extends from the top end into the flow path.

6. The system of claim 4 , wherein the opening in the flow module is located on a first side of the flow module, and the inlet and the outlet are located on a second side of the flow module opposite the first side of the flow module.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the inlet of the flow module is located below the measurement zone of the turbidity sensor.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the inlet of the flow module is located closer to the bottom end of the flow module than the outlet thereof.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the turbidity sensor is an optical turbidity sensor selected from the group consisting of a single beam turbidity sensor, a ratio beam turbidity sensor, a modulated four beam turbidity sensor, a surface scatter turbidity sensor, and a transmittance turbidity sensor.

10. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of turbidity sensors, each turbidity sensor extending into the flow module through a corresponding opening in the flow module.

11. The system of claim 1 , wherein the gap is configured as a bypass path that does not pass through the measurement zone.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the bypass path runs between an inner wall of the flow module and an outer sidewall of the turbidity sensor, above and around the measurement zone.

13. A method for increasing the accuracy of a turbidity sensor, the method comprising:
flowing a fluid containing bubbles into a system, the system comprising:
a turbidity sensor with a body and a first end that includes a light source and a measurement zone between two prongs that extend away from the body in parallel at the first end; and
a flow module that includes a top end, a bottom end opposite the top end thereof, an inlet, and an outlet, the inlet and outlet defining a flow path therebetween;

placing the turbidity sensor in engagement with the flow module such that the two prongs of the turbidity sensor are disposed within the flow path of the flow module and the outlet is located above the measurement zone and to form a gap between an outer sidewall of at least one of the two prongs and an inner wall of the flow module, the gap being located above the measurement zone and configured to accommodate the bubbles in the fluid to permit the bubbles in the fluid to pass from the inlet to the outlet via the gap and outside the measurement zone; and
measuring the turbidity of the fluid as the fluid flows through the measurement zone of the turbidity sensor.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising separating the fluid in the flow module into a first stream of fluid containing relatively more bubbles and a second stream of fluid containing relatively fewer bubbles, the first stream flowing through the gap configured as a bypass path and does not pass through the measurement zone to the outlet, and the second stream flowing through the measurement zone of the turbidity sensor to be measured.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the bypass path runs between an inner wall of the flow module and an outer sidewall of the turbidity sensor, above and around the measurement zone.

16. The method of claim 13 , wherein the inlet of the flow module is located along a first side thereof, and the outlet is located along a second side thereof, the first side located opposite the second side.

17. The method of claim 13 wherein both the inlet and the outlet of the flow module are located along a same side thereof.

18. The method of claim 13 , wherein the inlet of the flow module is located below the measurement zone of the turbidity sensor.

19. A system for measuring the turbidity of a fluid, the system comprising:
a flow module that includes a top end, a bottom end opposite the top end thereof, an inlet, and an outlet, the inlet and outlet defining a flow path therebetween, and an opening in the top end for receiving a turbidity sensor the opening communicating with the flow path;
the opening being configured to receive a turbidity sensor with a body and a first end that includes a light source and a measurement zone between two prongs that extend away from the body in parallel at the first end;
wherein the two prongs of the turbidity sensor are disposed within the flow path of the flow module and the outlet is located above the measurement zone when the turbidity sensor is placed in the opening to engage with the flow module; and
a gap between an outer sidewall of at least one of the two prongs and an inner wall of the flow module when the turbidity sensor is placed in the opening to engage with the flow module,

the gap being located above the measurement zone and configured to accommodate bubbles in the fluid to permit bubbles in the fluid to pass from the inlet to the outlet via the gap and outside the measurement zone.

20. The system of claim 19 , wherein the inlet of the flow module is located below the measurement zone of the turbidity sensor when the turbidity sensor is placed in the opening to engage with the flow module.

Assignees

• Flodesign Sonics Inc

Inventors

• Barnes Jason
• Mealey Dane
• King Jeffrey

Classifications

• G01N1/2035

  by deviating part of a fluid stream, e.g. by drawing-off or tapping · CPC title

• G01N21/05

  Flow-through cuvettes (G01N21/09 takes precedence; handling fluid samples G01N1/10) · CPC title

• G01N2201/06153

  the sources being LED's · CPC title

• G01N21/532 Primary

  with measurement of scattering and transmission · CPC title