Monitoring system for a liquid circuit, installed in a facility, designed to monitor the dose of a treatment product

Abstract

The present invention relates to a monitoring system (10) for a liquid circuit (C), preferably a water circuit, equipping an installation (T), designed to monitor the dose of a treatment product mixed with a treated liquid. This monitoring system (10) comprises, in particular: - consumption determination means (20), configured to determine a quantity of treated liquid, - a container (30), intended to contain said treatment product and equipped with level measurement means (40) configured to measure the level of said treatment product present in said container (30), and - analysis means (60), configured to estimate the dose of said treatment product mixed in said treated liquid, from the data obtained from said consumption determination means (20) and said level measurement means (40). Figure for the abstract: 1

Description

Title of the invention: Monitoring system for a liquid circuit, equipping an installation, designed to monitor the dose of a treatment product. Technical field of the invention

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of monitoring systems for a liquid circuit, equipping an industrial or collective installation. It relates in particular to monitoring systems designed to estimate the dose of a treatment product that is mixed in this liquid circuit. State of the art

[0002] In industrial installations, the treatment of liquid circuits is essential to ensure optimal operation.

[0003] For example, a sustainable water network involves, in particular, the management of scale, corrosion and bacterial growth.

[0004] Such liquid circuits therefore require effective monitoring of the injection of treatment products, to ensure appropriate dosage levels.

[0005] Traditional monitoring methods rely on frequent sampling to obtain accurate measurements. However, these approaches can be cumbersome and do not provide real-time data, leading to inefficiencies in monitoring and control.

[0006] Other systems use specific dosing probes that are adapted to directly measure the concentration of the treatment product in the treated liquid. However, these probes can be expensive and require regular maintenance.

[0007] There is therefore a technical need for a simplified approach which would allow continuous monitoring and accurate estimation of treatment levels in liquid circuits, without specialized equipment or frequent manual intervention in order to comply with a treatment strategy. Presentation of the invention

[0008] In order to remedy the aforementioned drawback of the prior art, the present invention proposes a monitoring system for a liquid circuit, preferably a water circuit, equipping an installation, designed to monitor the dose of a treatment product, for example liquid or solid, mixed with a liquid circulating in said liquid circuit.

[0009] This monitoring system includes:

[0010] a. means for determining consumption, configured to determine a quantity of liquid treated;

[0011] b. a container, intended to contain said treatment product and equipped with level measurement means which are configured to measure the level of said treatment product present in said container;

[0012] c. collection means, configured to collect data from said consumption determination means and said level measurement means;

[0013] d. analytical means, configured to estimate the dose of said treatment product mixed in said treated liquid, from the data from said consumption determination means and said level measurement means;

[0014] and preferably

[0015] e. injection means, configured to inject said treatment product with the treated liquid; and

[0016] f. control means, configured for controlling said injection means, advantageously according to said dose of said treatment product mixed in said treated liquid.

[0017] The monitoring system according to the invention makes it possible to solve the technical problem of the precise and continuous monitoring of the dose of a treatment product in a liquid circuit, without requiring a specific dosing probe or frequent sampling.

[0018] This monitoring system thus offers the following advantages:

[0019] - it allows a reliable estimation of the dose of treatment product in the liquid treaty;

[0020] - it allows the detection of dosage disruptions, overdoses and underdoses;

[0021] - it simplifies the monitoring of the quantity of treatment product that is present in the container,

[0022] - it allows you to know the number of days remaining before the product is exhausted treatment (solid or liquid);

[0023] - it allows for the organization of container filling rounds to avoid the interruption of treatment

[0024] - it makes it possible to reduce the frequency of inspections of the installations and to carry out interventions that are "just the right amount".

[0025] Other non-limiting and advantageous features of the product according to the invention, taken individually or in all technically possible combinations, are as follows:

[0026] - the means of determining consumption are chosen from: means of flow measurement devices, intended for use in a pipeline of said liquid circuit, configured to measure in real time the flow rate of the treated liquid, or flow control devices, for example a valve associated with a dry contactor; preferably, the devices flow measurement devices are chosen from among the meters, for example pulse meters, flow meters and venturis;

[0027] - the container is chosen from drums, jerrycans, containers, reagent trays and reagent trays salt ;

[0028] - the level measurement means are chosen from radar means (for example ultrasonic radars or guided wave radars), pressure measurement devices, laser devices and optical measurement devices;

