Intelligent detection device for capsule particles and detection method thereof

Abstract

The application discloses an intelligent detection device for encapsulated particles and a detection method thereof, and relates to the technical field of microcapsule detection. The device comprises a microscope, an image acquisition module, an external computer and a special glass slide. The glass slide is provided with a composite microgroove structure, including a concentric ring groove with a hydrophilic coating, a radial radial microchannel, a hydrophobic capillary lock and an annular isolation belt. A high-rebound sealing rubber ring is arranged in a sinking edge sealing groove, and a soft iron ring of a distributed magnet unit and a magnetic cover glass cooperates to form a magnetic control flattening mechanism. During detection, the liquid sample is dropped into the center and self-diffuses to fill the ring groove through the microchannel. The capillary lock blocks the overflow, and the magnetic attraction force compresses the rubber ring to realize radial sealing and liquid film flattening after covering the magnetic cover glass. Finally, the in-situ accurate monitoring of the dynamic performance of the encapsulated particles is realized through microscope observation and computer analysis. The device breaks through the traditional liquid film preparation bottleneck, and solves the problems of uneven liquid film, particle aggregation and complex operation.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of microcapsule detection technology, specifically to an intelligent detection device and method for encapsulated particles. Background Technology

[0002] In oil and gas field development, especially in drilling horizontal and highly deviated wells, encapsulated lubricants effectively reduce the friction coefficient between the drill string and the wellbore, which is crucial for ensuring a safe and efficient drilling process. Therefore, accurate and reliable real-time monitoring of the dynamic performance of encapsulated particles in a liquid environment is of great significance for optimizing lubricant performance and evaluating its field effectiveness.

[0003] However, existing technologies for detecting liquid encapsulated particles based on conventional optical microscopes have technical bottlenecks. When manually coating the liquid sample onto a slide and covering it with a coverslip, the inaccurate control of the liquid film area can easily lead to excessive sample coverage and overflow to the edge of the coverslip. The overflowing liquid can contaminate the microscope stage and optical components. At the same time, due to the lack of effective sealing at the edge of the coverslip, the liquid film can continue to leak during observation due to evaporation or vibration, which can disrupt the stability of the observation environment and ultimately interfere with the continuous monitoring and analysis of particle dynamic behavior. To address these issues, we propose an intelligent detection device and method for encapsulated particles. Summary of the Invention

[0004] To address the shortcomings of existing technologies, this invention provides an intelligent detection device and method for encapsulated particles.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention adopts the following technical solution:

[0006] A smart detection device for encapsulated particles includes a microscope, an image acquisition module, and an external computer; it also includes a glass slide placed on the microscope stage, with a composite microgroove structure in the central region; the composite microgroove structure includes: multiple concentric annular grooves with a hydrophilic coating on the bottom; radial microchannels extending outward from the geometric center of the glass slide and connecting each layer of concentric annular grooves; a capillary lock, an annular microslit structure located at the outer edge of the outermost concentric annular groove with a hydrophobic surface treatment; an annular isolation band surrounding the outer edge of the composite microgroove structure; a recessed sealing groove located outside the annular isolation band; an elastic sealing ring fixed in the recessed sealing groove, protruding from the base surface of the glass slide in its natural state; a distributed magnetic adsorption unit composed of multiple independent magnets embedded below the recessed sealing groove and arranged in a ring corresponding to the edge projection of the recessed sealing groove; and a magnetic cover glass with a soft iron ring embedded at its edge, the projection of which covers the recessed sealing groove.

[0007] Preferably, the walls of the concentric annular grooves have an inverted trapezoidal cross-section.

[0008] Preferably, the surface of the annular isolation strip is a plane made of a hydrophobic material.

[0009] Preferably, the cross-section of the soft iron ring is a narrow rectangle.

[0010] Preferably, the radial microchannels extend evenly between adjacent concentric annular grooves, and the ends of the radial microchannels are tangentially connected to the concentric annular grooves.

