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US 11,397,171 B2Granted
Adaptive range flow titration systems and methods with sample conditioning
AssigneeEcolab USA Inc.
InventorsRobert J. Ryther, Paul R. Kraus
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Abstract
Systems for quantifying a target analyte concentration in a process solution are provided and can be used, for example, in methods for quantifying a target analyte concentration. These systems and methods include continuous automated titration methods that use titration chemistries to measure the target analyte concentration in the process solution. The method steps provide for efficient and robust automated titration methods for a variety of target analytes and can include methods that provide for methods that provide a dynamic range for measurement of target analyte concentrations.
Claims20
An automated titration system comprising
- a sample source;
- a titrant source;
- a reaction manifold in fluid communication with the sample source and the titrant source for mixing a continuously flowing and refreshed sample stream containing an unknown concentration of an analyte with titrant;
- a sample pump being in fluid communication with the sample source and continuously pumping the continuously flowing and refreshed sample stream from the sample source through a sample stream inlet into the reaction manifold;
- a titrant pump in fluid communication with the titrant source and for pumping the titrant into the reaction manifold through a titrant inlet to contact a conditioned continuously flowing and refreshed sample stream;
- a source of a first conditioning reagent in fluid communication with a first conditioning reagent pump;
- a source of a second conditioning reagent in fluid communication with a second conditioning reagent pump;
- the first conditioning reagent pump being for pumping the first conditioning reagent into the reaction manifold to contact the continuously flowing and refreshed sample stream and the second conditioning reagent pump being for pumping the second conditioning reagent into the reaction manifold to contact the continuously flowing and refreshed sample stream, wherein the first conditioning reagent and the second conditioning reagent contact the sample stream to form the conditioned sample stream;
- a detector for detecting a titration endpoint of the reaction between the analyte and the titrant after contact between the titrant and sample stream in the reaction manifold;
- and
- a controller communicatively coupled to the sample pump, the titrant pump, the first conditioning reagent pump, the second conditioning reagent pump, and the detector,
- wherein the controller controls the sample pump to set a continuous flow rate of the continuously flowing and refreshed sample stream, controls the titrant pump to set the flow rate of the titrant, controls the first conditioning reagent pump to set a continuous flow rate of the first conditioning reagent, controls the second conditioning reagent pump to set a continuous flow rate of the second conditioning reagent, and receives data from the detector to detect a titration endpoint for the reaction between the analyte and the titrant and determine the analyte concentration.
9 more elements
A method for quantification of a target analyte concentration in a sample stream comprising:
- continuously flowing and continuously refreshing the sample stream at a variable flow rate through an analyzer comprising a reaction manifold, a conditioning manifold, and a detector, wherein the conditioning manifold is upstream from the reaction manifold;
- contacting the continuously flowing and continuously refreshing the sample stream with a first conditioning reagent and a second conditioning reagent by continuously adding the first conditioning reagent and the second conditioning reagent to the conditioning manifold to form a conditioned sample stream;
- quantifying the target analyte concentration by continuously adding a titrant at a titrant concentration to the conditioned sample stream and setting a titrant concentration change by changing the titrant concentration through increasing or decreasing a flow rate of the titrant over a specified range;
- and
- detecting a titration endpoint for the reaction between the target analyte and the titrant within a specified target analyte concentration range.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.