Monitoring and in-system concentration control of polyelectrolytes using fluorochromatic dyes

A method for monitoring and/or controlling the concentration of a polyelectrolyte in the water of an industrial aqueous system comprising:

• withdrawing at least one sample of water from said industrial aqueous system;
• adding a known amount of a fluorochromatic reagent to said sample;
• directing light energy of a selected excitation wavelength for said fluorochromatic reagent into said sample, whereby the light energy is available for absorption by said fluorochromatic reagent;
• measuring the intensity of light emitted about a selected fluorescence emission wavelength for said fluorochromatic reagent;
• then comparing said intensity of said emitted light to a standard curve, said standard curve comprising a plot of fluorescence emission intensity of said fluorochromatic reagent in the presence of a polyelectrolyte versus concentration said polyelectrolyte;
• determining from said comparison the concentration of said polyelectrolyte in said sample of water;
• adding an inert tracer to said industrial aqueous system in known proportion to the said polyelectrolyte, and
• determining the concentration of said inert tracer in said aqueous system by an analytical technique effective for said inert tracer in said aqueous system.

A method for monitoring and/or controlling the concentration of a polyelectrolyte in the water of an industrial aqueous system comprising:

• withdrawing at least one sample of water from said industrial aqueous system;
• adding a known amount of a fluorochromatic reagent to said sample;
• directing light energy of a selected excitation wavelength for said fluorochromatic reagent into said sample, whereby the light energy is available for absorption by said fluorochromatic reagent;
• measuring the intensity of light emitted about a selected fluorescence emission wavelength for said fluorochromatic reagent;
• then comparing said intensity of said emitted light to a standard curve, said standard curve comprising a plot of fluorescence emission intensity of said fluorochromatic reagent in the presence of a polyelectrolyte versus concentration said polyelectrolyte;
• and
• determining from said comparison the concentration of said polyelectrolyte in said sample of water;
• wherein said determination of said concentration of said polyelectrolyte is made on a substantially continuous basis.