[0011] Preferably, the elastic sealing ring is made of synthetic rubber with a high compression resilience.

[0012] Preferably, the slit width of the capillary lock is less than the critical value of liquid capillary action.

[0013] Preferably, the depth of the radial microchannels is the same as the depth of the concentric annular grooves.

[0014] Preferably, the magnets in the distributed magnet adsorption unit are permanent magnets and are arranged with alternating polarities.

[0015] A method for detecting encapsulated particles using an intelligent detection device includes:

[0016] S1. Drop the liquid sample into the center of the composite microgroove structure;

[0017] S2. The sample is diffused and filled into concentric annular grooves through radial microchannels, and capillary locks prevent overflow.

[0018] S3. Cover with a magnetically conductive glass cover. The soft iron ring is compressed by the distributed magnet adsorption unit to form a radial seal and flatten the liquid film.

[0019] S4. Microscope observes the liquid film, and the image acquisition module transmits data to the computer for analysis of particle dynamic performance.

[0020] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following beneficial effects:

[0021] This device achieves automatic and controllable diffusion of liquid samples through a composite microgroove structure and a radial microchannel synergistic hydrophilic / hydrophobic coating design. The sample is uniformly filled into concentric grooves via the radial microchannels, forming a liquid film of consistent thickness. The hydrophobic microslit structure of the capillary lock precisely prevents liquid overflow, while the annular isolation band further constrains the liquid film boundary. Combined with the radial seal and uniform pressure formed by the compression of the elastic sealing ring by the magnetic cover glass under the action of the distributed magnet adsorption unit, a highly stable and uniformly thick observation liquid film is ultimately obtained. This eliminates the problems of uneven liquid film, particle agglomeration, or sedimentation caused by traditional manual smearing, laying the foundation for accurate imaging.

[0022] The concentric annular grooves with an inverted trapezoidal cross-section, combined with a hydrophilic coating on the bottom of the grooves, provide a flow space for the encapsulated particles that approximates a real liquid environment, reducing interference from wall effects. Radial microchannels guide the sample to fill smoothly in a laminar flow manner, avoiding abnormal particle movement caused by turbulence. This biomimetic flow channel design, combined with a stable liquid film environment, allows the encapsulated particles to exhibit their true dispersion state and dynamic behavior (such as motion trajectory and deformation characteristics) under downhole conditions during observation, ensuring clear and distortion-free images captured by the microscope, thereby supporting accurate analysis of particle morphology, size distribution, and dynamic performance.

[0023] The device employs an integrated process design of "dropping-self-diffusion-magnetic sealing." Simply drop the sample into the center and cover it with a magnetic cover glass. The distributed magnet adsorption unit automatically achieves uniform compression of the elastic sealing ring and flattening of the liquid film via a soft iron ring, eliminating the need for specialized coating techniques or complex operations. This rapid and reliable encapsulation method not only simplifies the process and reduces human error but also allows the device to be directly applied in oilfield environments, meeting the urgent need for real-time, in-situ monitoring of encapsulated lubricant performance and providing immediate data support for optimizing drilling processes. Attached Figure Description

[0024] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention, the accompanying drawings used in the embodiments 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 these drawings without creative effort.

[0025] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the present invention;

[0026] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the placement of the glass slide in this invention;

[0027] Figure 3 This is a partial cross-sectional schematic diagram of the glass slide structure of the present invention;

[0028] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram showing the separation of the glass slide and the magnetic cover glass of the present invention;

[0029] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the bottom structure of the magnetically conductive cover glass sheet of the present invention;

[0030] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the composite microgroove structure of the present invention;

[0031] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the cross-section of the concentric annular groove of the present invention;

[0032] Figure 8This is a cross-sectional view of the recessed sealing groove section of the present invention.

