Portable water sample preconcentration device integrating multi-stage filtration and adsorption

Abstract

This invention discloses a portable water sample pre-enrichment device integrating multi-stage filtration and adsorption, belonging to the field of water environment monitoring technology. The main body includes a human-machine interface (HMI) module in the HMI area. The functional execution area, from top to bottom, comprises a first pumping layer, a filtration layer, a second pumping layer, and an adsorption layer connected by pipelines. The first pumping layer includes several peristaltic pumps for transporting water samples to the filtration layer. The filtration layer includes several filtration devices for filtering the water samples. The second pumping layer includes several peristaltic pumps for pressurizing and transporting the filtered water samples to the adsorption layer. The adsorption layer includes several solid-phase extraction columns for adsorbing target compounds in the water samples. The device has a built-in microcontroller electrically connected to the HMI module for controlling the operating logic of each pump layer. This invention can improve the efficiency and reliability of pre-enrichment of water samples in the field.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a portable water sample pre-enrichment device integrating multi-stage filtration and adsorption, belonging to the field of water environment monitoring technology. Background Technology

[0002] In environmental monitoring, water sample pre-enrichment is an essential step before the analysis of trace organic matter or heavy metals. Solid phase extraction (SPE) columns are sample pretreatment devices made with silica gel or polymer matrices. They achieve the separation and purification of target analytes through selective adsorption and elution, and are commonly used for the pre-enrichment of trace organic matter in aquatic environments. Some organic compounds, such as antibiotics, have short half-lives and are easily degraded during water sample transportation, leading to lower measured values. Existing pre-enrichment devices mainly suffer from the following problems: Unreasonable structural layout: Traditional devices often use a single pump drive. When faced with high-resistance filter membranes and solid-phase extraction columns, excessive pipeline pressure can easily lead to leakage or unstable flow rate, affecting the recovery rate.

[0003] Poor portability: The pump body, pipelines and control unit are scattered, making it inconvenient to carry to the field.

[0004] Outdated user experience: The interface lacks status feedback, making it impossible to intuitively determine whether the current stage is sample loading, running, or emptying; and it lacks pause / resume functionality, so if field operations are interrupted, such as when changing consumables or in case of emergencies, it often needs to be restarted, wasting precious water samples and time.

[0005] Lack of maintenance logic: Existing equipment lacks an independent maintenance testing module, making it difficult to quickly diagnose single pumps or specific channels.

[0006] Therefore, there is an urgent need for a pre-enrichment device that is portable, easy to operate, precise in control, and has visualized status, in order to meet the needs of rapid and efficient water sample pretreatment in field environments. Summary of the Invention

[0007] The purpose of this invention is to provide a portable water sample pre-enrichment device that integrates multi-stage filtration and adsorption, which can improve the efficiency and reliability of field water sample pre-enrichment.

[0008] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides the following technical solution: In a first aspect, the present invention provides a portable water sample pre-enrichment device integrating multi-stage filtration and adsorption, comprising a device body and a power supply for powering the device; the device body is internally divided into a human-machine interface (HMI) area and a function execution area, the HMI area being equipped with an HMI module, and the function execution area, from top to bottom, comprising a first pumping layer, a filtration layer, a second pumping layer, and an adsorption layer connected by pipelines; the first pumping layer includes several peristaltic pumps for transporting water samples to the filtration layer; the filtration layer includes several filtration devices, each with a filter membrane for filtering the water sample; the second pumping layer includes several peristaltic pumps for pressurizing and transporting the water sample through the filtration layer to the adsorption layer; the adsorption layer includes several solid-phase extraction columns, each with independent channels for adsorbing target compounds in the water sample; the device has a built-in microcontroller electrically connected to the HMI module for controlling the operating logic of each pump layer.

[0009] In conjunction with the first aspect, furthermore, the main body of the device is a suitcase-style device body.

[0010] In conjunction with the first aspect, the power source is a portable DC power supply.

[0011] In conjunction with the first aspect, furthermore, each sample inlet peristaltic pump is configured to deliver the water sample to the filter layer when rotating clockwise and to drain the water sample from the pipeline when rotating counterclockwise, with each sample inlet peristaltic pump having an independent channel.

[0012] In conjunction with the first aspect, the filtration device is further described as a cylindrical filtration device, with a filter membrane of 47μm pore size installed inside for filtering particulate impurities in the water sample.

[0013] In conjunction with the first aspect, the HMI interaction module is further configured with a speed setting page, which has three speed levels: low speed (10 RPM), medium speed (15 RPM), and high speed (20 RPM). The HMI interaction module adjusts the PWM duty cycle and regulates the rotation speed of each pump layer by writing parameters to the microcontroller's registers and calling the send function.

