In-situ filtering and preserving device for underwater sampling robot

Abstract

This invention belongs to the field of underwater robots, specifically an in-situ filtration and preservation device for an underwater sampling robot. The inlet and outlet trays are sealed together. A filter membrane and sand core are located on the open side of the outlet tray's inner cavity. A preservative sealant cap is sealed within the inlet tray's inner cavity, and a filter chamber cover is located between the preservative sealant cap and the filter membrane. The inner cavity of the inlet tray is divided into a relatively independent preservative chamber and a seawater chamber by the preservative sealant cap and the filter chamber cover. A preservative sealant plug is installed inside the filter chamber cover. One end of the filter's suction connector is connected to the inlet tray, and the other end is fixed to a filter suction port fixing component. A one-way valve is installed between the filter suction connector and the filter suction port fixing component. This invention achieves in-situ filtration in the deep sea and automatically injects biological sample fixative for sample preservation after in-situ filtration, solving the problem of the impact of changes in environmental parameters such as temperature and pressure on the diversity and gene expression of planktonic microbial communities after deep-sea samples reach the sea surface.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of underwater robots, specifically an in-situ filtration and preservation device for an underwater sampling robot. Background Technology

[0002] The biggest problem with traditional sampling methods is that once deep-water samples reach the surface, changes in temperature and pressure affect the diversity and gene expression of planktonic microbial communities, hindering our understanding of key marine processes, marine environmental changes, and shifts in ecosystem structure and function. Furthermore, traditional methods are time-consuming and labor-intensive. Therefore, achieving in-situ filtration, sampling, fixation, and preservation of particulate matter and biological samples within vertical profiles of the working sea area is urgently needed. Summary of the Invention

[0003] To address the aforementioned problems with traditional sampling methods, the present invention aims to provide an in-situ filtration and preservation device for underwater sampling robots. This in-situ filtration and preservation device enables in-situ filtration and preservation in the deep sea. Without adding a control mechanism, it automatically injects a biological sample fixative for sample preservation after in-situ filtration, thus solving the problem of the impact of changes in environmental parameters such as temperature and pressure on the diversity and gene expression of planktonic microbial communities after deep-sea samples reach the sea surface.

[0004] The objective of this invention is achieved through the following technical solution:

[0005] This invention includes a water inlet tray, a preservative cap, a filter chamber cover, a filter membrane, a sand core, a water outlet tray, a filter suction connector, a one-way valve, and a filter suction port fixing component. Both the water inlet tray and the water outlet tray have hollow internal structures, and are sealed together. The inner cavities of both the water inlet tray and the water outlet tray are closed on one side and open on the other. A sand core is located on the open side of the water outlet tray, and a filter membrane is placed on the sand core. A preservative cap is sealed within the inner cavity of the water inlet tray. A filter chamber cover is provided between the preservative sealant cap and the filter membrane. The filter chamber cover is sealed and clamped between the inlet and outlet water trays. The upper surface of the filter chamber cover seals against the lower surface of the preservative sealant cap, and the lower surface of the filter chamber cover presses the filter membrane firmly. The inner cavity of the inlet tray is divided into a relatively independent preservative chamber and a seawater chamber by the preservative sealant cap and the filter chamber cover. A preservative sealing cavity is provided on the filter chamber cover, containing a preservative sealant. The preservative sealant cap has... A preservative hole is provided for connecting the preservative chamber and the preservative sealing chamber; the water inlet plate has a water inlet channel for injecting preservative into the preservative chamber; the filter chamber cover has a filter chamber cover water inlet channel and a filter chamber cover water outlet channel respectively; one end of the filter chamber cover water inlet channel is connected to the seawater chamber and the other end is connected to the preservative sealing chamber; one end of the filter chamber cover water outlet channel is connected to the preservative sealing chamber and the other end extends above the filter membrane; one end of the filter water inlet connector is connected to the water inlet... The filter is connected to the plate and communicates with the seawater cavity. The other end of the filter suction connector is fixedly connected to the filter suction port fixing component, and a one-way valve that can only flow to the seawater cavity is installed between the filter suction connector and the filter suction port fixing component. The water outlet plate is provided with a filter water passage, or both the water inlet plate and the water outlet plate are provided with filter water passages. The water outlet plate is also provided with a water outlet plate passage. One end of the water outlet plate passage communicates with the inner cavity of the water outlet plate, and the other end communicates with the filter water passage.