[0033] Figure number explanation: 1. Microscope; 2. Image acquisition module; 3. Computer; 4. Glass slide; 5. Composite microgroove structure; 6. Concentric ring groove; 7. Radial microchannel; 8. Capillary lock; 9. Annular isolation strip; 10. Recessed sealing groove; 11. Elastic sealing ring; 12. Distributed magnet adsorption unit; 13. Magnetic cover glass; 14. Soft iron ring. Detailed Implementation

[0034] The present invention will now be described in further detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0035] The following description is intended to disclose the invention so that those skilled in the art can implement it. The preferred embodiments described below are merely examples, and other obvious modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art. The basic principles of the invention defined in the following description can be used in other embodiments, modifications, improvements, equivalents, and other technical solutions that do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention.

[0036] Those skilled in the art should understand that, in the disclosure of this invention, the terms "longitudinal," "lateral," "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "front," "rear," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," and "outer," etc., indicate the orientation or position based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are merely simplified descriptions for the convenience of describing this invention and do not indicate or imply that the device or component referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, the above terms should not be construed as limitations on this invention.

[0037] It is understood that the term "a" should be understood as "at least one" or "one or more", that is, in one embodiment, the number of an element can be one, while in another embodiment, the number of the element can be multiple, and the term "a" should not be understood as a limitation on the number.

[0038] Example 1:

[0039] Please see Figures 1-8 A smart detection device for encapsulated particles includes a microscope 1, an image acquisition module 2, and an external computer 3; it also includes a glass slide 4 placed on the stage of the microscope 1, and a composite microgroove structure 5 is provided in the central area of ​​the glass slide 4; the composite microgroove structure 5 includes: multiple concentric annular grooves 6, the bottom of which is covered with a hydrophilic coating; the gradient wetting field is constructed by the hydrophilic bottom of the multiple concentric annular grooves 6, which not only guides the uniform spreading of the liquid film, but also simulates the downhole annular flow channel in its annular reservoir area, so that the encapsulated particles exhibit multi-radius curvature motion behavior;

[0040] The radial microchannels 7 extend outward from the geometric center of the glass slide 4 and connect to the concentric annular grooves 6 of each layer. This design simultaneously achieves sample diversion and microscale eddy suppression, avoiding distortion of the initial velocity of particle collisions. Specifically, even at slow liquid flow rates, in traditional open smears or unstructured channels, abrupt changes in local resistance (such as contact angle hysteresis or wall roughness) can easily occur when the liquid edge contacts the glass slide 4. This resistance difference causes the liquid front to split into multiple streams, forming tiny vortices at their confluence (similar to eddies created when water encounters a stone). These vortices can cause particles to rotate or accelerate, altering their natural motion. In this device, the radial channels 7 extend uniformly from the center of the annular grooves 6, allowing the liquid to diffuse evenly from the center outwards, avoiding eddies caused by uneven force on the liquid front. At the same time, the micron-level depth of the radial channels 7 keeps the fluid in an ultra-low Reynolds number laminar flow state (dominated by viscous forces), where inertial forces are negligible, naturally suppressing eddy generation. Furthermore, in traditional manual smearing, the eddies during liquid spreading impart additional rotation or instantaneous acceleration to the particles, causing the particle trajectories observed under the microscope to deviate from their true state (e.g., particles that should move at a uniform speed are briefly accelerated by the eddies). However, the laminar flow filling of the radial channels 7 ensures that the particles are only pulled by the viscous force of the liquid, and their initial velocity is closer to their true behavior in the encapsulated lubricant.

[0041] The capillary lock 8 is a ring-shaped micro-slit structure located on the outer edge of the outermost concentric ring groove 6 and has a hydrophobic surface treatment. While blocking overflow, it uses gas permeability to maintain the air pressure balance of the microenvironment inside the groove.

[0042] An annular isolation strip 9 surrounds the outer edge of the composite microgroove structure 5; a sunken sealing groove 10 is located on the outside of the annular isolation strip 9; the two form a double-stage overflow prevention dam.

