A multi-functional flow cell device for hydrogen-oxygen sensor and method of use

Abstract

The present application relates to the technical field of dissolved hydrogen and oxygen measurement, and particularly relates to a multifunctional flow cell device suitable for a hydrogen and oxygen sensor and a use method, comprising: a flow cell, comprising a cell body, the cell body is further provided with a water inlet and a water outlet; a three-way valve, comprising a near-water part, a far-water part and a side connection part, the near-water part is connected with the water inlet, the far-water part is arranged between the near-water part and the side connection part, and the far-water part is used for connecting a sampling pipeline or a drainage pipeline; a cleaning agent pool, provided with a medicament pool and a waste liquid pool, the medicament pool is connected with the water outlet, and the waste liquid pool is connected with the water inlet; a variable-diameter quick connector; and a bidirectional water pump. The variable-diameter quick connector is arranged at the water inlet and the water outlet, the specification can be quickly replaced according to the site, the size mismatching problem of the pipeline of the traditional flow cell is solved, a backwashing flow path is constructed, the sensor membrane contamination and aging problems are effectively relieved, the service life of the sensor electrode is prolonged, the personnel exposure risk is reduced, and the equipment downtime is reduced.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of dissolved hydrogen and oxygen measurement technology, and in particular to a multifunctional flow cell device and its method of use suitable for hydrogen and oxygen sensors. Background Technology

[0002] The concentration of dissolved hydrogen and oxygen in water is a key parameter reflecting water quality. In the nuclear power industry, the detection of dissolved hydrogen and oxygen concentrations in water has particularly stringent standards. During operation, pressurized water reactors in nuclear power plants need to control the dissolved hydrogen in the primary coolant within a specific range. This control helps to inhibit the decomposition of primary coolant due to radiation, prevent hydrogen embrittlement of the zirconium alloy used in fuel assembly cladding, and slow down the corrosion process of the primary coolant pressure boundary materials.

[0003] The following technical problems exist in the existing flow cells in the nuclear power field: 1. Due to the different sizes of the drain pipes in different power plants, the compatibility between the flow cell and the sampling pipeline is insufficient; 2. Long-term testing will cause contamination inside the flow cell, affecting the flow rate, pressure and sensor output signal, and long-term immersion of the sensor membrane in radioactive coolant water will shorten the membrane life; 3. The outlet pipe of the flow cell is too short and does not meet the on-site discharge requirements.

[0004] Therefore, there is a need for a multi-functional flow pool device and its usage method that has multi-size adaptability and backwashing function. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The main objective of this invention is to provide a multifunctional flow cell device and its usage method suitable for hydrogen and oxygen sensors, aiming to solve problems such as insufficient compatibility between the flow cell and the sampling pipeline, shortened membrane life due to long-term use, and difficulty in meeting on-site emission requirements in existing technologies.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention proposes a multifunctional flow cell device suitable for hydrogen-oxygen sensors, comprising:

[0007] A flow tank, comprising a tank body, wherein the tank body is provided with an inlet and an outlet, the inlet and the outlet being spaced apart and both being located at the upper end of the tank body;

[0008] A three-way valve, comprising a near-water section, a far-water section, and a side connection section, wherein the near-water section is connected to the water inlet, and the far-water section is provided with the side connection section as a gap between it and the near-water section, and the far-water section is used to connect to a sampling pipeline or a drainage pipeline.

[0009] The cleaning agent tank includes a chemical tank and a waste liquid tank, which are separated by a partition. The chemical tank is connected to the water outlet, and the waste liquid tank is connected to the water inlet.

[0010] A variable diameter quick-connect plug, wherein there are multiple variable diameter quick-connect plugs, and the multiple variable diameter quick-connect plugs are respectively disposed at the water outlet and the water outlet to adapt to pipelines with different outer diameters.

