Submersible environmental sensor incorporating anti-fouling means

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12474305-B2
Application number	US-202118002123-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 17, 2021
Priority date	Jun 19, 2020
Publication date	Nov 18, 2025
Grant date	Nov 18, 2025

Abstract

A method for controlling a submersible environmental sensor, the sensor including a support having a face which includes a sensitive zone configured to receive at least one species of interest (SOI), anti-fouling means configured to cause at least the sensitive zone to vibrate, and detection means for detecting a presence of the SOI on the sensitive zone, the detection means and the anti-fouling means being carried by the support, wherein the anti-fouling means includes actuators configured to cause the medium to vibrate in a standing mode with a wavelength 3-20 times the size of the SOI to confine the SOI on the sensitive zone, includes activating the anti-fouling means in a de-fouling mode, stopping the anti-fouling means, activating the anti-fouling means to confine the SOI in the sensitive zone, and stopping the anti-fouling means. The method also includes activating the detection means and stopping the detection means.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1 . A method for controlling a submersible environmental sensor, the sensor including a support, one face of which includes a sensitive zone configured to receive at least one species of interest, anti-fouling means configured to cause at least the sensitive zone to vibrate, the anti-fouling means being carried by the support, and detection means for detecting a presence of at least one species of interest on the sensitive zone, the detection means being carried by the support, wherein the anti-fouling means includes actuators configured to cause the medium to vibrate in a standing mode with wavelength between 3 times and 20 times the given size of the species of interest ensuring confining of the at least one species of interest on the sensitive zone, the method comprising:
activating the anti-fouling means in a de-fouling mode, stopping the anti-fouling means, activating the anti-fouling means to confine the at least one species of interest in the sensitive zone, stopping the anti-fouling means, activating the detection means, and stopping the detection means.

2 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the anti-fouling means is configured to cause at least the sensitive zone to vibrate in an out-of-plane vibration mode.

3 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the anti-fouling means is configured to cause at least the sensitive zone to vibrate in a plate mode.

4 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the detection means is configured to implement surface waves.

5 . The method according to claim 4 , wherein the detection means includes an emitter of propagating surface waves disposed on one side of the sensitive zone and a receiver of propagating surface waves emitted by the emitter disposed on another side of the sensitive zone.

6 . The method according to claim 4 , wherein the detection means includes means for generating a standing wave in the sensitive zone and for measuring a variation in a resonant frequency of the standing wave.

7 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the detection means also includes, on the sensitive zone, at least one of a graphene sensor, an Ion Selective Field Effect Transistor type sensor, and an electrochemical sensor.

8 . The method according claim 1 , including means forming both the anti-fouling means and the detection means.

9 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the sensitive zone includes a functionalisation layer configured to capture the at least one species of interest.

10 . The method according claim 1 , wherein the submersible environmental sensor is part of an at least partly submersible detection system including a control unit configured to send a first control signal to the anti-fouling means so as to remove micro-organisms from the sensitive zone and/or prevent their proliferation on the sensitive zone, and a second control signal to the detection means to perform detection of the at least one species of interest.

11 . The method according to claim 10 , wherein
the anti-fouling means is configured to cause at least the sensitive zone to vibrate in a plate mode, and the control unit is configured to apply a frequency sweep to the anti-fouling means in a frequency range exciting the medium in different Lamb modes.

12 . The method according to claim 10 , wherein the control unit is configured to activate the anti-fouling means before each activation of the detection means.

13 . The method according to claim 10 , wherein
the detection means includes an emitter of propagating surface waves disposed on one side of the sensitive zone and a receiver of propagating surface waves emitted by the emitter disposed on another side of the sensitive zone, and the control unit is configured to collect a signal emitted from the detection means.

14 . The method according to claim 10 , wherein the control unit is configured to activate the anti-fouling means so as to confine the at least one species of interest on the sensitive zone.

15 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein activating the anti-fouling means in de-fouling mode takes place prior to each activation of the detection means.

16 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the detection means includes an emitter of propagating surface waves disposed on one side of the sensitive zone and a receiver of propagating surface waves emitted by the emitter disposed on another side of the sensitive zone, the method including applying a frequency sweep to the antifouling means in a frequency range exciting the medium in different Lamb modes.

Assignees

• Commissariat Energie Atomique

Inventors

• Casset Fabrice
• Alava Thomas

Classifications

• G01N2291/0258

  Structural degradation, e.g. fatigue of composites, ageing of oils · CPC title

• G01N2291/0256

  Adsorption, desorption, surface mass change, e.g. on biosensors · CPC title

• G01N29/222

  Constructional or flow details for analysing fluids (optoacoustic fluid cells G01N29/2425) · CPC title

• G01N29/036 Primary

  by measuring frequency or resonance of acoustic waves · CPC title

• G01N29/024

  by measuring propagation velocity or propagation time of acoustic waves · CPC title