Method and apparatus for controlling the feed of water treatment chemicals using a voltammetric sensor
AssigneeBuckman Laboratories International, Inc.
InventorThomas E. McNeel
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method for controlling the chemical treatment of a solution comprises the steps of feeding a treatment chemical into the solution, applying an external voltage across a reference electrode and a working electrode of a voltammetric sensor while the electrodes are immersed in the solution, measuring a current that flows through the working electrode, converting the measured current into a feedback signal indicative of the concentration of treatment chemical in the solution, and using the feedback signal to control the rate of feeding the treatment chemical.
Claims20
A method for controlling the chemical treatment of a solution comprising the steps of:
- (a) feeding a treatment chemical into the solution to obtain a mixture of the treatment chemical and the solution;
- (b) applying an external voltage across a reference electrode and a working electrode of a voltammetric sensor while the electrodes are immersed in and contact the mixture;
- (c) measuring a current that flows through the working electrode;
- (d) converting the measured current into a feedback signal which is indicative of a concentration of a substance in the mixture;
- and
- (e) using the feedback signal to control a rate of feeding the treatment chemical in step (a).
An apparatus for controlling the amount of treatment chemicals to be added to a solution, comprising:
- means for feeding a treatment chemical into the solution to obtain a mixture of the treatment chemical and the solution;
- a voltammetric sensor including:
- a reference electrode,
- a working electrode,
- means for applying a voltage across the reference electrode and working electrode while the electrodes are immersed in and contact the mixture,
- means for measuring a current that flows through the working electrode, and
- means for converting the measured current into a feedback signal which is indicative of a concentration of a substance in the mixture;
- and
- means for applying the feedback signal to the feeding means so as to control a rate of feeding the treatment chemical.
A method for controlling the chemical treatment of a solution comprising the steps of:
- (a) feeding a treatment chemical into the solution to obtain a mixture of the treatment chemical and the solution;
- (b) applying an external voltage across a counter electrode and a working electrode of a voltammetric sensor while the electrodes are immersed in and contact the mixture;
- (c) maintaining a voltage between a reference electrode of the voltammetric sensor and the working electrode at a desired voltage level;
- (d) measuring a current that flows through the working electrode;
- (e) converting the measured current into a feedback signal which is indicative of a concentration of a substance in the mixture;
- and
- (f) using the feedback signal to control a rate of feeding the treatment chemical in step (a).
An apparatus for producing a feedback signal in a system for controlling the amount of treatment chemicals to be added to a solution, comprising:
- means for feeding treatment chemicals into the solution to obtain a mixture of the treatment chemicals and the solution;
- a voltammetric sensor including:
- a reference electrode,
- a working electrode,
- a counter electrode,
- means for applying an external voltage across the counter electrode and working electrode while the electrodes are immersed in and contact the mixture,
- means for maintaining a voltage between the reference electrode and working electrode at a desired voltage,
- means for measuring a current that flows through the working electrode, and
- means for converting the measured current into a feedback signal which is indicative of the concentration of a substance in the mixture;
- and
- means for using the feedback signal to control a rate of feeding the treatment chemicals in the solution.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.