An in-situ particulate matter sorting system and its settling rate calculation method

Abstract

This invention discloses an in-situ particle sorting system and its sedimentation rate calculation method, relating to the technical field of marine observation and environmental monitoring. The invention aims to achieve in-situ particle size separation and simultaneous sedimentation rate acquisition, building upon the traditional sediment trap method for collecting settling particles. The invention includes a first support plate with a conical funnel mounted at its top. A honeycomb plate is embedded in the feed end of the conical funnel. A temporary storage chamber is sealed to the discharge end of the conical funnel. The temporary storage chamber contains a sealing ring, a sealing ring, and a concave rotary ball valve with storage pits on its surface. A rotary motor is mounted on the outer wall of the temporary storage chamber, and the rotary motor is driven by the concave rotary ball valve. Through the temporary storage and timed release mechanism of the concave rotary ball valve, and using precise timing control of the sampling motor, particle size separation is achieved. The sedimentation rate range of each particle size is then estimated by combining the height of the sedimentation tube.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the technical field of marine observation and water particulate matter monitoring, specifically to an in-situ sorting system for settling particulate matter and a method for calculating its settling rate. Background Technology

[0002] In marine and aquatic environmental science research, sediment traps are crucial equipment for acquiring sedimented particulate matter and supporting subsequent studies on the time-series changes in sedimented particulate matter flux and its composition. Currently, commercially available sediment traps (hereinafter referred to as "commercial sediment traps") can only collect time-series sedimented particulate matter samples, making them single-function sedimented particulate matter collection devices. Based on the collection area and sampling period of these devices, they can only directly calculate the sedimentation flux of particulate matter within the sampling period, and cannot distinguish between particles of different sizes and sedimentation rates. However, the sedimentation rate and particle size distribution of particulate matter, as core dynamic parameters, directly reflect the properties of particulate matter in the water column and its vertical migration patterns, and are key fundamental data for understanding changes in the marine particulate carbon pool and related elements.

[0003] While the particle size distribution and settling rate of particulate matter collected by commercial sediment traps can be estimated through subsequent experiments, significant technical limitations and errors exist: 1. The properties of the particulate matter samples may have changed: The core function of commercial sediment traps is time-series sample collection, typically with a one-year operating cycle. Although fixatives are added to the sample bottles used to collect settled particles, the physicochemical properties of the samples may change due to the long sampling period; 2. The experimental procedures are cumbersome and demanding: 1) The average particle size of the sample can be determined using a laboratory laser particle size analyzer. However, laboratory particle size sorting usually employs sieving, a method primarily used for sediment samples with large sample volumes and wide particle size distributions. Deep-sea settled particulate matter samples generally have finer particle sizes and smaller sample volumes, making refined particle size sorting in the laboratory difficult and posing risks of contamination and sample loss, resulting in low operational feasibility; 2) There is currently no direct and standardized laboratory method for measuring settling rate. In conclusion, although commercial sediment traps collect settled particulate matter samples, there are currently no mature laboratory analytical methods for accurate particle size sorting and settling rate determination. Therefore, there is an urgent need for a device and technical solution that can simultaneously achieve particle size collection and direct quantitative inversion of sedimentation rate in an in-situ environment. Summary of the Invention

[0004] To address the problems mentioned in the background art, this invention proposes an in-situ particulate matter sorting system and a method for calculating its settling rate.

[0005] Technical solution: The first aspect of this invention proposes an in-situ particulate matter sorting system, comprising a first support plate, a second support plate, a third support plate, and support rods. The first, second, and third support plates are arranged in parallel from top to bottom and are fixedly connected as a whole by several support rods. A conical funnel is installed at the top of the first support plate, and a honeycomb plate is embedded at the feed end of the conical funnel. A temporary storage chamber is sealed to the discharge end of the conical funnel. The temporary storage chamber is provided with a sealing ring, a sealing ring, and a concave rotary ball valve with storage pits on its surface. A rotary motor is installed on the outer wall of the temporary storage chamber, and the rotary motor is driven by the concave rotary ball valve. A settling pipe is connected to the discharge end of the temporary storage chamber, and an eccentric funnel is provided inside the settling pipe. A fixed plate is fixed on the second support plate, and a sampling motor is installed on one side of the top of the fixed plate. The output shaft of the sampling motor is connected to a gear, and the gear is driven by a rotating disk.

[0006] A further feature of the present invention is that the rotary motor drives the concave rotary ball valve to reciprocate 180°.

[0007] A further feature of the present invention is that the rotating disk is provided with a plurality of collection holes evenly distributed along the circumference, and the rotating disk is installed at the bottom end of the fixed disk.

