Turbidity sensor with improved flow path

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11022551-B2
Application number	US-202016889170-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 1, 2020
Priority date	Jun 17, 2015
Publication date	Jun 1, 2021
Grant date	Jun 1, 2021

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 flow module with a flow path defined therethrough and an opening in communication with the flow path;
the opening being configured to receive a turbidity sensor that includes a measurement zone defined between two parallel coextensive prongs and that includes a light source;
the opening being further configured engage the turbidity sensor such that the measurement zone is within the flow path; and
a gap between an outer sidewall of at least one of the two prongs and an inner wall of the opening and located above the measurement zone and configured to accommodate bubbles in the fluid to permit bubbles in the fluid to travel along the flow path via the gap and outside the measurement zone.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the flow path further comprises an inlet and an outlet of the flow module.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the inlet and outlet are located on opposite sides of the flow module.

4. The system of claim 2 , wherein the inlet and the outlet are located on a same side of the flow module.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the opening is located on a top of the flow module.

6. The system of claim 2 , wherein the opening in the flow module is located on a different side of the flow module than the inlet and the outlet.

7. The system of claim 2 , wherein the inlet is located below the measurement zone of the turbidity sensor.

8. The system of claim 2 , wherein the inlet is located closer to a bottom end of the flow module than is the outlet.

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 flow module with a flow path defined therethrough and an opening in communication with the flow path;
the opening being configured to receive a turbidity sensor that includes a measurement zone defined between two parallel coextensive prongs and that includes a light source;
the opening being further configured engage the turbidity sensor such that the measurement zone is within the flow path; and
a gap between an outer sidewall of at least one of the two prongs and an inner wall of the opening and located above the measurement zone and configured to accommodate bubbles in the fluid to permit bubbles in the fluid to travel along the flow path via the gap and outside the measurement zone; and
placing the turbidity sensor in engagement with the opening such that the two prongs of the turbidity sensor are disposed within the flow path of the flow module and to form the gap; 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, 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 flow path further comprises an inlet and an outlet of the flow module.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein both the inlet and the outlet of the flow module are located along a same side thereof.

18. The method of claim 16 , 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 with a flow path that includes an outlet, the flow module including an opening for receiving a turbidity sensor with a measurement zone configured to pass the fluid therethrough, the opening communicating with the flow path;
wherein the opening is further configured to engage with the turbidity sensor to permit the measurement zone to be disposed within the flow path of the flow module and the outlet is located above the measurement zone when the turbidity sensor engages with the opening; and
a prong on a perimeter of the measurement zone and defining a gap between an outer sidewall of the prong and an inner wall of the opening when the turbidity sensor is placed in the opening to engage with the flow module.

20. The system of claim 19 , wherein the flow path further comprises an inlet of the flow module that 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

• G01N2201/06153

  the sources being LED's · CPC title

• G01N21/05

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

• G01N21/532 Primary

  with measurement of scattering and transmission · CPC title

• G01N1/2035

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