[0014] In conjunction with the first aspect, the HMI interactive module is further configured with a maintenance operation page, which includes manual and automatic modes. The manual mode supports independent start and stop control of a single pump. The automatic mode supports channel selection and running time setting. After startup, it first performs a sample loading operation for a preset time, controlling the rotation of each sample inlet peristaltic pump to deliver the water sample to the filter layer. Then, it performs a running operation for a user-set time, controlling each delivery peristaltic pump to pressurize and deliver the water sample that has passed through the filter layer to the adsorption layer.

[0015] In conjunction with the first aspect, the HMI interaction module is further configured with a operation control page, which includes a one-click default startup control. When the one-click default startup control is triggered, the device executes the following sequentially: Sample loading stage: Each peristaltic pump rotates to deliver the water sample to the filter layer. The indicator light on the interactive interface corresponding to the sample loading stage changes from red to green and displays a countdown of the sample loading stage duration. Operation phase: Each sample injection peristaltic pump and each delivery peristaltic pump rotates in coordination, delivering the water sample to the filter layer while simultaneously pressurizing and delivering the filtered water sample to the adsorption layer. The indicator light corresponding to the operation phase on the interactive interface changes from red to green and displays a countdown of the operation phase duration. Emptying phase: Each peristaltic pump rotates in reverse to empty the water sample in the pipeline. The indicator light corresponding to the emptying phase on the interactive interface changes from red to green and displays a countdown of the emptying phase duration.

[0016] In addition to the first aspect, the operation control page also has a one-click pause control. When the one-click pause control is triggered, all pumps will stop operating, and the operation control page will record the current operating node and the remaining time. When the device restarts, it will resume operation from the recorded operating node.

[0017] Secondly, the present invention provides an application of a portable water sample pre-enrichment device integrating multi-stage filtration and adsorption as described in the first aspect in water environment monitoring.

[0018] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the present invention are: The portable water sample pre-enrichment device integrating multi-stage filtration and adsorption provided by this invention adopts a two-stage drive design with a first row of sample inlet peristaltic pumps and a second row of delivery peristaltic pumps. The filter membrane is mainly used to filter and remove large particulate impurities in the water sample. The filtered water sample is then pre-enriched by the delivery peristaltic pump through a solid phase extraction column. This can effectively solve the problem of unstable flow rate or leakage at the interface caused by the complex water environment and packing blockage in traditional single-pump equipment. It can ensure the smoothness of the pre-enrichment process and guarantee the recovery rate of the target compound.

[0019] This invention features a one-button start / stop function. During long-term operation in the field, if unexpected situations such as hose slippage, filter membrane blockage, or solid phase extraction column packing blockage requiring replacement occur, the user can immediately pause the equipment, troubleshoot the problem, and resume operation from the point of interruption. This avoids the need to reset the process due to mid-operational shutdown, which would prolong the water sample pretreatment time or increase the sampling volume.

[0020] This invention achieves deep integration of red / green light status indication and countdown through HMI. Users do not need professional training and can judge the equipment status from a distance simply by the indicator light color. Combined with the countdown display, it reduces the difficulty of operation in the field and the cost of manual monitoring.

[0021] This invention features a separate manual / automatic maintenance interface. In automatic maintenance mode, a sample loading operation is performed for a preset time first, followed by a user-defined running operation for a set time. This allows for rapid cleaning and pressure testing of the pump body. Furthermore, this mode forcibly eliminates the purging step, making it specifically designed for instrument maintenance scenarios.

[0022] This invention adopts a suitcase-style design, dividing the device into an interactive area and four functional areas. This vertical layout not only utilizes gravity to assist in drainage, but also makes the pipeline route clear, facilitating the quick disassembly and replacement of consumables such as filter membranes and solid phase extraction columns, perfectly adapting to the needs of mobile field operations.

[0023] This invention provides three speed settings: low speed (10 RPM), medium speed (15 RPM), and high speed (20 RPM). Users can flexibly adjust the speed of the peristaltic pump according to the characteristics of the target compound to be pre-enriched. Attached Figure Description

[0024] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the portable water sample pre-enrichment device integrating multi-stage filtration and adsorption provided in an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the flow path of the portable water sample pre-enrichment device integrating multi-stage filtration and adsorption provided in this embodiment of the invention. Figure 3 This is a flowchart illustrating the operational logic of the portable water sample pre-enrichment device integrating multi-stage filtration and adsorption provided in this embodiment of the invention. Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the electrical connections of a portable water sample pre-enrichment device integrating multi-stage filtration and adsorption provided in an embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0025] The technical solution of the present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to specific embodiments.