[0006] Wherein: when the filter water passage is only opened on the outlet plate, the filter water passage is opened through the thickness direction of the outlet plate; when the filter water passage is opened on both the inlet plate and the outlet plate, the filter water passage is opened through the thickness direction of the inlet plate and the outlet plate, one end of the filter water passage on the inlet plate is connected to the filter water passage on the outlet plate, and the other end of the filter water passage on the inlet plate is blocked.

[0007] The water inlet channel is opened radially along the water inlet plate. One end of the water inlet channel is connected to the anti-corrosion chamber, and the other end of the water inlet channel is opened to the side of the water inlet plate and is provided with a water inlet plate seal.

[0008] The upper surface of the preservative cap is a sloping surface that slopes from the edge to the middle, and the preservative hole is opened to the lowest point of the upper surface of the preservative cap and penetrates the preservative cap.

[0009] The filter chamber cover is a disc-shaped structure with a central protrusion. The preservative sealing chamber, the filter chamber cover water inlet channel, and the filter chamber cover water outlet channel are respectively opened on the protrusion. The filter chamber cover water inlet channel is opened radially along the protrusion, and the other end of the filter chamber cover water inlet channel is located below the preservative sealing. Multiple filter chamber cover water outlet channels are evenly arranged around the periphery of the preservative sealing chamber in the circumferential direction. Each filter chamber cover water outlet channel is opened along the thickness direction of the protrusion and penetrates the protrusion. The upper end of the filter chamber cover water outlet channel is connected to the preservative sealing chamber.

[0010] The outlet plate channel is opened radially along the outlet plate. The other end of the outlet plate channel is connected to the filter passage and opened to the side of the outlet plate, and is provided with an outlet plate plug.

[0011] The inlet and outlet water trays are installed concentrically and are fastened together by multiple screws evenly arranged along the circumference, with an O-ring seal provided on the connection surface to achieve a seal.

[0012] The advantages and positive effects of this invention are as follows:

[0013] 1. This invention enables in-situ filtration and preservation of deep-sea samples, solving the problem of the impact of changes in environmental parameters such as temperature and pressure on the diversity and gene expression of planktonic microbial communities after deep-sea samples reach the sea surface.

[0014] 2. This invention has the advantages of compact structure, high reliability, and easy assembly and maintenance. It realizes the automatic injection of biological sample fixative for sample preservation after seawater filtration without adding a control mechanism.

[0015] 3. This invention has a wide range of applications and can be used across the entire ocean depth range. Attached Figure Description

[0016] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the present invention;

[0017] Figure 2 This is one of the internal structural cross-sectional views of the present invention;

[0018] Figure 3 This is a second sectional view of the internal structure of the present invention;

[0019] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the filter chamber cover of the present invention;

[0020] Wherein: 1 is the water inlet tray, 2 is the corrosion inhibitor cover, 3 is the filter chamber cover, 4 is the filter membrane, 5 is the sand core, 6 is the water outlet tray, 7 is the filter suction connector, 8 is the one-way valve, 9 is the filter suction port fixing component, 10 is the O-ring, 11 is the water inlet tray plug, 12 is the water outlet tray plug, 13 is the corrosion inhibitor plug, 14 is the corrosion inhibitor plugging chamber, 15 is the filter water passage, 16 is the water inlet tray passage, 17 is the water outlet tray passage, 18 is the filter chamber cover water inlet passage, 19 is the filter chamber cover water outlet passage, 20 is the screw, 21 is the corrosion inhibitor chamber, 22 is the corrosion inhibitor hole, and 23 is the seawater chamber. Detailed Implementation