[0011] A bidirectional water pump, wherein there are multiple bidirectional water pumps, and the multiple bidirectional water pumps are respectively arranged between the water outlet and the reagent tank and between the water inlet and the waste liquid tank.

[0012] Furthermore, the three-way valve, in conjunction with the bidirectional water pump, forms two flow paths:

[0013] The measurement flow path is formed by the liquid phase sequentially passing through the connected sampling pipeline, the three-way valve, the inlet, the flow tank, the outlet, and the drainage pipeline;

[0014] The backwash flow path is formed by the liquid phase sequentially passing through the connected reagent tank, the bidirectional water pump, the outlet, the flow tank, the inlet, the three-way valve, and the waste liquid tank.

[0015] Furthermore, the flow cell also includes a hydrogen-oxygen sensor, which is disposed on the side of the flow cell near the inlet.

[0016] Furthermore, the inlet is located at the center of the upper end of the pool body, and the outlet is located at the edge of the upper end of the pool body, forming an annular flow channel around the hydrogen-oxygen sensor between the inlet and the outlet.

[0017] Furthermore, the cleaning agent is any one of deionized water, ethanol, isopropanol, weak acid, or weak alkali.

[0018] This invention also proposes a method of using a multifunctional flow cell device suitable for hydrogen-oxygen sensors. Applying the multifunctional flow cell device described in any of the above technical solutions, the method of using the multifunctional flow cell device suitable for hydrogen-oxygen sensors includes a backwashing mode, which comprises the following steps:

[0019] Switch the three-way valve to connect the inlet to the waste liquid tank through the side connection, and set the hydrogen-oxygen sensor in the flow tank and guide the water sample to be tested to flow through the hydrogen-oxygen sensor;

[0020] Start the bidirectional water pump located between the outlet and the chemical tank to pump the cleaning solution from the chemical tank into the outlet. The cleaning solution flows through the inside of the flow tank and is then discharged from the inlet.

[0021] The discharged waste liquid is directed into the waste liquid tank through a three-way valve.

[0022] Furthermore, the method of using the multifunctional flow cell device suitable for hydrogen-oxygen sensors includes a forward flushing mode, which includes the following steps:

[0023] Switch the three-way valve to connect the inlet to the chemical tank through the remote water section;

[0024] Start the bidirectional water pump located between the inlet and the chemical tank to pump the cleaning solution from the chemical tank into the inlet. The cleaning solution flows through the inside of the flow tank and is then discharged from the outlet.

[0025] The discharged waste liquid is directed into the waste liquid tank through a three-way valve.

[0026] This invention features variable diameter quick-connect plugs at both the inlet and outlet, allowing for rapid replacement of the appropriate size according to on-site conditions. This solves the problem of mismatched dimensions in traditional flow tank pipelines and constructs a backwashing flow path. Without disassembling the sensor, it can periodically clean the surface of the sensor electrode and the interior of the flow tank, effectively removing deposited impurities and residual radioactive water samples. This alleviates sensor membrane contamination and aging problems, extends the service life of the sensor electrode, and reduces personnel exposure risks and equipment downtime. Attached Figure Description

[0027] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on the processes shown in these drawings without creative effort.

[0028] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the backwashing process provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0029] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of a forward rinsing process provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0030] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the connection structure between a three-way valve and a two-way water pump according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0031] Figure 4 A process flow diagram of a backwashing flow path provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0032] Figure 5 A process flow diagram of a measurement flow path provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0033] Figure 6 This is a cross-sectional structural diagram of a variable diameter quick-connect socket provided in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0034] Detailed Implementation

[0035] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of the present invention, and not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0036] It should be noted that all directional indications (such as up, down, left, right, front, back, etc.) in the embodiments of the present invention are only used to explain the relative positional relationship and movement of each component in a certain specific posture (as shown in the figure). If the specific posture changes, the directional indication will also change accordingly.