[0026] Embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below. Examples of these embodiments are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein the same or similar reference numerals denote the same or similar elements or elements having the same or similar functions throughout. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and are only used to explain the present invention, and should not be construed as limiting the present invention. Unless otherwise specified, embodiments of the present invention and the technical features thereof can be combined with each other.

[0027] This invention provides a portable water sample pre-enrichment device integrating multi-stage filtration and adsorption, comprising a main body and a power supply for powering the device. The main body is internally divided into a human-machine interface (HMI) area and a function execution area. The HMI area includes an HMI module, and the function execution area, from top to bottom, comprises a first pumping layer, a filtration layer, a second pumping layer, and an adsorption layer connected by pipelines. The first pumping layer includes several peristaltic pumps for delivering water samples to the filtration layer. The filtration layer includes several filtration devices, each containing a filter membrane for filtering the water sample. The second pumping layer includes several peristaltic pumps for pressurizing and delivering the water sample through the filtration layer to the adsorption layer. The adsorption layer includes several solid-phase extraction columns, each with independent channels for adsorbing target compounds in the water sample. The device has a built-in microcontroller electrically connected to the HMI module for controlling the operating logic of each pump layer.

[0028] The portable water sample pre-enrichment device integrating multi-stage filtration and adsorption provided in this invention can solve the problems of existing pre-enrichment devices being bulky, complex to operate, and unusable in field environments, and achieve efficient pre-enrichment of water samples in field environments.

[0029] In this embodiment, the main body of the device is a suitcase-style device body; the power supply is a portable DC power supply.

[0030] Specifically, each peristaltic pump is configured to deliver water samples to the filter layer when rotating clockwise and to drain the water samples from the pipeline when rotating counterclockwise, with each peristaltic pump having its own independent channel.

[0031] The filtration device is a cylindrical filtration device, and a filter membrane with a pore size of 47μm is installed inside the cylindrical filtration device to filter particulate impurities in the water sample.

[0032] In one possible embodiment, the HMI interaction module is configured with a speed setting page, which has three speed settings: low speed (10 RPM), medium speed (15 RPM), and high speed (20 RPM). The HMI interaction module adjusts the PWM duty cycle and regulates the rotation speed of each pump layer by writing parameters to the microcontroller's registers and calling the send function.

[0033] In one possible embodiment, the HMI interaction module is configured with a maintenance operation page, which includes a manual mode and an automatic mode. The manual mode supports independent start and stop control of a single pump. The automatic mode supports channel selection and running time setting. After starting, it first performs a sample loading operation for a preset time, controls the rotation of each sample inlet peristaltic pump to deliver the water sample to the filter layer, and then performs a running operation for a user-set time, controls each delivery peristaltic pump to pressurize and deliver the water sample that has passed through the filter layer to the adsorption layer.

[0034] In one possible embodiment, the HMI interaction module is configured with a operation control page, which includes a one-click default start control. When the one-click default start control is triggered, the device executes the following sequentially: Sample loading stage: Each peristaltic pump rotates to deliver the water sample to the filter layer. The indicator light on the interactive interface corresponding to the sample loading stage changes from red to green and displays a countdown of the sample loading stage duration. Operation phase: Each sample injection peristaltic pump and each delivery peristaltic pump rotates in coordination, delivering the water sample to the filter layer while simultaneously pressurizing and delivering the filtered water sample to the adsorption layer. The indicator light corresponding to the operation phase on the interactive interface changes from red to green and displays a countdown of the operation phase duration. Emptying phase: Each peristaltic pump rotates in reverse to empty the water sample in the pipeline. The indicator light corresponding to the emptying phase on the interactive interface changes from red to green and displays a countdown of the emptying phase duration.

[0035] In this embodiment, the operation control page is also equipped with a one-click pause control. When the one-click pause control is triggered, all pumps will stop operating, and the operation control page will record the current operation node and the remaining time. When the device is restarted, it will resume operation from the recorded operation node.

[0036] This invention provides a portable water sample pre-enrichment device integrating multi-stage filtration and adsorption. The overall structure of the device is as follows: Figure 1 As shown, the channel flow path principle of the device is as follows: Figure 2 As shown, the operating logic flow of the device is as follows: Figure 3 As shown.

[0037] The main body of the device is a suitcase-style device, such as Figure 1 As shown, after opening the box cover, the internal layout of the main body of the device includes: Left-side human-computer interaction area: A touch-screen HMI is installed, serving as the sole window for user operation and status display.