[0008] A further feature of the present invention is that the diameter of the collecting hole is the same as the diameter of the discharge port of the eccentric funnel.

[0009] A further feature of the present invention is that the sealing ring and the sealing ring are both disposed in the upper part of the inner cavity of the temporary storage cavity, and the outer wall of the sealing ring is attached to the inner wall of the temporary storage cavity.

[0010] A further feature of the present invention is that the concave rotary ball valve has concave points at both its upper and lower ends.

[0011] A further feature of the present invention is that a sealing ring is installed at the bottom of the sealing ring, and the lower end face of the sealing ring contacts the upper outer wall of the concave rotary ball valve to achieve gap sealing.

[0012] The second aspect of this invention proposes a method for calculating the settling rate of an in-situ particulate matter sorting system, comprising the following steps: S1, preprocessing: configuring the parameters of the control system; S2, particle capture and temporary storage: after the equipment enters the water, it collects water particles, which flow sequentially through a honeycomb plate and a conical funnel before flowing into a temporary storage chamber and being temporarily stored in the upper concave point of a concave rotary ball valve; S3, particle size-based collection: after reaching the preset sampling time, a rotary motor drives the concave rotary ball valve to rotate and release the particles, which then settle freely in the settling tube. The sampling motor drives the rotating disk to rotate according to a preset time sequence to complete the particle size-based collection; S4, settling rate inversion calculation: based on the preset operating sequence and the effective length perpendicular to the settling tube, the settling rate range of particles of different sizes is calculated.

[0013] A further provision of the present invention is that the parameter configuration includes: motor rotational angular velocity and operating sequence.

[0014] A further provision of the present invention is that the running sequence includes: the settling start time, the collection time of each collection hole, and the collection completion time.

[0015] The beneficial technical effects of this invention are as follows: 1. In-situ integrated operation, no pollution and no loss: Relying on the dual-motor time-sequential linkage control, combined with the exclusive time window division rules and segmented settling rate calculation formula, the equipment can complete the collection, sorting, rate measurement and other operations in the water body in situ, meeting the needs of refined monitoring and scientific research of the marine environment.

[0016] 2. Reasonable flow guidance and high collection accuracy: The sedimentation pipe is equipped with an eccentric funnel and adopts an inclined structure with coaxial feeding and skewed discharge. It is compatible with the layout of the holes on the edge of the rotating disk, which can smoothly transport particles, reduce pipeline blockage, and not interfere with the free sedimentation flow field of particles, providing stable working conditions for sorting and rate calculation.

[0017] 3. Sealing and Interference Prevention: The first-layer collection system of this invention adopts a honeycomb plate structure, which is composed of multiple hexagonal tube bundles arranged closely together, effectively preventing larger organisms from entering the conical funnel; the sealing ring and sealing ring form a double sealing structure, and the sealing ring also has a positioning function, limiting the displacement of the concave point rotating ball valve, effectively avoiding interference from biological activity and ensuring the original state of the sample.

[0018] 4. Stable structure, adaptable to complex working conditions: The three-layer support plate is combined with the support rod to form an overall frame. The overall structure is reliable and can be deployed in complex aquatic environments such as the ocean for a long time. Attached Figure Description

[0019] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the first three-dimensional structure of the present invention is shown.

[0020] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the second three-dimensional structure of the present invention is shown.

[0021] Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the third three-dimensional structure of the present invention is shown.

[0022] Figure 4 A three-dimensional structural diagram of the present invention after cross-section is shown.

[0023] Figure 5 A schematic diagram of the internal three-dimensional structure of the temporary storage cavity of the present invention is shown.

[0024] Figure 6 A three-dimensional structural diagram of the concave rotary ball valve of the present invention after cross-section is shown.

[0025] Figure 7A flowchart of the settling rate calculation method of the present invention is shown.

[0026] Reference numerals: 1. First support plate; 2. Second support plate; 3. Third support plate; 4. Fixed plate; 5. Support rod; 6. Honeycomb plate; 7. Conical funnel; 8. Temporary storage chamber; 9. Sealing ring; 10. Sealing ring; 11. Concave rotary ball valve; 12. Settling pipe; 13. Eccentric funnel; 14. Rotary motor; 15. Sampling motor; 16. Gear; 17. Rotary disk. Detailed Implementation

[0027] The following reference Figures 1-7 The preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described below. Those skilled in the art should understand that these embodiments are merely illustrative of the technical principles of the present invention and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0028] In this embodiment, the rotary motor 14 and the sample-dividing motor 15 are connected to a timing control system. This timing control system is a peripheral control circuit of the conventional printed circuit board (PCB) of the equipment. It relies on a general electrical signal protocol to achieve synchronous operation of the two motors, which will not be described in detail here.