[0043] The elastic sealing ring 11 is fixed in the recessed sealing groove 10. In its natural state, it protrudes from the base surface of the glass slide 4 and generates radial creep during magnetic compression, which both seals and eliminates the assembly tolerance of the magnetic cover glass 13.

[0044] The distributed magnet adsorption unit 12 consists of multiple independent magnets, which are embedded below the sunken sealing groove 10 and arranged in a ring corresponding to the edge projection of the sunken sealing groove 10. The magnetic cover glass 13 has a soft iron ring 14 embedded on its edge, and the projection of the soft iron ring 14 covers the sunken sealing groove 10. The distributed magnet adsorption unit 12 is coupled with the soft iron ring 14 of the magnetic cover glass 13 to convert discrete magnetic force into continuous surface pressure, and simultaneously realize liquid film flattening and shock absorption such as vibration of oilfield equipment.

[0045] Among them, the wall of the concentric annular groove 6 has an inverted trapezoidal cross section. On the basis of increasing the hydrophilic contact area, the inclined surface guides the particles to spiral up along the wall, counteracting the tendency of gravity sedimentation; the sharp edge cuts the liquid flow boundary layer, suppressing the centripetal migration of particles caused by the Weissenberg effect; the flat area at the bottom of the groove provides a zero-distortion observation window for the microscope 1, avoiding the distortion of the curved surface refraction imaging.

[0046] Meanwhile, the surface of the annular isolation strip 9 is a plane made of hydrophobic material, with capillary locks 8 and sunken sealing grooves 10 on its two sides. Its surface is flush with the surface of the glass slide 4. By constructing a micron-level rough structure through hydrophobic material, the superhydrophobic threshold is improved to resist high-pressure seepage. At the same time, the annular isolation strip 9 can physically prevent the liquid film from overflowing into the sunken sealing groove 10 due to thermal expansion. Optionally, conductive particles can be doped into the hydrophobic material to electrostatically shield the influence of external electromagnetic interference on particle movement.

[0047] In this technical solution, the cross-section of the soft iron ring 14 is a narrow rectangle. The narrow rectangular cross-section of the soft iron ring 14 can achieve the magnetic flux concentration effect and improve the strength of the edge magnet. At the same time, since the long side of the rectangle is parallel to the base surface of the glass slide 4, it can form a parallel plate flow field when compressed, avoiding liquid film shear thinning. Furthermore, the low coercivity of the soft iron material can eliminate the liquid film disturbance caused by residual magnetic adsorption when the cover is removed.

[0048] In this technical solution, the radial microchannels 7 extend evenly between adjacent concentric annular grooves 6, resulting in a fast filling speed. Furthermore, since the ends of the radial microchannels 7 are tangentially connected to the concentric annular grooves 6, they induce the liquid to form steady-state Taylor vortices, enhancing the suspension stability of the particles. At the same time, the radial microchannels 7, distributed at equal angles, can form an optical diffraction grid to assist in the focal plane calibration of the microscope 1.

[0049] Furthermore, the depth of the radial microchannels 7 is the same as the depth of the concentric annular grooves 6. The equal depth design of the radial microchannels 7 and the concentric annular grooves 6 can eliminate local pressure fluctuations caused by abrupt changes in the channel cross-section, ensure continuous and stable liquid filling, and avoid bubble mixing or uneven particle distribution. At the same time, the equal depth channels can reduce the Reynolds number and maintain the Stokes flow pattern. In addition, the coplanarity of the groove bottom can reduce the optical thickness difference of the liquid film and meet the accuracy of interferometric measurement.

[0050] It is worth noting that the elastic sealing ring 11 is made of synthetic rubber with high compression resilience. The polymer chain entanglement structure of synthetic rubber generates isotropic restoring force when under pressure to compensate for temperature deformation; at the same time, its oil-resistant molecular skeleton can resist lubricant swelling and ensure service life.