[0038] Right-side functional execution area: Utilizes a four-layer vertically distributed structure, effectively utilizing space and conforming to fluid dynamics. The first sample injection layer consists of four peristaltic pumps, P1, P2, P3, and P4, each with independent channels that do not affect each other. The control circuit controls the peristaltic pumps to rotate clockwise to extract water samples, pumping external water samples into the device; and to rotate counterclockwise to empty the water samples, used to reverse the flow and remove residual water samples from the pipeline.

[0039] The second filtration layer consists of four independent cylindrical filter units, each containing a removable microporous membrane with an average pore size of 47 μm. Located between the two pump stages, this layer effectively protects the subsequent flow path from clogging by large particles.

[0040] The third transport layer is equipped with four peristaltic pumps, P5, P6, P7, and P8. These pumps rotate clockwise and are specifically designed to overcome the back pressure of the SPE column, ensuring stable transport of the filtered water sample.

[0041] The fourth adsorption layer consists of four solid-phase extraction columns, SPE1, SPE2, SPE3, and SPE4, filled with adsorption packing material. These columns selectively adsorb target compounds from the flowing water sample, and the filtered water sample can be discharged directly.

[0042] The device is based on script communication between the STM32 main control chip and the HMI screen, and features four core functional pages: (1) Speed ​​setting page: Function: Allows for graded settings of pump speed.

[0043] Logic: The interface displays the current flow rate and rotation speed. The system has three preset speed settings: low speed (10 RPM), medium speed (15 RPM), and high speed (20 RPM). Different speed settings correspond to different flow rates, and different speed settings can be selected according to actual needs.

[0044] Execution: After the user selects a gear and clicks "Save," the HMI script writes parameters to the register via macro instructions and calls the send function. Upon receiving the instruction, the STM32 dynamically adjusts the motor drive, thereby changing the pump speed.

[0045] (2) Operation control page: Parameter settings: The interface has three parameter input areas: "Sample Loading", "Running", and "Voiding". Users input the duration, such as 60s for sample loading, 1200s for running, and 30s for voiding, and then click "Save" to store the settings in the system.

[0046] One-click default startup: After clicking, the system enters automatic mode and executes according to the following sequence: Sample loading stage: The first row of injection pumps rotates clockwise. Interface status: The sample loading indicator light turns green, indicating that the process is in progress, and a countdown of 60 seconds is displayed. After the countdown reaches zero, the sample loading indicator light turns red, and the process automatically proceeds to the next stage.

[0047] Operation Phase: The first and third row pumps work simultaneously or only the third row, depending on the back pressure strategy of the flow path, to perform filtration and adsorption enrichment. Interface Status: The operation indicator light turns green, displaying a countdown of 1200 seconds. After the countdown reaches zero, the operation indicator light turns red.

[0048] Emptying Phase: The first row of injection pumps rotates counterclockwise to expel residual water sample from the injection tube. Interface Status: The emptying indicator light turns green, displaying a 30-second countdown. After completion, the indicator light turns red, and the process terminates.

[0049] One-click pause / resume: During operation, the user can click "one-click pause" and the equipment will immediately stop pumping. The HMI will record the current stage and remaining time. When the user clicks "continue" again, the equipment will resume operation from the last paused state point without resetting the process.

[0050] (3) Maintenance operation page: Designed specifically for equipment maintenance and consumable replacement, it is divided into two sub-pages: manual and automatic. Manual mode: The interface lists all pump numbers, and users can control the start, stop and direction of any pump individually, which is convenient for troubleshooting mechanical faults or pipeline blockages.

[0051] Automatic mode: Settings: Users select the channels they want to run and set the "Run Time".

[0052] Execution logic: After clicking "Start Now", the system executes specific maintenance logic, first performing a fixed 30-second sample loading operation, followed by the user-defined "running time". There is no purging operation step in this mode.

[0053] Feedback: The indicator light for the corresponding channel illuminates, and the screen displays a countdown timer. This mode also supports a "one-click pause" function.

[0054] (4) Empty control page: Used for tubing cleaning after the experiment, it is divided into three subpages: One-click evacuation: Users set the evacuation duration. After clicking start, the first row of pumps in all channels simultaneously rotates counterclockwise at high speed. The interface displays a unified countdown and status lights.

[0055] Manual / Automatic Drain: The logic is similar to the manual / automatic function on the maintenance page, but the action is limited to pump reversal for drainage.

[0056] In this embodiment, as Figure 4 As shown, the STM32 main control module connects to the HMI via a serial port (TTL / RS-232). The main control program uses a state machine design to parse the hexadecimal instruction packets sent by the HMI in real time. For example, when a "one-key start" instruction is received, the main control module enables a hardware timer interrupt, updates the status register every second, and feeds back the current countdown value and the on / off status of each pump to the HMI, driving the indicator light colors and numerical updates on the screen.

