Methods and systems for analyzing a liquid medium

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9329159-B2
Application number	US-201313789935-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 8, 2013
Priority date	Mar 8, 2013
Publication date	May 3, 2016
Grant date	May 3, 2016

Abstract

Methods and systems for colorimetrically analyzing a liquid medium by analyzing chemical test strip images are provided. The liquid medium can be industrial water in an industrial water system. Image analyzing software carries out the analysis. The results of the analysis can be used to diagnosing a chemical treatment regimen of the industrial water system. A chemical test strip holder can be used to enhance reliability and repeatability of the imaging process and/or subsequent analysis.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method of colorimetrically determining a concentration of at least one chemical species in industrial water, the method comprising:
exposing a reactive zone of a chemical test strip to at least a portion of the industrial water thereby creating a post-exposure reactive zone;
imaging the post-exposure reactive zone using an imaging device thereby creating a digital image of the post-exposure reactive zone;
optionally cropping the digital image of the post-exposure reactive zone to isolate a portion of the digital image for analysis;
analyzing at least one colorimetric parameter of at least the portion of the digital image of the post-exposure reactive zone using image analyzing software to determine the concentration of the at least one chemical species; and
optionally outputting the determined concentration of the at least one chemical species of the industrial water.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising automatically recommending a plan of action to maintain efficient operation of an industrial water system based on the analysis of the digital image of the post-exposure reactive zone.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the plan of action includes at least one implementation and modification of a chemical treatment regimen.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the image analyzing software is incorporated into the imaging device.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the image analyzing software is accessed from a location remote from the imaging device.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the digital image is transmitted via a network.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the concentration of the at least one chemical species is determined via a color change of the post-exposure reactive zone.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the concentration of the at least one chemical species is determined via a plurality of post-exposure reactive zones on the chemical test strip.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one colorimetric parameter is selected from the group consisting of: tint, color value, color intensity, brightness, contrast, and combinations thereof.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising using a chemical test strip holder to hold the chemical test strip during the imaging of the post-exposure reactive zone.

11. The method of claim 1 , further comprising taking action based on the determined concentration.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the action taken is an operational action selected from changing a set point related to a controlled, process-related physical parameter, operating process-related equipment, re-sourcing makeup water, and combinations thereof.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the action taken is modification of a chemical treatment regimen, the modification selected from changing an injection rate of a treatment chemical, recommending a new treatment chemical, and combinations thereof.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the modification is changing an injection rate of a treatment chemical.

15. The method of claim 14 , further comprising illuminating the chemical test strip from the rear during the imaging of the post-exposure reactive zone.

16. The method of claim 1 , further comprising illuminating the chemical test strip from the rear during the imaging of the post-exposure reactive zone.

17. A system for colorimetrically determining a concentration of at least one chemical species in a liquid medium, the system comprising:
a chemical test strip having a reactive zone, the reactive zone operable to change color in the presence of the at least one chemical species;
an imaging device capable of creating a digital image of the reactive zone of the chemical test strip after the reactive zone has been exposed to the liquid medium;

image analyzing software capable of analyzing at least one colorimetric parameter of the digital image of the reactive zone and determining the concentration of the at least one chemical species in the liquid medium based on the analysis of the at least one colorimetric parameter;
a chemical test strip holder forming an imaging chamber to provide uniformity in lighting and distance between the imaging device and the chemical test strip during imaging of the reactive zone; and
a light source configured for rear illumination of the chemical test strip.

18. The system of claim 17 , wherein the at least one colorimetric parameter is selected from the group consisting of: tint, color value, color intensity, brightness, contrast, and combinations thereof.

19. The system of claim 17 , wherein the imaging device is a hand held device having a weight no greater than 1 lb.

20. A method of colorimetrically determining a concentration of at least one chemical species in a liquid medium, the method comprising:
exposing a reactive zone of a chemical test strip to at least a portion of the liquid medium thereby creating a post-exposure reactive zone;
imaging the post-exposure reactive zone using an imaging device while illuminating the chemical test strip from the rear, thereby creating a digital image of the post-exposure reactive zone;
optionally cropping the digital image of the post-exposure reactive zone to isolate a portion of the digital image for analysis;
analyzing at least one colorimetric parameter of at least the portion of the digital image of the post-exposure reactive zone using image analyzing software to determine the concentration of the at least one chemical species; and
optionally outputting the determined concentration of the at least one chemical species of the liquid medium.

Assignees

• Ecolab Usa Inc

Inventors

• Walicki Robert S

Classifications

• G01N33/18

  Water · CPC title

• G01N31/22 Primary

  using chemical indicators (G01N31/02 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G01N2021/7759

  Dipstick; Test strip · CPC title

• G01N2021/752

  Devices comprising reaction zones · CPC title

• G01N21/78 Primary

  producing a change of colour · CPC title