[0029] The first aspect of this invention proposes an in-situ particulate matter sorting system, which mainly consists of five parts: a support system, an upper collection system, a middle temporary storage system, a lower dispensing system, and a rotation control system.

[0030] The support system includes a first support plate 1, a second support plate 2, a third support plate 3, and support rods 5. The first support plate 1, the second support plate 2, and the third support plate 3 are arranged in parallel from top to bottom and are fixedly connected by several support rods 5. They are evenly distributed along the circumference of the support plates to form a stable frame structure.

[0031] A conical funnel 7 is installed at the top of the first support plate 1. The inner wall of the conical funnel 7 is smooth, which facilitates the collection and guidance of particles and transports the material to the temporary storage chamber 8 to prevent stagnation and spillage. A honeycomb plate 6 is embedded at the feed end of the conical funnel 7. The honeycomb plate 6 is composed of multiple tightly arranged regular hexagonal tube bundles, which is used to rectify the water flow and particles, avoid turbulence, ensure that the particles fall evenly into the conical funnel 7, and at the same time prevent larger organisms from entering the conical funnel 7.

[0032] The discharge end of the conical funnel 7 is sealed with a temporary storage chamber 8, which forms a closed cavity to accommodate the sealing assembly and the concave rotary ball valve 11. This effectively prevents the feeding and decomposition of the sample by living organisms in the water, ensuring the originality and representativeness of the sample.

[0033] The temporary storage chamber 8 is equipped with a sealing ring 9, a sealing ring 10, and a recessed rotary ball valve 11 with storage pits on its surface. The sealing ring 9 and the sealing ring 10 are both located in the upper part of the temporary storage chamber 8, forming a sealed chamber that prevents leakage of water and particulate matter. The outer wall of the sealing ring 9 is fitted against the inner wall of the temporary storage chamber 8, and the sealing ring 10 is installed at the bottom of the sealing ring 9. The lower end face of the sealing ring 10 contacts the upper outer wall of the recessed rotary ball valve 11 to achieve a gap seal.

[0034] The concave rotary ball valve 11 has concave points at both the top and bottom. During the rotation of the concave rotary ball valve 11, the concave points at both ends can alternately complete the receiving and release of particulate matter.

[0035] In addition to its conventional sealing function, the sealing ring 10 also has a positioning function: effectively preventing the position of the concave rotary ball valve 11 from shifting.

[0036] A rotary motor 14 is installed on the outer wall of the temporary storage chamber 8. The rotary motor 14 is connected to a dotted rotary ball valve 11. The rotary motor 14 drives the dotted rotary ball valve 11 to rotate 180° back and forth. The rotary motor 14 is linked with the control system to realize the automatic timed release of particulate matter.

[0037] The discharge end of the temporary storage chamber 8 is connected to a settling pipe 12, and an eccentric funnel 13 is provided inside the settling pipe 12. The eccentric funnel 13 adopts an inclined flow guiding design with "coaxial inlet and skewed outlet" to accurately guide the particles to the collection holes opened around the circumference of the rotating disk 17. The diameter of the collection holes is the same as the diameter of the discharge port of the eccentric funnel 13, which improves the collection accuracy. The smooth inner wall of the eccentric funnel 13 can optimize the particle flow path and reduce residual blockage, while avoiding interference with the free settling flow field inside the pipe, providing a reliable basis for particle size collection and settling rate calculation.

[0038] A fixed plate 4 is fixed on the second support plate 2, and a rotating disk 17 is installed at the bottom of the fixed plate 4. The fixed plate 4 serves as the mounting reference for the rotating disk 17 and the gear 16, ensuring the coaxiality of the sampling mechanism. A sampling motor 15 is installed on one side of the top of the fixed plate 4. The output shaft of the sampling motor 15 is connected to the gear 16, which drives the rotating disk 17. The sampling motor 15 provides power to the rotating disk 17. The sampling motor 15 is linked with the control system via electrical signals. The control system presets the rotation time of the sampling motor to achieve sequential and uniform rotation, time-sharing collection, and completion of the sorting of particles of different sizes. The gear 16 transmits the torque of the sampling motor 15 to achieve smooth power transmission. The rotating disk 17 has several collection holes evenly distributed around its circumference, which facilitates the sorting of particles of different sizes.

