Pseudo-fouling detector and use thereof to control an industrial water process
AssigneeOndeo Nalco Company
InventorsKun Xiong, Gary L. Horacek, Robert L. Wetegrove, Rodney H. Banks
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Abstract
A system and method are provided which enables the monitoring and if desired controlling of fouling within a fluid system. The present invention includes a pseudo-fouling detector system with a pair of identical sensors, where said sensors measure a variable, such as, temperature or pH, in a fluid, producing an electric output representative of the variable. The variable measurements are used to calculate a fouling index which is further used to develop fouling treatment strategies for controlling the amount of fouling in the fluid system.
Claims19
A system for monitoring fouling of surfaces in contact with a fluid, the system comprising:
- at least one fluid channel for receiving an amount of fluid;
- at least two identical sensors that measure a certain variable, each sensor adapted to measure the certain variable in the fluid in said fluid channel and produce an electric signal representative of the certain variable;
- wherein the surface of the first sensor, that is in contact with the fluid, is permitted to foul and the surface of second sensor, that is in contact with the fluid, is cleaned;
- and a control device for processing the electric signals to calculate a fouling index.
A system for controlling fouling of surfaces in contact with a fluid, the system comprising:
- a) at least one fluid channel for receiving an amount of fluid;
- b) at least two identical sensors that measure a certain variable, each sensor adapted to measure the certain variable in the fluid in said fluid channel and produce an electric signal representative of the certain variable;
- wherein the surface of said first sensor that is in contact with the fluid is permitted to foul and the surface of said second sensor that is in contact with the fluid is cleaned;
- c) a control device for processing the electric signals to calculate a fouling index;
- and,
- d) a device for adding a treatment chemical to the fluid, wherein the amount of treatment chemical added is dependent on the calculated fouling index.
A method for determining fouling of surfaces in contact with a fluid comprising the steps of:
- a) providing at least one fluid channel;
- b) supplying an amount of fluid to said at least one fluid channel;
- c) providing an identical sensor pair that measures a certain variable, wherein the surface of the first sensor that is in contact with the fluid is permitted to foul, and the surface of the second sensor that is in contact with the fluid is cleaned before said second sensor measures a certain variable;
- d) using each sensor to measure the certain variable in the fluid and produce a electric signal representative of the certain variable;
- and
- e) calculating a fouling index using the electric signals to determine the amount of fouling.
A method for determining fouling of surfaces in contact with a fluid comprising the steps of:
- a) providing at least two fluid channels, wherein said at least two fluid channels are configured parallel to each other and where the same fluid travels each of said at least two fluid channels;
- b) supplying an amount of said fluid to said at least two fluid channels;
- c) providing an identical sensor pair that measures a certain variable, wherein the surface of the first sensor, that is in contact with the fluid, is permitted to foul, and the surface of the second sensor, that is in contact with the fluid, is cleaned before said second sensor measures a certain variable, wherein said first sensor is configured in the first fluid channel, and wherein said second sensor is configured in the second fluid channel;
- d) using each sensor to measure the certain variable in the fluid and produce a electric signal representative of the certain variable;
- and
- e) calculating a fouling index using the electric signals to determine the amount of fouling.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.