[0051] In this technical solution, the slit width of the capillary lock 8 is less than the critical value of liquid capillary action, and the hydrophobic coating can control the energy barrier of the liquid-gas interface to prevent leakage; at the same time, the micro-slits form a Laplace pressure valve, which automatically increases pressure and locks when the liquid film expands; in addition, the nanoporous hydrophobic inner wall of the capillary lock 8 can adsorb gas molecules to form a gas film lubrication layer to reduce particle wall adhesion.

[0052] The operating procedure for this device is as follows:

[0053] The first step is sample loading and initial diffusion. The suspension of encapsulated particles to be tested is dropped into the starting point of the composite microgroove structure 5 at the center of the glass slide 4. Upon contact with the bottom of the concentric annular groove 6 of the hydrophilic coating, the solid-liquid interface energy drops sharply, triggering capillary wetting. The liquid diffuses radially along the radial microchannels 7, forming a symmetrical flow front due to the uniform channel distribution design. The inverted trapezoidal groove walls guide the liquid upwards, avoiding filling stagnation caused by contact angle hysteresis. The coordinated design of the channel depth stabilizes the initial thickness.

[0054] Step 2: Annular groove filling and boundary locking. The device is left to stand for 5-10 seconds to allow the liquid to fill autonomously. The liquid enters the multi-layered concentric annular groove 6 through the radial microchannels 7. Due to the continuous spreading of the hydrophilic coating at the bottom of the groove, the hydrophobic microslits of the capillary lock 8 generate Laplace negative pressure, preventing liquid overflow. The hydrophobic surface of the annular isolation zone 9 forms a second overflow barrier. The liquid front is confined within the outermost concentric annular groove 6, forming an observation area with a constant diameter.

[0055] Step 3: Pre-positioning of the magnetic cover glass 13. The magnetic cover glass 13 is horizontally placed over the composite microgroove area of ​​the slide 4. The narrow rectangular soft iron ring 14 at the edge of the magnetic cover glass 13 is initially aligned with the recessed sealing groove 10; the elastic sealing ring 11 makes slight contact with the soft iron ring 14, providing initial positioning friction. Maintaining a certain air gap before compression of the ring prevents premature deformation of the liquid film; the polarity distribution of the soft iron ring 14 and the magnet unit generates a weak guiding magnetic field, preventing the magnetic cover glass 13 from shifting.

[0056] Step 4: Magnetic Sealing and Liquid Film Flattening. Gently press the center of the magnetic cover glass 13 to trigger magnetic adsorption. The magnets in the distributed magnet adsorption unit 12 generate a uniform magnetic field, adsorbing the soft iron ring 14 to move downwards; the soft iron ring 14 compresses the elastic sealing ring 11, and the ring expands radially to fill the sunken sealing groove 10; the restoring force of the ring is converted into vertical pressure, uniformly flattening the liquid film below the magnetic cover glass 13.

[0057] Step 5: Establishing a steady-state microenvironment. The apparatus is left to stand for 30 seconds to allow the system to reach equilibrium. The capillary lock's nano-film layer regulates the micro-pressure within the tank, suppressing evaporation; the equal-depth flow channels and tangential connections maintain Taylor-Couette flow, ensuring the sample reaches a stable state.

[0058] Step 6: Dynamic Observation and Data Analysis. Start the microscope 1 and image acquisition module 2. The inverted trapezoidal walls of the concentric annular groove 6 provide observation windows; the evenly distributed radial microchannels 7 form a diffraction grating to assist autofocus; the magnetic sealing system provides shock absorption.

[0059] The data processing flow is as follows: First, a high-speed camera captures particle motion; then, a computer reconstructs the 3D trajectory and quantifies parameters (such as particle deformation index and dispersion uniformity); finally, the computer outputs a lubricant dynamic performance evaluation report (such as predicted friction coefficient).