[0021] The invention will now be described in further detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0022] like Figures 1-4As shown, the present invention includes a water inlet tray 1, a corrosion inhibitor cap 2, a filter chamber cover 3, a filter membrane 4, a sand core 5, a water outlet tray 6, a filter suction connector 7, a one-way valve 8, and a filter suction port fixing component 9. Both the water inlet tray 1 and the water outlet tray 6 have hollow internal structures, and the water inlet tray 1 and the water outlet tray 6 are sealed together. The inner cavity of both the water inlet tray 1 and the inner cavity of the water outlet tray 6 are closed on one side and open on the other. A sand core 5 is provided on the open side of the inner cavity of the water outlet tray 6, and a filter membrane 4 is placed on the sand core 5. The corrosion inhibitor cap 2 is sealed and installed in the inner cavity of the water inlet tray 1. A filter chamber cover 3 is provided between the filter membrane 4 and the filter chamber 2. The filter chamber cover 3 is sealed and clamped between the water inlet plate 1 and the water outlet plate 6. The upper surface of the filter chamber cover 3 is in sealed contact with the lower surface of the preservative seal 2, and the lower surface of the filter chamber cover 3 presses the filter membrane 4 tightly. The inner cavity of the water inlet plate 1 is divided into a relatively independent preservative cavity 21 and a seawater cavity 23 by the preservative seal 2 and the filter chamber cover 3. A preservative sealing cavity 14 is provided on the filter chamber cover 3, and a preservative seal 13 is placed inside the preservative seal 14. A preservative seal 13 is provided on the preservative seal 2. The corrosion inhibitor holes 22 of the cavity 21 and the corrosion inhibitor sealing cavity 14 are provided; the water inlet plate 1 is provided with a water inlet channel 16 for injecting corrosion inhibitor into the corrosion inhibitor cavity 21; the filter cavity cover 3 is provided with a filter cavity cover water inlet channel 18 and a filter cavity cover water outlet channel 19 respectively; one end of the filter cavity cover water inlet channel 18 is connected to the seawater cavity 23 and the other end is connected to the corrosion inhibitor sealing cavity 14; one end of the filter cavity cover water outlet channel 19 is connected to the corrosion inhibitor sealing cavity 14 and the other end extends above the filter membrane 4; one end of the filter water suction connector 7 is fastened to the filter membrane 4 by threads. The filter inlet plate 1 is connected to the seawater cavity 23. The other end of the filter suction connector 7 is fixed to the filter suction port fixing part 9 by screws. A one-way valve 8 that can only flow to the seawater cavity 23 is installed between the filter suction connector 7 and the filter suction port fixing part 9. The filter outlet plate 6 is provided with a filter water passage 15, or both the inlet plate 1 and the outlet plate 6 are provided with filter water passages 15. The outlet plate 6 is also provided with an outlet plate passage 17. One end of the outlet plate passage 17 is connected to the inner cavity of the outlet plate 6, and the other end is connected to the filter water passage 15.

[0023] In this embodiment, the inlet plate 1 and the outlet plate 6 are both circular plates with the same diameter. The inlet plate 1 and the outlet plate 6 are installed concentrically and are fastened together by a plurality of screws 20 evenly arranged along the circumference. An O-ring 10 is used to seal the connection surface.

[0024] In this embodiment, the preservative cap 2 is fixed in the water inlet tray 1 by screws. The upper surface of the preservative cap 2 is a slope that slopes from the edge to the middle. The preservative hole 22 is opened to the lowest point of the upper surface of the preservative cap 2 and penetrates through the preservative cap 2.

[0025] In this embodiment, the open side of the inner cavity of the water inlet tray 1 is provided with a stop, and the filter chamber cover 3 is installed at the stop of the water inlet tray 1. In this embodiment, the filter chamber cover 3 is a disc-shaped structure with a protrusion in the middle. The upper surface of the protrusion is sealed with the preservative cap 2 by an O-ring 10. The preservative sealing cavity 14, the filter chamber cover water inlet channel 18, and the filter chamber cover water outlet channel 19 are respectively opened on the protrusion. The filter chamber cover water inlet channel 18 is opened radially along the protrusion, and the other end of the filter chamber cover water inlet channel 18 is located below the preservative cap 13. The periphery of the preservative cap 14 is uniformly provided with a plurality of (two in this embodiment) filter chamber cover water outlet channels 19 along the circumferential direction. Each filter chamber cover water outlet channel 19 is opened along the thickness direction of the protrusion and penetrates the protrusion. The upper end of the filter chamber cover water outlet channel 19 is connected to the preservative cap 14.