[0037] Furthermore, the use of terms such as "first" and "second" in this invention is for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying their relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Therefore, a feature defined with "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of that feature. Additionally, the technical solutions of the various embodiments can be combined with each other, but only on the basis of being achievable by those skilled in the art. When the combination of technical solutions is contradictory or impossible to implement, such a combination of technical solutions should be considered non-existent and not within the scope of protection claimed by this invention.

[0038] Understandably, during the overhaul and load reduction process of nuclear power units, pressurized water reactors still need to perform forced oxidation operations in the primary loop, which requires continuous monitoring of dissolved oxygen concentration. Furthermore, nuclear power systems have multiple water bodies requiring oxygen control, and the oxygen content of these water bodies also needs to be monitored periodically. Therefore, portable or online hydrogen and oxygen analyzers are widely used at nuclear power sites. During the measurement process, hydrogen or oxygen sensors need to be installed on the flow-through pool, and primary loop water is flowed through the flow-through pool via a drain pipe, while the sensors measure the hydrogen or oxygen concentration.

[0039] Based on this, refer to Figures 1-6 As shown, this application provides a multifunctional flow cell device 1000 suitable for a hydrogen-oxygen sensor 100, comprising:

[0040] A flow-through tank 200 includes a tank body, which also has an inlet 210 and an outlet 220. The inlet 210 and outlet 220 are spaced apart and both are located at the upper end of the tank body. A three-way valve 500 includes a near-water section, a far-water section, and a side connection section. The near-water section is connected to the inlet 210, and the far-water section is spaced apart from the near-water section by the side connection section. The far-water section is used to connect to a sampling pipeline 700 or a drainage pipeline 800. A cleaning agent tank 400 includes a reagent tank 410 and a waste liquid tank 420. The reagent tank 410 and the waste liquid tank... The components 420 are spaced apart by partitions. The chemical tank 410 is connected to the outlet 220, and the waste liquid tank 420 is connected to the inlet 210. Multiple variable diameter quick-connect plugs 600 are installed at the water outlet and the outlet 220 to accommodate pipelines 900 with different outer diameters. Multiple bidirectional water pumps 300 are installed between the outlet 220 and the chemical tank 410, and between the inlet 210 and the waste liquid tank 420.

[0041] In this invention, the flow-through tank 200 has a cylindrical structure with an outer diameter of 40-80mm and a height of 80-100mm. A three-way valve 500 is located above the inlet 210, and its upper end is connected to a variable-diameter quick-connect plug 600. The variable-diameter quick-connect plug 600 can connect to pipes with an outer diameter of 5-10mm. Operators can select different sizes for disassembly and replacement according to specific site requirements. The cleaning tank is 30-50cm long, 30-50cm wide, and 10-20cm high. A two-way water pump 300 is located on the outlet 220 side of the flow-through tank 200, providing a flow rate of 0.2L / min to 1L / min.

[0042] In one embodiment, the flow-through tank 200 is a cylindrical structure made of stainless steel, with an outer diameter of 60 mm and a height of 90 mm. An inlet 210 and an outlet 220 are located at the upper end of the flow-through tank 200. The inlet 210 is located at the center of the upper end of the tank, and the outlet 220 is located at the edge of the upper end of the tank. A hydrogen / oxygen sensor 100 is installed inside the flow-through tank 200 near the inlet 210. The hydrogen / oxygen sensor 100 is connected to a measuring instrument to measure the hydrogen / oxygen content in the water. An annular flow channel is formed between the inlet 210 and the outlet 220, surrounding the hydrogen / oxygen sensor 100, which guides the water sample to flow evenly across the surface of the hydrogen / oxygen sensor 100, reducing the measurement dead zone. The cleaning agent tank 400 has overall dimensions of 40 cm in length, 40 cm in width, and 15 cm in height, and is made of stainless steel or corrosion-resistant plastic. The cleaning agent tank 400 is internally equipped with a vertical partition, which divides it into a chemical agent tank 410 and a waste liquid tank 420. The height of the partition is the same as the height of the tank body to ensure that the liquids in the two tanks do not communicate with each other. The chemical agent tank 410 is connected to the outlet 220 via a pipeline through a bidirectional water pump 300; the waste liquid tank 420 is connected to the side connection of a three-way valve 500 via a pipeline.

