System and method for measurement and control of suspended solids in a fluid

A suspended solids measurement system, comprising:

• a first chamber;
• a second chamber configured to receive a sample of fluid with suspended solids to be measured and gas bubbles;
• a sample fluid valve coupled to the second chamber, the fluid sample valve having an open position which allows passage of the fluid sample into the second chamber, and a closed position;
• a dual headed piston with a first piston head positioned within the first chamber and reciprocally movable therein, and a second piston head positioned within the second chamber and reciprocally movable therein with the movement of the second piston head during at least a portion of the reciprocal movement applying an increased pressure on the fluid sample within the second chamber;
• a sensor configured to detect the concentration of suspended solids in the fluid sample within the second chamber;
• and
• a fluid port for the first chamber configured to apply pressurized fluid to the first chamber to drive the piston to move the second piston head to apply the increased pressure on the fluid sample within the second chamber and sufficiently increase the pressure of the fluid sample to cause at least a portion of the gas bubbles in the fluid sample to dissolve into the fluid sample.

A system for measuring suspended solids in a liquid with entrained gas, the system comprising:

• a measurement chamber with a sealable opening to receive a sample of the liquid, the measurement chamber being selectively changeable in volume with the sample liquid therein between a first configuration with an internal first volume and a second configuration with an internal second volume, the second volume being smaller than the first volume such that when the measurement chamber is changed from the first configuration to the second configuration with the sample liquid therein, an increased pressure is applied to the liquid sample sufficient to dissolve at least a portion of the entrained gas into the sample liquid;
• a detector positioned to detect the concentration of suspended solids in the sample liquid in the measurement chamber when in the second configuration with the increased pressure applied to the liquid sample;
• and
• a controller electrically coupled to the detector, the controller being configured to meter amounts of chemicals being introduced into a liquid stream containing suspended solids from which the sample liquid received in the measurement chamber originates in response to the concentration of the suspended solids detected by the detector.

A system for measuring suspended solids in a sample liquid having an amount of entrained gas therein, the system comprising:

• a pressure chamber configured to receive the sample liquid therein and operable to apply an increased pressure to the received sample liquid sufficient to reduce at least a portion of the entrained gas of the received sample liquid;
• and
• a sensor configured to generate a signal based upon an amount of suspended solids in the received sample liquid after the pressure chamber applies the increased pressure to the received sample liquid;
• and
• a controller coupled to the sensor, the controller configured to control an amount of chemical released into a liquid containing suspended solids based upon the signal generated by the sensor.

A system for measuring suspended solids in a sample liquid having an amount of entrained gas therein, the system comprising:

• a pressure chamber configured to receive the sample liquid therein and operable to apply an increased pressure to the received sample liquid sufficient to reduce at least a portion of the entrained gas of the received sample liquid;
• a sensor configured to generate a signal based upon an amount of suspended solids in the received sample liquid after the pressure chamber applies the increased pressure to the received sample liquid;
• a screen positioned to screen the sample liquid prior to receipt by the pressure chamber, and a valve configured to control the flow of the sample liquid out of the pressure chamber, the valve being operable after the pressure chamber applies the increased pressure to the received sample liquid to direct the received sample liquid toward the screen for back flushing of the screen and
• a liquid supply line positioned between the screen and the pressure chamber to receive a flow of the liquid from which the sample liquid is removed, and wherein the valve further controls the flow of the sample liquid into the pressure chamber and is operable after directing the received sample liquid toward the screen to prevent the next sample liquid from entering the pressure chamber until the liquid flows through the liquid supply line sufficiently to flush the liquid supply line.

A system for measuring solids suspended in a liquid, the system comprising:

• a measurement chamber having interior walls;
• a piston movably disposed within the measurement chamber and having a chamber surface arranged to define in combination with the interior walls of the measurement chamber an interior sample chamber of variable volume for receiving a sample of the liquid therein, the piston being configured to move between a first position and a second position, the interior sample chamber having a first volume when the piston is in the first position, and the interior sample chamber having a second volume when the piston is in the second position, the second volume of the interior sample chamber being smaller than the first volume of the interior sample chamber to apply an increased pressure to the liquid sample in the interior sample chamber above the pressure of the liquid sample when in the interior sample chamber with the first volume;
• a suspended solids sensor configured to generate a signal based upon suspended solids in the liquid sample in the interior sample chamber;
• and
• a controller electrically coupled to the suspended solids sensor, the controller configured to meter a chemical based upon the signal generated by the suspended solids sensor.

A system for measuring solids suspended in a liquid, the system comprising:

• a measurement chamber having interior walls;
• a piston movably disposed within the measurement chamber and having a chamber surface arranged to define in combination with the interior walls of the measurement chamber an interior sample chamber of variable volume for receiving a sample of the liquid therein, the piston being configured to move between a first position and a second position, the interior sample chamber having a first volume when the piston is in the first position, and the interior sample chamber having a second volume when the piston is in the second position, the second volume of the interior sample chamber being smaller than the first volume of the interior sample chamber to apply an increased pressure to the liquid sample in the interior sample chamber above the pressure of the liquid sample when in the interior sample chamber with the first volume;
• a suspended solids sensor configured to generate a signal based upon suspended solids in the liquid sample in the interior sample chamber;
• a screen positioned to screen the liquid sample prior to receipt by the interior sample chamber, and a valve configured to control, the flow of the liquid sample out of the interior sample chamber, the valve being operable after the increased pressure is applied to the liquid sample to direct the liquid sample toward the screen for back flushing of the screen;
• and
• a liquid supply line positioned between the screen and the measurement chamber to receive a flow of the liquid from which the liquid sample is removed, and wherein the valve further controls the flow of the liquid sample into the interior sample chamber and is operable after directing the liquid sample toward the screen to prevent the next liquid sample from entering the interior sample chamber until the liquid flows through the liquid supply line sufficiently to flush the liquid supply line.

A method for sampling a liquid containing suspended solids and entrained gas, the method comprising:

• transferring a sample of the liquid containing suspended solids and entrained gas to a measurement chamber;
• applying pressure to the sample in the measurement chamber in an amount required to reduce the entrained gas in the sample;
• measuring the suspended solids in the pressurized sample with reduced entrained gas;
• and
• metering an amount of a chemical based upon the generated signal, wherein measuring the suspended solids in the pressurized sample is performed by transmitting light through a portion of the pressurized sample, receiving the transmitted light, and generating a signal indicative of the, suspended solids in the pressurized sample based upon the received transmitted light.

A method for sampling a liquid containing suspended solids and entrained gas, the method comprising:

• transferring a sample of the liquid containing suspended solids and entrained gas to a measurement chamber;
• applying pressure to the sample in the measurement chamber in an amount required to reduce the entrained gas in the sample;
• measuring the suspended solids in the pressurized sample with reduced entrained gas;
• screening the sample before transferring the sample to the measurement chamber using a screen, and back flushing the measurement chamber through the screen to clean the screen after measuring the suspended solids in each pressurized sample;
• and
• flushing a liquid supply line positioned between the screen and the measurement chamber with a flow of the liquid after the back flushing and prior to transferring a new sample to the measurement chamber.