[0026] In this embodiment, the water inlet channel 16 is opened radially along the water inlet 1. One end of the water inlet channel 16 is connected to the preservative cavity 21, and preservative can be injected into the preservative cavity 21 through the water inlet channel 16. The other end of the water inlet channel 16 is opened to the side of the water inlet 1 and is provided with a water inlet plug 11.

[0027] In this embodiment, the outlet plate channel 17 is opened radially along the outlet plate 6. The other end of the outlet plate channel 17 is connected to the filter passage 15 and then opened to the side of the outlet plate 6. An outlet plate plug 12 is provided, and the filtered seawater flows out through the filter passage 15.

[0028] In this embodiment, when the filter water passage 15 is only opened on the outlet plate 6, the filter water passage 15 is opened through the thickness direction of the outlet plate 6; when both the inlet plate 1 and the outlet plate 6 have filter water passage 15, the filter water passage 15 is opened through the thickness direction of the inlet plate 1 and the outlet plate 6, one end of the filter water passage 15 on the inlet plate 1 is connected to the filter water passage 15 on the outlet plate 6, and the other end of the filter water passage 15 on the inlet plate 1 is blocked.

[0029] The working principle of this invention is as follows:

[0030] After the seawater pump on the outlet side of the present invention operates, the pre-filled preservative in the seawater chamber 23 of the in-situ filtration and preservation device is pumped out, causing a decrease in pressure within the seawater chamber 23. At this time, ambient seawater flows through the one-way valve 8 into the seawater chamber 23 in the inlet plate 1, and then flows into the inlet channel 18 of the filter chamber cover. The seawater pressure pushes the preservative sealant 13 up to fit against the lower end of the preservative sealant cap 2, and seals the preservative hole 22, thereby sealing the preservative at the upper end of the preservative sealant cap 2. Subsequently, seawater flows out sequentially through the outlet channel 19 of the filter chamber cover, the filter membrane 4, the sand core 5, the outlet plate channel 17, and the filter water passage 15. The filter membrane 4 filters and retains in-situ plankton and particulate matter larger than the filtration precision. After in-situ filtration is completed, the external seawater pump stops working, and the preservative sealant 13 falls due to gravity. The preservative sealed at the top of the preservative sealant cap 2, due to its density being greater than that of seawater, automatically falls through the preservative hole 22 and the water outlet 19 of the filter chamber cover and stays on the filter membrane 4, thereby achieving in-situ preservation of the preservative for the planktonic and particulate matter samples filtered by the filter membrane 4.