[0043] More specifically, the three-way valve 500 includes a near-water section, a far-water section, and a side connection section. The near-water section is connected to the inlet 210 via a pipeline 900. The far-water section is used to connect to the sampling pipeline 700 or the drainage pipeline 800. The side connection section is located between the near-water section and the far-water section and is used to connect to the cleaning agent tank 400. A variable-diameter quick-connect plug 600 is located at the far-water section and the outlet 220 of the three-way valve 500 to adapt to pipelines 900 with different outer diameters. In this embodiment, the variable-diameter quick-connect plug 600 can adapt to an outer diameter range of 5mm to 10mm. Operators can quickly replace the plug with the appropriate specification according to the specific size of the sampling pipeline 700 on site, achieving plug-and-play functionality. Two bidirectional water pumps 300 are provided, installed between the outlet 220 and the chemical tank 410, and between the inlet 210 and the waste liquid tank 420, respectively. The bidirectional water pump 300 is an adjustable flow pump with a flow rate adjustment range of 0.2L / min to 1L / min. The water flow rate and direction can be adjusted according to cleaning needs.

[0044] Furthermore, the three-way valve 500 and the two-way water pump 300 work together to form two flow paths:

[0045] The measurement flow path is formed by the liquid phase sequentially passing through the connected sampling pipeline 700, three-way valve 500, inlet 210, flow tank 200, outlet 220, and drainage pipeline 800.

[0046] The backwash flow path is formed by the liquid phase passing sequentially through the connected reagent tank 410, bidirectional water pump 300, outlet 220, flow tank 200, inlet 210, three-way valve 500, and waste liquid tank 420.

[0047] In detail, such as Figure 4 As shown, the backwashing flow path involves the operator manipulating a three-way valve 500 to switch the valve to a state where the side connection connects to the near-water section while the far-water section remains closed. The bidirectional water pump 300, located between the outlet 220 and the reagent tank 410, is activated to extract the cleaning solution from the reagent tank 410. This solution is then pumped into the flow tank 200 from the outlet 220 via a variable-diameter quick-connect connector 600. The cleaning solution flows in reverse within the flow tank 200, passing over the surface of the hydrogen-oxygen sensor 100. After rinsing the electrode surface of contaminants and residual test samples, it is discharged from the inlet 210, flows through pipeline 900, the three-way valve 500, and the variable-diameter quick-connect connector 600, and then into the waste liquid tank 420. The cleaning solution in the waste liquid tank 420 is then subjected to radioactivity testing. If the test sample in the waste liquid tank 420 is radioactive, the waste liquid must be discharged into a dedicated wastewater treatment system.

[0048] like Figure 5 As shown, the measurement flow path involves the operator switching the three-way valve 500 to connect the distant water section and the near water section, while closing the side connection section. The water sample with test capability in the sampling pipeline 700 flows through the variable diameter quick connector 600, the three-way valve 500, and the inlet 210 into the flow tank 200. After the water sample with test capability passes over the surface of the hydrogen / oxygen sensor 100 to complete the hydrogen / oxygen concentration measurement, it flows out from the outlet 220 and then flows through the variable diameter quick connector 600, the three-way valve 500, and the drain pipeline 800 to be discharged into the dedicated wastewater treatment system. At this time, the bidirectional water pump 300 is not working, and the cleaning agent tank 400 is isolated from the flow tank 200.

