Automatic titrator
AssigneeEcolab USA Inc.
InventorsJohn Wilhelm Bolduc, Blake Roberts Otting, Paul R. Kraus, Robert Ryther
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A system and method for performing automated titrations. An automatic titrator utilizes control devices and sensors adapted for various chemical reactions to perform titrations and determine the content of a desired component of a solution. Batch and continuous mode titrations are possible. Titrant is added to a sample either in varying amounts or rates and a titration endpoint is observed via sensors. Control devices detect when the titration endpoint occurs and calculates the desired content. Various reactions within the solution may be suppressed in order to titrate isolated components individually.
Claims31
A method for determining the amount of a desired component in a solution, the method comprising:
- providing an amount of sample;
- providing a light source and an optical sensor with the sample disposed there between, the optical sensor comprising a threshold value;
- adding to the sample at least one reagent so that the sample undergoes a first color change and causes the measurement by the optical sensor to cross the threshold value in first direction,
- titrating the sample with a titrant to induce a second color change and the measurement by the optical sensor crosses the threshold value in a second direction opposite the first;
- determining a measure of the titrant necessary to induce the color change;
- calculating, using the determined measure, the amount of the desired component in the solution.
The method of 1, further comprising adjusting the amount of the desired component in the solution when the calculated amount is outside a predetermined threshold range of the amount.
A system for determining the peracid content in a sample, the system comprising:
- a reaction vessel for containing the sample;
- at least one reagent in fluid communication with the reaction vessel, the reagent such that when applied to the sample it facilitates a first color change;
- at least one reagent pump associated with the reagent and configured to transport the reagent to the reaction vessel;
- an optical arrangement for detecting a color change of a species in the reaction vessel;
- a titrant in fluid communication with the reaction vessel, the titrant such that when applied to the combined sample and reagent in sufficient quantity facilitates a second color change;
- a titrant pump associated with the titrant configured to transport the titrant to the reaction vessel;
- a control device in communication with the optical arrangement, the titrant pump and at least one reagent pump, and configured to
- supply reagent to the sample until it senses, via the optical arrangement, the first color change;
- supply titrant to the sample and reagent combination until it senses, via the optical arrangement, the second color change;
- calculate, based on a known quantity associated with supplying the titrant, the peracid content in the sample.
A method for determining the concentration of oxidizer in a transparent sample, the method comprising;
- continuously flowing the sample through a reaction vessel;
- detecting, using an optical arrangement, the transparency of the sample;
- adding to the sample at a first manifold at least one reagent such that the combination of the reagent and the sample produces a blue-black solution
- detecting, using the optical arrangement, the color change of the sample;
- adding to the sample a titrant at a first flow rate;
- observing at least one optical property of the sample;
- changing the flow rate of at least one of the sample or the titrant until the optical property sufficiently changes;
- determining the flow rate at which the color change occurred;
- calculating, using this flow rate, the concentration of oxidizer in the sample.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.