[0029] - said analysis means are installed on remote servers, and the means collection systems equip a gateway comprising telecommunication means configured to communicate with said analysis means;

[0030] - the monitoring system includes interface means for supervision said surveillance system;

[0031] - the products are chosen from water conditioning products, for example anti-scale, anti-corrosion, biocide, biodispersant, flocculant, coagulant products, or even water softener salt, and in general any product being injected according to a volume (volumetric dosing) or a time (shock or batch dosing);

[0032] - the analytical means are further configured to estimate the dose of product treatment by volumetric dosing or by shock dosing;

[0033] - the analysis means are associated with alerting means which are configured to issue at least one alert, for example from among a "treatment interruption" alert, a "product shortage" alert, a "product order" alert, an "over or under water consumption" alert, an "over or under product consumption" alert,

[0034] - the analysis means are associated with information means which are configured to emit at least one piece of information, for example among water consumption, quantity of product consumed, peak flow, report generation.

[0035] The present invention also relates to an installation, industrial or collective, comprising a liquid circuit equipped with at least one monitoring system according to the invention.

[0036] The industrial installation is chosen from among cooling towers, steam boilers, closed circuits (hot or cold), district heating networks, DHW (Domestic Hot Water) networks, wastewater treatment plants, swimming pools, geothermal energy, open cooling circuits, water treatment system requiring chemical treatment such as reverse osmosis, ultrafiltration, filtration, softener.

[0037] The collective installation is chosen from among the collective tertiary, residential or public installations.

[0038] The present invention further relates to a monitoring method, designed to estimate the dose of a treatment product mixed in a liquid circulating in a liquid circuit equipping an installation by implementing a monitoring system according to the invention.

[0039] Of course, the various features, variants, and embodiments of the invention can be combined with one another in various ways, provided they are not incompatible or mutually exclusive. Detailed description of the invention

[0040] In addition, various other features of the invention become apparent from the attached description made with reference to the drawings which illustrate non-limiting embodiments of the invention and where:

[0041] [Fig-1] is a schematic view of a first monitoring system equipping a liquid circuit, designed to monitor the dose of a treatment product, for example a water conditioning product;

[0042] [Fig.2] is a schematic view of a second monitoring system equipping a liquid circuit, designed to monitor the dose of softener salt;

[0043] [Fig.3] is a schematic view of an industrial installation comprising a monitoring system for dosing a treatment product (e.g., a water conditioning product) and for dosing a water softener salt.

[0044] It should be noted that, in these figures, the structural and / or functional elements common to the different variants may have the same references.

[0045] The present invention thus relates to a monitoring system 10 for a liquid circuit C, preferably a water circuit, equipping an industrial or collective installation T.

[0046] Preferably, a "liquid circuit" refers to a system of pipes and components that enable the circulation and control of a liquid within an installation. In an industrial context, it is often used to transport fluids such as water, chemical solutions, or other liquids necessary for the operation of the installation. This circuit may include pumps, valves, sensors, and other devices to regulate the flow rate, pressure, and composition of the circulating liquid.

[0047] A "water circuit" refers to a system of pipes and components that allow the circulation and control of water within an installation. In an industrial context, it is used to transport water or aqueous solutions necessary for the operation of the installation.

[0048] The term "industrial installation" advantageously includes, but is not limited to, cooling towers, steam boilers, closed circuits (hot or cold), district heating networks, domestic hot water (DHW) networks, wastewater treatment plants, swimming pools, geothermal systems, open cooling circuits, and wastewater treatment systems. water requiring chemical treatment such as reverse osmosis, ultrafiltration, filtration, water softener.

[0049] By “collective installation”, we advantageously include, but are not limited to, tertiary, residential or public collective installations.

[0050] Generally, a monitoring system 10 according to the invention is designed to monitor the dose of a treatment product, for example liquid or solid, mixed with a liquid circulating in the liquid circuit C.

[0051] “Monitoring” advantageously refers to the collection of real-time data and the analysis of the information collected, and even the adjustment of treatment parameters, to ensure optimal effectiveness and prevent anomalies such as overdoses or underdoses.

[0052] By "dose of a treatment product", advantageously means the quantity of that treatment product which is mixed with the treated liquid to obtain the desired effect.