[0057] This invention provides an application of a portable water sample pre-enrichment device integrating multi-stage filtration and adsorption, as described in this invention, in water environment monitoring.

[0058] The above are merely preferred embodiments of the present invention. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various improvements and modifications without departing from the technical principles of the present invention, and these improvements and modifications should also be considered within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A portable water sample preconcentration device integrating multi-stage filtration and adsorption, characterized in that, The device includes a main body and a power supply for powering the device. The main body is internally divided into a human-machine interface (HMI) area and a function execution area. The HMI area includes a human-machine interface module. The function execution area, from top to bottom, consists of a first pumping layer, a filtration layer, a second pumping layer, and an adsorption layer connected by pipelines. The first pumping layer includes several peristaltic pumps for delivering water samples to the filtration layer. The filtration layer includes several filtration devices, each containing a filter membrane for filtering the water sample. The second pumping layer includes several peristaltic pumps for pressurizing and delivering the filtered water sample to the adsorption layer. The adsorption layer includes several solid-phase extraction columns, each with independent channels for adsorbing target compounds from the water sample. The device has a built-in microcontroller, which is electrically connected to the HMI interaction module to control the operating logic of each pump body.

2. The integrated multi-stage filtration and adsorption portable water sample pre-concentration device as claimed in claim 1, wherein, The main body of the device is a suitcase-style device.

3. The integrated multi-stage filtration and adsorption portable water sample pre-concentration device as claimed in claim 1, wherein, The power supply is a portable DC power supply.

4. The portable water sample pre-enrichment device integrating multi-stage filtration and adsorption according to claim 1, characterized in that, Each peristaltic pump is configured to deliver water samples to the filter layer when rotating clockwise and to drain the water samples from the pipeline when rotating counterclockwise. The channels of each peristaltic pump are independent of each other.

5. The portable water sample pre-enrichment device integrating multi-stage filtration and adsorption according to claim 1, characterized in that, The filtration device is a cylindrical filtration device, and a filter membrane with a pore size of 47μm is fitted inside the cylindrical filtration device to filter particulate impurities in the water sample.

6. The portable water sample pre-enrichment device integrating multi-stage filtration and adsorption according to claim 1, characterized in that, The HMI interaction module is equipped with a speed setting page, which has three speed settings: low speed (10 RPM), medium speed (15 RPM), and high speed (20 RPM). The HMI interaction module adjusts the PWM duty cycle and regulates the rotation speed of each pump layer by writing parameters to the microcontroller's registers and calling the send function.

7. The portable water sample pre-enrichment device integrating multi-stage filtration and adsorption according to claim 1, characterized in that, The HMI interactive module is equipped with a maintenance operation page, which includes manual and automatic modes. The manual mode supports independent start and stop control of a single pump. The automatic mode supports channel selection and running time setting. After starting, it first performs the sample loading operation for the preset time, controls the rotation of each sample inlet peristaltic pump to deliver the water sample to the filter layer, and then performs the running operation for the user-set time, controls each delivery peristaltic pump to pressurize and deliver the water sample that has passed through the filter layer to the adsorption layer.

8. The portable water sample pre-enrichment device integrating multi-stage filtration and adsorption according to claim 1, characterized in that, The HMI interaction module is configured with a operation control page, which includes a one-click default start control. When the one-click default start control is triggered, the device executes the following sequentially: Sample loading stage: Each peristaltic pump rotates to deliver the water sample to the filter layer. The indicator light on the interactive interface corresponding to the sample loading stage changes from red to green and displays a countdown of the sample loading stage duration. Operation phase: Each sample injection peristaltic pump and each delivery peristaltic pump rotates in coordination, delivering the water sample to the filter layer while simultaneously pressurizing and delivering the filtered water sample to the adsorption layer. The indicator light corresponding to the operation phase on the interactive interface changes from red to green and displays a countdown of the operation phase duration. Emptying phase: Each peristaltic pump rotates in reverse to empty the water sample in the pipeline. The indicator light corresponding to the emptying phase on the interactive interface changes from red to green and displays a countdown of the emptying phase duration.

9. The portable water sample pre-enrichment device integrating multi-stage filtration and adsorption according to claim 8, characterized in that, The operation control page also has a one-click pause control. When the one-click pause control is triggered, all pumps will stop operating, and the operation control page will record the current operating node and the remaining time. When the device is restarted, it will resume operation from the recorded operating node.

10. The application of a portable water sample pre-enrichment device integrating multi-stage filtration and adsorption as described in any one of claims 1 to 9 in water environment monitoring.

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