Claims

1. An in-situ filtration and preservation device for an underwater sampling robot, characterized in that: The filter includes an inlet tray (1), a preservative cap, a filter chamber cover (3), a filter membrane (4), a sand core (5), an outlet tray (6), a filter suction connector (7), a one-way valve (8), and a filter suction port fixing component (9). Both the inlet tray (1) and the outlet tray (6) are hollow structures, and the inlet tray (1) and outlet tray (6) are sealed together. The inner cavities of both the inlet tray (1) and the outlet tray (6) are closed on one side and open on the other. A sand core (5) is provided on the open side of the outlet tray (6), and a filter membrane (4) is placed on the sand core (5). A preservative cap is sealed within the inner cavity of the inlet tray (1). A filter chamber cover (3) is provided between the filter membrane (4) and the filter chamber cover (3). The filter chamber cover (3) is sealed and clamped between the water inlet plate (1) and the water outlet plate (6). The upper surface of the filter chamber cover (3) is sealed and abuts against the lower surface of the preservative cover. The lower surface of the filter chamber cover (3) presses the filter membrane (4) tightly. The inner cavity of the water inlet plate (1) is divided into a relatively independent preservative cavity (21) and a seawater cavity (23) by the preservative cover and the filter chamber cover (3). A preservative sealing cavity (14) is provided on the filter chamber cover (3). The preservative sealing cavity (14) contains a preservative sealant (13). The preservative cover has a connection for communicating with the preservative. The filter chamber (21) and the preservative sealing chamber (14) have preservative holes (22); the water inlet plate (1) is provided with a water inlet plate channel (16) for injecting preservative into the preservative chamber (21); the filter chamber cover (3) is provided with a filter chamber cover water inlet channel (18) and a filter chamber cover water outlet channel (19); one end of the filter chamber cover water inlet channel (18) is connected to the seawater chamber (23) and the other end is connected to the preservative sealing chamber (14); one end of the filter chamber cover water outlet channel (19) is connected to the preservative sealing chamber (14) and the other end extends above the filter membrane (4); one end of the filter water inlet connector (7) is connected to the water inlet plate (1). The filter water inlet connector (7) is connected to and communicates with the seawater cavity (23). The other end of the filter water inlet connector (7) is fixedly connected to the filter water inlet fixing component (9), and a one-way valve (8) that can only flow to the seawater cavity (23) is installed between the filter water inlet connector (7) and the filter water inlet fixing component (9). The water outlet plate (6) is provided with a filter water passage (15), or both the water inlet plate (1) and the water outlet plate (6) are provided with filter water passages (15). The water outlet plate (6) is also provided with a water outlet plate passage (17). One end of the water outlet plate passage (17) is connected to the inner cavity of the water outlet plate (6), and the other end is connected to the filter water passage (15). The filter chamber cover (3) is a disc-shaped structure with a protrusion in the middle. The preservative sealing chamber (14), the filter chamber cover water inlet channel (18), and the filter chamber cover water outlet channel (19) are respectively opened on the protrusion. The filter chamber cover water inlet channel (18) is opened along the radial direction of the protrusion, and the other end of the filter chamber cover water inlet channel (18) is located below the preservative sealing (13). The periphery of the preservative sealing chamber (14) is uniformly provided with multiple filter chamber cover water outlet channels (19) along the circumferential direction. Each filter chamber cover water outlet channel (19) is opened along the thickness direction of the protrusion and penetrates the protrusion. The upper end of the filter chamber cover water outlet channel (19) is connected to the preservative sealing chamber (14). The inlet plate (1) and the outlet plate (6) are installed concentrically and are fastened together by a plurality of screws (20) evenly arranged along the circumference, and an O-ring (10) is provided on the connection surface to achieve sealing.

2. The in-situ filtration and preservation device for underwater sampling robots according to claim 1, characterized in that: When the filter water passage (15) is only opened on the outlet plate (6), the filter water passage (15) is opened through the thickness direction of the outlet plate (6); when the filter water passage (15) is opened on both the inlet plate (1) and the outlet plate (6), the filter water passage (15) is opened through the thickness direction of the inlet plate (1) and the outlet plate (6), one end of the filter water passage (15) on the inlet plate (1) is connected to the filter water passage (15) on the outlet plate (6), and the other end of the filter water passage (15) on the inlet plate (1) is blocked.

3. The in-situ filtration and preservation device for underwater sampling robots according to claim 1, characterized in that: The water inlet channel (16) is opened radially along the water inlet (1). One end of the water inlet channel (16) is connected to the preservative cavity (21), and the other end of the water inlet channel (16) is opened to the side of the water inlet (1) and is provided with a water inlet plug (11).

4. The in-situ filtration and preservation device for underwater sampling robots according to claim 1, characterized in that: The upper surface of the preservative cap is an inclined surface that slopes from the edge to the middle. The preservative hole (22) is opened to the lowest point of the upper surface of the preservative cap and penetrates the preservative cap.

5. The in-situ filtration and preservation device for underwater sampling robots according to claim 1, characterized in that: The outlet plate channel (17) is opened radially along the outlet plate (6). The other end of the outlet plate channel (17) is connected to the filter water passage (15) and opened to the side of the outlet plate (6), and an outlet plate plug (12) is provided.

Images