[0053] Preferably, this quantity is determined and adjusted according to:

[0054] - of a volume (volumetric dosing): the dose is calculated proportionally to the volume of liquid treated, and / or

[0055] - of a time (shock or batch dosing): the dose is administered all at once or by predefined time intervals, independently or depending on the volume of liquid treated.

[0056] For a volumetric dosage, the dose of a treatment product is advantageously defined as the ratio of the quantity of this treatment product to the quantity of liquid treated.

[0057] This relationship can advantageously be expressed in different ways, namely for example:

[0058] - mass of treatment product per unit volume of treated liquid, for example, grams per litre (g / L) or milligrams per cubic metre (mg / m3);

[0059] - volume of treatment product per unit volume of treated liquid, for example, millilitres per litre (mL / L);

[0060] - concentration of the treatment product in the treated liquid, for example expressed in parts per million (ppm), as a percentage (%) or in mg / L.

[0061] The choice of the expression of the dose will depend on the nature of the treatment product, its concentration and current practices in the field of application.

[0062] For a shock or batch dosage, the dose of treatment product is advantageously defined as a ratio of the quantity of this treatment product to an injection frequency (in time or in cycles), expressed for example in g / h or in ml / h (for example X injection per day or 1 injection every Y hours).

[0063] Such a dosage per batch is for example expressed for the regeneration phases of a softener, for example in kg of salt per cycle.

[0064] Generally, for this purpose, the monitoring system 10 according to the invention comprises:

[0065] - consumption determination means 20, configured to determine a quantity of liquid treated;

[0066] - a container 30, intended to contain said treatment product and equipped with means of level 40 measurement which are configured to measure the level of said treatment product present in said container 30;

[0067] - collection means 50, configured to collect data from said means of determining consumption 20 and said means of level measurement 40;

[0068] - analytical means 60, configured to estimate the dose of said product treatment mixed in said treated liquid, from the data from said consumption determination means 20 and said level measurement means 40;

[0069] and preferably

[0070] - injection means 70, configured to inject said treatment product into the treated liquid; and

[0071] - control means 80, configured for controlling said injection means 70, advantageously depending on the said dose of said treatment product mixed in said treated liquid. Methods of determining consumption

[0072] Generally speaking, "means for determining consumption 20" advantageously means means (for example a device or a combination of technical devices) capable of measuring or estimating the quantity of liquid treated.

[0073] The term "quantity of liquid treated" advantageously means:

[0074] - a volume of liquid receiving the quantity of treatment product, or

[0075] - the frequency of treatment with the treatment product.

[0076] The volume can be expressed in litres, cubic metres or any other appropriate unit of volumetric measurement.

[0077] Frequency can be expressed as the number of treatments per unit of time (for example, treatments per hour, treatments per day), or as the duration between two treatments.

[0078] In practice and according to a first embodiment corresponding to [Fig.1], the consumption determination means 20 are chosen from the flow measurement means 201, intended to equip a pipeline of said liquid circuit C, configured to measure in real time the flow of the treated liquid.

[0079] Such means of determining consumption 20 are particularly interesting for determining a volumetric dosage.

[0080] Such means of determining consumption 20 are advantageously installed directly on a pipe of the liquid circuit C and allow to quantify, continuously, the flow of treated liquid passing through this pipe.

[0081] Real-time flow measurement provides precise and dynamic information on the quantity of liquid processed.

[0082] Such means of flow measurement 201 are advantageously conventional in themselves.

[0083] For example, the flow measurement means 201 are chosen from:

[0084] - counters (for example pulse counters): measurement of the volume of liquid by counting discrete events (passage of a defined volume, rotation of a turbine), a signal being generated at each event;

[0085] - Flow meters: measurement of flow rate by different physical principles (electromagnetic, ultrasound, Doppler effect, pressure difference measurement, etc.);

[0086] - Venturis: flow measurement by analyzing the pressure difference created by a narrowing in the pipe.

[0087] Alternatively, according to an embodiment corresponding to [Fig.2], the consumption determination means 20 are chosen from the flow control means 202, for example a valve associated with a dry contactor.

[0088] For example, these flow control means 202 are suitable for controlling the opening or closing of a valve or a dry contactor, indicating the start of a washing or regeneration cycle of a softener or a filter.

[0089] Such means of determining consumption 20 are particularly useful for determining a shock or batch dosage.

