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US 8,945,371 B2Granted
Device and methods of using a piezoelectric microbalance sensor
AssigneeEcolab USA Inc.
InventorsDmitri L Kouznetsov, John E Hoots, Arthur J Kahaian, Rodney H Banks, David Ambrose
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Methods for monitoring scale deposition in a water-containing industrial process are disclosed. In certain embodiments, the water-containing industrial process is an aqueous cooling system. In certain embodiments, the methods incorporate fluorometric monitoring and control techniques along with a piezoelectric microbalance sensor. A particular embodiment of a piezoelectric microbalance sensor is additionally disclosed, along with at least one method for using the particular embodiment that is independent of whether fluorometric monitoring and control techniques are utilized.
Claims15
An automated method of monitoring a process upset and recovery of an aqueous cooling system, the automated method comprising:
- providing an aqueous cooling system comprising cooling water;
- providing a fluorometer;
- providing a piezoelectric microbalance sensor capable of self-cleaning;
- providing a central control system;
- operably connecting the fluorometer and the piezoelectric microbalance sensor to the aqueous cooling system and the central control system;
- dosing into the cooling water at a dosage rate at least one water-soluble, scale-inhibiting chemical selected from the group consisting of:
- a naturally fluorescing treatment chemical, a fluorescently tagged treatment chemical, a treatment chemical that has been fluorescently traced, and combinations thereof, thereby resulting in a concentration of the at least one water-soluble, scale-inhibiting chemical within the cooling water;
- fluorometrically measuring the concentration of at least one of the at least one water-soluble, scale-inhibiting chemical in the cooling water with the fluorometer;
- utilizing the piezoelectric microbalance sensor to measure a scaling rate of the cooling water;
- adjusting at least one process variable of the aqueous cooling system in response to at least one of the fluorometric measurement and the measured scaling rate;
- wherein the at least one process variable is selected from the group consisting of the dosage rate of at least one water-soluble, scale-inhibiting chemical;
- a cooling water circulation rate;
- a valve opening;
- a flow rate;
- a volume;
- a liquid level;
- pH of the cooling water;
- blowdown cycle frequency;
- triggering of an alarm;
- triggering of a warning;
- and combinations thereof.
18 more elements
An automated method for monitoring dosage and process response of an aqueous cooling system, the automated method comprising:
- providing an aqueous cooling system comprising cooling water;
- providing a fluorometer;
- providing a piezoelectric microbalance sensor capable of self-cleaning;
- providing a central control system;
- operably connecting the fluorometer and the piezoelectric microbalance sensor to the aqueous cooling system and the central control system;
- dosing into the cooling water at least one water-soluble, scale-inhibiting chemical selected from the group consisting of:
- a naturally fluorescing treatment chemical, a fluorescently tagged treatment chemical, a treatment chemical that has been fluorescently traced, and combinations thereof, thereby resulting in a concentration of the at least one water-soluble, scale-inhibiting chemical within the cooling water;
- fluorometrically measuring the concentration of at least one of the at least one water-soluble, scale-inhibiting chemical in the cooling water with the fluorometer;
- utilizing the piezoelectric microbalance sensor to measure a scaling rate of the cooling water;
- adjusting at least one process variable of the aqueous cooling system in response to at least one of the fluorometrically measured concentration and the measured scaling rate;
- wherein the at least one process variable is selected from the group consisting of the dosage rate of at least one water-soluble, scale-inhibiting chemical;
- a cooling water circulation rate;
- a valve opening;
- a flow rate;
- a volume;
- a liquid level;
- pH of the cooling water;
- blowdown cycle frequency;
- triggering of an alarm;
- triggering of a warning;
- and combinations thereof.
18 more elements
An automated method for diagnosing process response to changes in feed water chemistry of a fluorometrically monitored and treated aqueous cooling system, the automated method comprising:
- providing an aqueous cooling system comprising cooling water;
- providing a fluorometer;
- providing a piezoelectric microbalance sensor capable of self-cleaning;
- providing a central control system;
- operably connecting the fluorometer and the piezoelectric microbalance sensor to the aqueous cooling system and the central control system;
- dosing into the cooling water at least one water-soluble, scale-inhibiting chemical selected from the group consisting of:
- a naturally fluorescing treatment chemical, a fluorescently tagged treatment chemical, a treatment chemical that has been fluorescently traced, and combinations thereof, thereby resulting in a concentration of the at least one water-soluble, scale-inhibiting chemical within the cooling water;
- fluorometrically measuring the concentration of at least one of the at least one water-soluble, scale-inhibiting chemical in the cooling water with the fluorometer;
- utilizing the piezoelectric microbalance sensor to measure a scaling rate of the cooling water;
- adjusting at least one process variable of the aqueous cooling system in response to at least one of the fluorometric measurement and the measured scaling rate;
- wherein the at least one process variable is selected from the group consisting of the dosage rate of at least one water-soluble, scale-inhibiting chemical;
- a cooling water circulation rate;
- a valve opening;
- a flow rate;
- a volume;
- a liquid level;
- pH of the cooling water;
- blowdown cycle frequency;
- triggering of an alarm;
- triggering of a warning;
- and combinations thereof.
18 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.