Online chlorine analyzer

A system, comprising:

• a housing;
• a colorimeter disposed within the housing;
• a cartridge comprising a base and a lid;
• at least two fluid lines located between the base and the lid of the cartridge;
• at least one heating element integral to either the base or the lid and aligned in intimate contact with the at least two fluid lines;
• at least one heat sensing element in intimate contact with the at least two fluid lines, wherein the at least one heat sensing element is spaced downstream from the at least one heating element;
• a power supply for the cartridge;
• and
• a processor in electrical communication with the cartridge that executes a program of instructions to:
• operate the at least one heating element to produce heating of the at least two fluid lines at a first position prior to introduction of fluid to the at least two fluid lines and for a predetermined amount of time;
• operate the at least one heating element to discontinue heating of the at least two fluid lines at the first position after the predetermined amount of time has passed;
• introduce fluid into the at least two fluid lines upstream from the first position;
• and
• operate the at least one heat sensing element to detect the heat of the fluid within the at least two fluid lines at a position downstream of the first position.

A method of detecting fluid flow in a cartridge comprising:

• providing a cartridge comprising a base and a lid;
• providing at least one fluid line having a fluid disposed therein, the at least one fluid line being located between the base and the lid, the fluid line being in fluid communication with a pump;
• providing at least one heating element located either on the base or the lid and aligned in intimate contact with the at least one fluid line;
• providing at least one heat sensing element in intimate contact with the at least one fluid line, wherein the at least one heat sensing element is spaced downstream from the at least one heating element;
• providing a means for supplying power to the cartridge;
• and
• providing a processor in electrical communication with the cartridge that executes a program of instructions to:
• energize the at least one heating element to produce heating of the at least one fluid line at a first position;
• energize a fluid pump to pump fluid through the at least one fluid line;
• monitor the at least one heat sensing element to detect the heat of the fluid within the at least one fluid line at a position downstream of the first position;
• and
• detecting a rise of the heat signal from the at least one heat sensing element after heat is applied at the first position.