[0090] For example, the dry contactor, integrated into the valve control circuit, allows the open / closed state of the valve to be controlled. Each actuation of the valve, corresponding to an opening and a closing, results in an electrical pulse recorded by the dry contactor.

[0091] The monitoring system 10 can thus count these pulses to determine the quantity of liquid treated. Indeed, each pulse normally corresponds to a volume of liquid treated, delivered by the valve when it is opened.

[0092] This embodiment has the advantage of relying on a simple and robust element (the valve and its contactor) to estimate the consumption of the treated liquid. Container and level measurement means

[0093] The container 30 is chosen according in particular to the treatment product to be injected into the treated liquid.

[0094] For example, the products are chosen from water conditioning products, namely for example anti-scale, anti-corrosion, biocide, biodispersant, flocculant, coagulant products.

[0095] More generally, the treatment product can be chosen from any product intended to be injected according to a volume (volumetric dosing) or a time (shock or batch dosing).

[0096] This container 30 is for example chosen from drums, jerrycans, containers, reagent trays and salt trays.

[0097] And, generally, the level 40 measuring means are configured to measure the level of said treatment product present in said container 30.

[0098] The level 40 measuring means are here separated from the container 30, solely for the purpose of explanation.

[0099] The "level" of the treatment product in the container 30 means the height reached by the treatment product inside the container 30, measured relative to a reference point. This reference point may be the bottom of the container 30, or any other fixed point defined on the container.

[0100] The level of the treatment product can be expressed in different ways:

[0101] - in units of length (for example, in millimeters, centimeters, or meters), indicating the vertical distance between the reference point and the surface of the product being treated;

[0102] - as a percentage of the total height of container 30, indicating the proportion of volume of container 30 occupied by the treatment product;

[0103] - in units of volume (for example, in liters or cubic meters), indicating the volume of treatment product present in the container 30.

[0104] Such level 40 measuring means are thus suitable for determining the quantity of treatment product present in the container 10.

[0105] Different level measurement technologies can be considered:

[0106] - Radar means:

[0107] Radar means, such as ultrasonic radars or guided wave radars, allow non-contact level measurement, which is particularly advantageous for corrosive or viscous products.

[0108] Ultrasonic radars are devices that emit ultrasonic waves which are reflected off the surface of the product being treated. The travel time of the waves makes it possible to determine the distance and therefore the level of the product.

[0109] Guided wave radars use a probe that guides electromagnetic waves to the surface of the product. They are more precise than ultrasonic radars and less sensitive to interference.

[0110] - Pressure measurement means:

[0111] Pressure measurement means, such as hydrostatic pressure sensors or differential pressure transmitters, determine the product level by measuring the pressure exerted by the liquid column.

[0112] - Laser means:

[0113] Laser means use a laser beam that is reflected off the surface of the product. Measuring the beam's travel time allows the distance, and therefore the level, to be determined.

[0114] - Optical measuring means:

[0115] Optical measurement means, such as photoelectric sensors or cameras, detect the presence or absence of the product at a given level.

[0116] The level 40 measuring means can be configured to perform continuous measurement of the processing product level or at predetermined time intervals.

[0117] In a first embodiment, the level measuring means 40 continuously acquire data on the level of treatment product in the container 30.

[0118] In a second embodiment, the level 40 measuring means perform measurements at defined time intervals, for example every 5 to 15 minutes. The measurement frequency can be adapted according to the application requirements and the characteristics of the treatment product. Collection methods

[0119] As discussed previously, the collection means 50 are configured to collect data from the consumption determination means 20 and the level measurement means 40.

[0120] In other words, the collection means 50 intervene in the monitoring system 10 by ensuring the acquisition and transmission of data.

[0121] They are configured to collect data advantageously from two main sources:

[0122] - the means for determining consumption 20 which provide information on the quantity of liquid treated, and

[0123] - level 40 measuring means that measure the level of treatment product in container 30.

[0124] The collection of this data can be carried out in different ways, depending on the type of sensors used and the architecture of the monitoring system 10.

[0125] For example, the collection means 50 can be directly connected to the consumption determination means 20 and the level measurement means 40, within a local network, so as to receive the data via wired or wireless communication interfaces. Methods of analysis

[0126] The analysis means 60 advantageously consist of a device, physical or virtual, capable of analyzing the information relating to:

[0127] - to liquid consumption, based on data from the means of Consumption determination 20, and

[0128] - at the processing product level, starting from data originating from the means of level 40 measure,

[0129] in order to estimate the dose of said treatment product mixed in said treated liquid.