[0039] The second aspect of this invention proposes a method for calculating the settling rate of an in-situ particulate matter sorting system, comprising the following steps: S1. Preprocessing: Parameter configuration for the control system; S2, Particle Capture and Temporary Storage: After the equipment enters the water, it collects water particles. The particles flow through the honeycomb plate 6 and the conical funnel 7 in sequence and then flow into the temporary storage chamber 8, where they are temporarily stored in the upper concave part of the concave rotary ball valve 11. S3. Particle size separation collection: After the preset sampling time is reached, the rotary motor 14 drives the concave rotary ball valve 11 to rotate and release the particles. The particles settle freely in the settling tube 12. The sampling motor 15 drives the rotating disk 17 to rotate according to the preset time sequence to complete the particle size separation collection. S4. Settling rate inversion calculation: Based on the preset operating sequence and the effective length perpendicular to the settling pipe 12, calculate the settling rate range of particles of different sizes.

[0040] The parameter configuration includes: motor rotation angle and operating sequence.

[0041] The operation sequence includes: the sedimentation start time, the collection time of each collection hole, the rotation time of the rotating disk driven by the sample distribution motor between each collection hole, and the collection completion time.

[0042] The collection time for each collection hole needs to be determined by combining the single-hole collection settling time between adjacent collection holes and the rotation time of the sample-distribution motor-driven rotary disk when switching collection holes. Among them, the single-hole collection settling time corresponding to different collection holes can be customized according to the actual settlement conditions on site, and the value does not need to be uniform; while the rotation time of the sample-distribution motor-driven rotary disk when switching hole positions is a fixed and unique value, and the time taken for each rotation of the rotary disk to change position remains consistent.

[0043] The collection time of each collection hole is The collection time for the first well is determined according to the following rules: Collection begins at the initial settling point; the settling time for this well is added to the rotation time of the rotating disk when switching well positions; the resulting time is the start time for collection at the second well, and also the end time for collection at the first well. Following this logic, the effective collection time window for each well can be determined, specifically: ; The settling rate at the first well site can be directly calculated using the following method. The calculation logic differs from the second well site onwards: because smaller particles take longer to settle, the settling rate is calculated by taking the settling rate of the previous well site and the current well site as a rate range. The specific formula for calculating the settling rate range is as follows: ; in, Settlement rate range; The effective vertical length of the settling pipe; : The moment when settlement begins; : Collection completion time; : The collection time of the k-th collection hole; : The collection time of the (k+1)th collection hole; : Total number of collection holes; k: Collection hole coefficient.

[0044] By combining the above calculation formulas, the settling velocity range of particles in each collection hole can be obtained. Utilizing the correspondence between settling velocity and particle size and density, and through precise control of the equipment's operating sequence, physical sorting and particle size-specific collection of particles of different sizes (or densities) can be achieved.

[0045] Example 1: It is suitable for monitoring scenarios involving the surface of water and high particle settling velocity. The settling time for each individual collection hole is unique between adjacent collection holes.

[0046] The effective vertical length of the settling tube is L = 0.73 m, the total number of sample collection holes is n = 12, and the preset settling start time is T. a =2026.05.01, 00:00:00; The settling time for each collection hole between adjacent collection holes is 55s, and the rotation time of the rotating disk between collection holes is 5s. The collection completion time T can be calculated from this. b =2026.05.01, 00:12:00, relying on the concave rotary ball valve 11 to quantitatively store particles, the dual motors are linked according to the preset timing sequence, and the detection is completed by combining the time window rules and calculation formula of this invention. The relevant data are shown in Table 1: Table 1. Comparison of short-time rapid detection particulate matter sedimentation rate ranges

[0047] Example 2: It is suitable for monitoring scenarios in deep water areas and where fine particles settle slowly. The settling time for a single collection hole is not unique between adjacent collection holes.

[0048] Keeping the effective vertical length of the settling tube L=0.73m and the total number of sample collection holes n=12 unchanged, preset T a =2026.05.01, 00:00:00; The settling time for a single collection hole between adjacent collection holes is not unique, see Table 2 for details. The rotation time of the rotating disk between collection holes is 5s, from which the collection completion time T can be calculated. b =2026.05.01, 06:30:00, relying on the concave rotary ball valve 11 to temporarily store particles in a quantitative manner, the two motors are linked in a preset time sequence, and the detection is completed by combining the time window rules and calculation formula of this invention. The relevant data are shown in Table 2: Table 2 Comparison of Particulate Matter Settling Rate Ranges for Long-Time Slow-Speed ​​Detection

[0049] Although the invention has been described with reference to preferred embodiments, various modifications can be made thereto and components can be replaced with equivalents without departing from the scope of the invention. In particular, the technical features mentioned in the various embodiments can be combined in any manner, provided there is no structural conflict. The invention is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed herein, but includes all technical solutions falling within the scope of the claims.