[0049] Understandably, by adjusting the water flow direction of the bidirectional water pump 300 on top of the backwash flow path, a forward flushing mode can be achieved. The operator switches the three-way valve 500 to connect the distant and near water sections, and starts the bidirectional water pump 300, located between the inlet 210 and the chemical tank 410, pumping the flushing solution from the chemical tank 410 into the inlet 210. The cleaning solution flows through the flow tank 200 and is discharged from the outlet 220, flowing into the waste liquid tank 420. The combination of forward and backwashing effectively removes sediment buildup in different areas of the flow tank 200, improving cleaning efficiency.

[0050] Furthermore, the flow cell 200 also includes a hydrogen-oxygen sensor 100, which is disposed on the side of the flow cell 200 near the inlet 210.

[0051] Furthermore, the inlet 210 is located at the center of the upper end of the pool body, and the outlet 220 is located at the edge of the upper end of the pool body, forming an annular flow channel around the hydrogen-oxygen sensor 100 between the inlet 210 and the outlet 220.

[0052] Furthermore, the cleaning agent is any one of deionized water, ethanol, isopropanol, weak acid, or weak alkali.

[0053] Understandably, the cleaning solution filled in the reagent tank 410 can be selected based on the properties of the water sample to be tested and the type of contamination:

[0054] When cleaning equipment after routine water quality monitoring, deionized water is used as the cleaning solution; when organic contaminants are present on the sensor surface, ethanol or isopropanol is used as the cleaning solution; when inorganic salt deposits are present, a weak acid (including but not limited to a 1% citric acid solution) is used as the cleaning solution; when oily contaminants are present, a weak alkali (including but not limited to a 1% sodium carbonate solution) is used as the cleaning solution. In actual operation, a single cleaning agent can be selected according to the degree of contamination, or a graded cleaning can be performed in the order of weak acid first and then deionized water.

[0055] This invention also proposes a method for using a multifunctional flow cell device suitable for hydrogen-oxygen sensors. The method of using the multifunctional flow cell device according to any of the above technical solutions includes a backwashing mode, which comprises the following steps:

[0056] Step S1: The operator switches the three-way valve to connect the inlet to the waste liquid tank through the side connection, closes the connection between the remote water section and the sampling pipeline, and sets the hydrogen-oxygen sensor in the flow cell and guides the water sample to be tested to flow through the hydrogen-oxygen sensor.

[0057] Step S2: Start the bidirectional water pump set between the outlet and the chemical tank, set the flow rate to 0.5L / min, and the rinsing time to 5min. Pump the cleaning solution from the chemical tank into the outlet. After the cleaning solution flows through the inside of the flow tank, it is discharged from the inlet.

[0058] Step S3: The discharged waste liquid is introduced into the waste liquid tank through a three-way valve.

[0059] Furthermore, the method of using the multifunctional flow cell device suitable for hydrogen-oxygen sensors includes a forward flushing mode, which includes the following steps:

[0060] Step T1: The operator switches the three-way valve to connect the inlet to the chemical tank through the remote water section;

[0061] Step T2: Start the bidirectional water pump set between the inlet and the chemical tank, set the flow rate to 0.5L / min, and the rinsing time to 5min. Pump the cleaning solution from the chemical tank into the inlet. After the cleaning solution flows through the inside of the flow tank, it is discharged from the outlet.

[0062] Step T3: The discharged waste liquid is introduced into the waste liquid tank through a three-way valve.

[0063] This invention features variable diameter quick-connect plugs at both the inlet and outlet, allowing for rapid replacement of the appropriate size according to on-site conditions. This solves the problem of mismatched dimensions in traditional flow tank pipelines and constructs a backwashing flow path. Without disassembling the sensor, it can periodically clean the surface of the sensor electrode and the interior of the flow tank, effectively removing deposited impurities and residual radioactive water samples. This alleviates sensor membrane fouling and aging problems, extends the lifespan of the sensor electrode, and reduces personnel exposure risks and equipment downtime.