[0060] Example 2:

[0061] This embodiment supplements Embodiment 1. Specifically, the magnets of the distributed magnet adsorption unit 12 are permanent magnets with alternating polarities. The alternating N and S poles of the permanent magnets can generate a Halbach array effect, which improves the uniformity of the magnetic field at the center of the magnetic cover glass 13. At the same time, it cancels the leakage of magnetic flux at the edges and avoids the chain aggregation of magnetized capsule particles. Furthermore, the alternating magnetic field can induce the soft iron ring 14 to generate micro-vibration, preventing the particles from settling and depositing.

[0062] Those skilled in the art should understand that the embodiments of the present invention described above and shown in the accompanying drawings are merely examples and do not limit the present invention. The objectives of the present invention have been fully and effectively achieved. The functions and structural principles of the present invention have been shown and explained in the embodiments, and any modifications or variations of the implementation of the present invention may be made without departing from the principles.

Claims

1. An intelligent detection device for capsule particles, comprising a microscope (1), an image acquisition module (2), and an external computer (3); characterized in that Further comprising a glass slide (4) placed on the microscope (1) platform, with a central area provided with a composite microgroove structure (5); the composite microgroove structure (5) comprises: A plurality of concentric circular ring grooves (6) with a hydrophilic coating on the groove bottom, and the groove wall of the concentric circular ring groove (6) is in an inverted trapezoidal cross-section; A radial microchannel (7) extending outward from the geometric center of the glass slide (4) and connecting each layer of the concentric circular ring groove (6), the radial microchannel (7) extends evenly between adjacent concentric circular ring grooves (6), and the end of the radial microchannel (7) is tangentially connected to the concentric circular ring groove (6); A capillary lock (8) is an annular microslit structure, which is provided on the outer edge of the outermost concentric circular ring groove (6) and is hydrophobic treated on the surface, and the slit width of the capillary lock (8) is less than the liquid capillary critical value; An annular isolation belt (9) surrounds the outer edge of the composite microgroove structure (5), and the surface of the annular isolation belt (9) is a plane composed of a hydrophobic material; A sunken sealing groove (10) is provided outside the annular isolation belt (9); An elastic sealing rubber ring (11) is fixed in the sunken sealing groove (10) and protrudes from the base surface of the glass slide (4) in a natural state; A distributed magnet adsorption unit (12) is composed of a plurality of independent magnets, which are embedded along the lower side of the sunken sealing groove (10) and arranged in a circular ring corresponding to the edge projection of the sunken sealing groove (10), and the magnets of the distributed magnet adsorption unit (12) are permanent magnets with alternating polarities; A magnetically permeable cover glass (13) with a soft iron ring (14) embedded in the edge, and the projection of the soft iron ring (14) covers the sunken sealing groove (10).

2. A smart detection device for blister pack granules as claimed in claim 1, wherein: The cross-section of the soft iron ring (14) is a narrow rectangle.

3. A smart detection device for blister pack granules as claimed in claim 1, wherein: The material of the elastic sealing rubber ring (11) is a synthetic rubber with high compression resilience.

4. A smart detection device for blister pack granules as claimed in claim 1, wherein: The depth of the radial microchannel (7) is the same as the groove depth of the concentric circular ring groove (6).

5. A detection method based on the device of any one of claims 1-4, characterized in that, Comprising: S1, drop the liquid sample into the center of the composite microgroove structure (5); S2, the sample diffuses and fills the concentric circular ring groove (6) through the radial microchannel (7), and the capillary lock (8) blocks the overflow; S3, cover the magnetically permeable cover glass (13), the soft iron ring (14) is compressed by the distributed magnet adsorption unit (12) to compress the elastic sealing rubber ring (11), forming a radial seal and flattening the liquid film; S4, the microscope (1) observes the liquid film, and the image acquisition module (2) transmits data to the computer (3) for analysis of particle dynamic performance.

Images