[0050] In the description of this invention, terms such as "center," "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "inner," and "outer," which indicate direction or positional relationships, are based on the directions or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings. These are used merely for ease of description and do not indicate or imply that the device or element must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation; therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on the invention. Furthermore, the terms "first," "second," and "third" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0051] Furthermore, it should be noted that, in the description of this invention, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," and "linking" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal connection of two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention according to the specific circumstances.

[0052] The term "comprising" or any other similar term is intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, article, or apparatus / device that comprises a list of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not expressly listed, or elements inherent to those processes, articles, or apparatus / devices.

[0053] The technical solution of the present invention has been described above with reference to the preferred embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings. However, it will be readily understood by those skilled in the art that the scope of protection of the present invention is obviously not limited to these specific embodiments. Without departing from the principles of the present invention, those skilled in the art can make equivalent changes or substitutions to the relevant technical features, and the technical solutions after such changes or substitutions will all fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A particulate matter in-situ sorting system, comprising a first support plate (1), a second support plate (2), a third support plate (3), and a support rod (5), characterized in that: The first support plate (1), the second support plate (2) and the third support plate (3) are arranged in parallel from top to bottom and are fixedly connected as a whole by several support rods (5); a conical funnel (7) is installed at the top of the first support plate (1), and a honeycomb plate (6) is embedded at the feed end of the conical funnel (7). The discharge end of the conical funnel (7) is sealed with a temporary storage chamber (8). The inner cavity of the temporary storage chamber (8) is provided with a sealing ring (9), a sealing ring (10), and a concave rotary ball valve (11) with storage pits on its surface. A rotary motor (14) is installed on the outer wall of the temporary storage chamber (8). The rotary motor (14) is driven by the concave rotary ball valve (11). The discharge end of the temporary storage chamber (8) is connected to a settling pipe (12), and an eccentric funnel (13) is provided inside the settling pipe (12). A fixed plate (4) is fixed on the second support plate (2). A sample dispensing motor (15) is installed on one side of the top of the fixed plate (4). The output shaft of the sample dispensing motor (15) is connected to a gear (16). The gear (16) is connected to a rotating disk (17).

2. The particulate matter in-situ sorting system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The rotary motor (14) drives the concave rotary ball valve (11) to reciprocate 180°.

3. The particulate matter in-situ sorting system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The rotating disk (17) has a number of collection holes evenly distributed around its circumference, and the rotating disk (17) is installed at the bottom of the fixed disk (4).

4. The particulate matter in-situ sorting system according to claim 3, characterized in that: The diameter of the collection hole is the same as the diameter of the discharge port of the eccentric funnel (13).

5. The particulate matter in-situ sorting system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The sealing ring (9) and sealing ring (10) are both located in the upper part of the inner cavity of the temporary storage cavity (8), and the outer wall of the sealing ring (9) is attached to the inner wall of the temporary storage cavity (8).

6. The particulate matter in-situ sorting system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The concave rotary ball valve (11) has concave points at both the upper and lower ends.

7. The particulate matter in-situ sorting system according to claim 1, characterized in that: A sealing ring (10) is installed at the bottom of the sealing ring (9), and the lower end face of the sealing ring (10) is in contact with the upper outer wall of the concave rotary ball valve (11).

8. A method for calculating the settling rate of an in-situ particulate matter sorting system according to any one of claims 1-7, characterized in that: Includes the following steps: S1. Preprocessing: Parameter configuration for the control system; S2, Particle Capture and Temporary Storage: After the equipment enters the water, it collects water particles. The particles flow through the honeycomb plate (6) and the conical funnel (7) in sequence and then flow into the temporary storage chamber (8), where they are temporarily stored in the upper concave part of the concave rotary ball valve (11). S3. Particle size separation collection: After the preset sampling time is reached, the rotary motor (14) drives the concave rotary ball valve (11) to rotate and release the particles. The particles settle freely in the settling tube (12). The sampling motor (15) drives the rotating disk (17) to rotate according to the preset time sequence to complete the particle size separation collection. S4. Settling rate inversion calculation: Based on the preset running sequence and the effective length perpendicular to the settling tube (12), calculate the settling rate range of particles of different sizes.

9. The method for calculating the settling rate of an in-situ particulate matter sorting system according to claim 8, characterized in that: The parameter configuration includes: motor rotational angular velocity and operating sequence.

10. The method for calculating the settling rate of an in-situ particulate matter sorting system according to claim 9, characterized in that: The operational sequence includes: the settling start time, the collection time of each collection hole, and the collection completion time.

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