[0064] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of the present invention and does not limit the patent scope of the present invention. Any equivalent structural transformations made using the contents of the present invention's specification and drawings under the inventive concept of the present invention, or direct / indirect applications in other related technical fields, are included within the patent protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A multifunctional flow cell device suitable for hydrogen-oxygen sensors, characterized in that, include: A flow tank, comprising a tank body, wherein the tank body is provided with an inlet and an outlet, the inlet and the outlet being spaced apart and both being located at the upper end of the tank body; A three-way valve, comprising a near-water section, a far-water section, and a side connection section, wherein the near-water section is connected to the water inlet, and the far-water section is provided with the side connection section as a gap between it and the near-water section, and the far-water section is used to connect to a sampling pipeline or a drainage pipeline. The cleaning agent tank includes a chemical tank and a waste liquid tank, which are separated by a partition. The chemical tank is connected to the water outlet, and the waste liquid tank is connected to the water inlet. A variable diameter quick-connect plug, wherein there are multiple variable diameter quick-connect plugs, and the multiple variable diameter quick-connect plugs are respectively disposed at the water outlet and the water outlet to adapt to pipelines with different outer diameters. A bidirectional water pump, wherein there are multiple bidirectional water pumps, and the multiple bidirectional water pumps are respectively arranged between the water outlet and the reagent tank and between the water inlet and the waste liquid tank.

2. The multifunctional flow cell device for hydrogen-oxygen sensors as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The three-way valve, in conjunction with the bidirectional water pump, forms two flow paths: The measurement flow path is formed by the liquid phase sequentially passing through the connected sampling pipeline, the three-way valve, the inlet, the flow tank, the outlet, and the drainage pipeline; The backwash flow path is formed by the liquid phase sequentially passing through the connected reagent tank, the bidirectional water pump, the outlet, the flow tank, the inlet, the three-way valve, and the waste liquid tank.

3. The multifunctional flow cell device for hydrogen-oxygen sensors as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The flow cell also includes a hydrogen-oxygen sensor, which is located inside the flow cell on the side near the inlet.

4. The multifunctional flow cell device for hydrogen-oxygen sensors as described in claim 3, characterized in that, The inlet is located at the center of the upper end of the pool body, and the outlet is located at the edge of the upper end of the pool body. The inlet and the outlet form an annular flow channel surrounding the hydrogen-oxygen sensor.

5. The multifunctional flow cell device for hydrogen-oxygen sensors as described in claim 4, characterized in that, The cleaning agent is any one of deionized water, ethanol, isopropanol, weak acid, or weak alkali.

6. A method of using a multifunctional flow cell device suitable for hydrogen-oxygen sensors, characterized in that, The method of using the multifunctional flow cell device as described in any one of claims 1 to 5, suitable for hydrogen-oxygen sensors, includes a backwashing mode, the backwashing mode comprising the following steps: Switch the three-way valve to connect the inlet to the waste liquid tank through the side connection, and set the hydrogen-oxygen sensor in the flow tank and guide the water sample to be tested to flow through the hydrogen-oxygen sensor; Start the bidirectional water pump located between the outlet and the chemical tank to pump the cleaning solution from the chemical tank into the outlet. The cleaning solution flows through the inside of the flow tank and is then discharged from the inlet. The discharged waste liquid is directed into the waste liquid tank through a three-way valve.

7. The method of using the multifunctional flow cell device for hydrogen-oxygen sensors as described in claim 6, characterized in that, The method of using the multifunctional flow cell device suitable for hydrogen and oxygen sensors includes a forward flushing mode, which includes the following steps: Switch the three-way valve to connect the inlet to the chemical tank through the remote water section; Start the bidirectional water pump located between the inlet and the chemical tank to pump the cleaning solution from the chemical tank into the inlet. The cleaning solution flows through the inside of the flow tank and is then discharged from the outlet. The discharged waste liquid is directed into the waste liquid tank through a three-way valve.

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