Self-cleaning optical sensor
AssigneeEcolab USA Inc.
InventorsEugene Tokhtuev, Christopher J. Owen, Anatoly Skirda, William M. Christensen
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Abstract
An optical sensor may include a sensor head that has an optical window for directing light into a flow of fluid and/or receiving optical energy from the fluid. The optical sensor may also include a flow chamber that includes a housing defining a cavity into which the sensor head can be inserted. In some examples, the flow chamber includes an inlet port defining a flow nozzle that is configured to direct fluid entering the flow chamber against the optical window of the sensor head. In operation, the force of the incoming fluid impacting the optical window may prevent fouling materials from accumulating on the optical window.
Claims14
An optical sensor comprising:
- a sensor head that includes a first optical window, a second optical window, at least one light source, and at least one detector, wherein the at least one light source is configured to emit light through the first optical window into a flow of fluid within a first optical region and the at least one detector is configured to detect fluorescent emissions through the second optical window from the flow of fluid within a second optical region;
- a flow chamber that includes a housing defining a cavity into which the sensor head is inserted, an inlet port configured to communicate the flow of fluid from outside of the cavity to an interior of the cavity, and an outlet port configured to communicate the flow of fluid from the interior of the cavity to back outside of the cavity,
- wherein the inlet port defines a first fluid nozzle and a second fluid nozzle that each project into a third optical region located between the first optical region and the second optical region, the first fluid nozzle is configured to direct a portion of the flow of fluid against the first optical window, and the second fluid nozzle is configured to direct a portion of the flow of fluid against the second optical window.
A method comprising:
- directing fluid through a first fluid nozzle of a flow chamber against a first optical window of a sensor head;
- and
- directing fluid through a second fluid nozzle of the flow chamber against a second optical window of the sensor head,
- wherein the sensor head includes at least one light source configured to emit light through the first optical window into a flow of fluid within a first optical region and at least one detector configured to receive optical energy through the second optical window from the flow of fluid within a second optical region, and
- wherein the first fluid nozzle and the second fluid nozzle each project into a third optical region located between the first optical region and the second optical region.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.