[0130] As discussed previously, analytical means 60 are advantageously suited to determining:

[0131] - a volumetric dosage: the dose is calculated proportionally to the volume of treated liquid; or

[0132] - a shock or batch dose: the dose is administered all at once or by predefined time intervals, regardless of the volume of liquid processed.

[0133] For volumetric dosing, the dose of treatment product is advantageously calculated according to the following formula:

[0134] Dose = (Quantity of treatment product consumed) / (Volume of liquid treated)

[0135] The quantity of treatment product consumed is determined from the variation in the level of treatment product in container 30.

[0136] By "level variation" of the treatment product in container 30, we mean the difference in level measured between two distinct times.

[0137] This variation is generally zero or negative (if the level of treatment product decreases in container 30, for example following consumption of the treatment product).

[0138] The variation can also be positive if the level of treatment product increases in the container 30, for example following a filling with treatment product.

[0139] Preferably, the addition of treatment product is automatically detected and integrated by the computer program, which provides an indication of the volume of treatment product added (liquid or solid), the date of the addition and the automatic recalibration of the heights of the treatment products.

[0140] According to one embodiment, knowing the surface area of ​​the container 30, the difference in height of the treatment product level makes it possible to calculate the quantity consumed, in particular its volume:

[0141] Volume of treatment product consumed = Height difference x Container surface area

[0142] Furthermore, the volume of liquid treated is determined by the consumption determination means, which measure the volume of liquid that has circulated in the circuit during a given period.

[0143] The ratio between the volume of product consumed and the volume of liquid treated makes it possible to obtain the dose of treatment product, expressed for example in grams per cubic meter (g / m3) or in milliliters per cubic meter (ml / m3).

[0144] Advantageously, the analysis means 60 are configured to perform level measurements over predefined ranges of variation, called "sliding heights". These sliding heights are preferably between 2 and 10 cm.

[0145] In this case, the analysis means 60 determines the quantity of liquid being processed so that the level measuring means 40 detect a level change corresponding to a given sliding height. In practice, the greater the sliding height, the higher the accuracy of the consumption measurement.

[0146] Furthermore, the accuracy of the measurement of treatment product consumption is improved when the container 30 has a reduced diameter. For example, and without limitation, the monitoring system according to the invention can be implemented with containers 30 having a diameter less than or equal to 10 cm.

[0147] According to an embodiment "shock or batch dosing", the analysis means 60 are configured to estimate the dose per shock or per batch, expressed for example in g / h or ml / h with the injection frequency (for example X injection per day or 1 injection every Y hours).

[0148] To estimate the dose per shock or per batch, the analysis means 60 take into account the following information:

[0149] - the quantity of treatment product injected with each shock: this information may be obtained from level 40 measurement means, and

[0150] - the injection frequency: this information defines the time interval between each shock or batch.

[0151] Here again, the quantity of treatment product consumed is determined from the variation in the level of treatment product in container 30.

[0152] By combining this information, the analysis means 60 can calculate the dose of treatment product administered over a given period. For example, if the quantity of product injected with each shock is X grams and the injection frequency is Y hours, the dose per batch will be X / Y grams per hour (g / h).

[0153] Generally and advantageously, the analysis means 60 may consist of a computer program. This program comprises a set of instructions which, when executed by a processor, allow the following operations to be performed:

[0154] - data acquisition: receive consumption and level data of product transmitted by collection means 50;

[0155] - Data processing: perform the calculations necessary to estimate the dose of treatment product;

[0156] - data analysis: compare the estimated dose to setpoint values, detect anomalies and generate alerts;

[0157] - Data storage: record the collected data and the results of the calculations for further analysis;

[0158] - Data display: presenting relevant information to the user via a graphical interface.

[0159] These analytical tools can advantageously be hosted on:

[0160] - a dedicated computer equipped with specific computer programs for data acquisition, processing and analysis;

[0161] - a remote server, accessible via a communication network and hosting the computer programs for data processing.

[0162] When the analysis means 60 are installed on remote servers, the collection means 50 advantageously equip a gateway comprising telecommunication means configured to communicate with said analysis means 60.

[0163] By “gateway”, we mean a physical device which provides the interface between the collection means 50 and the remote analysis means 60.

[0164] By "telecommunication means" is meant the technologies and protocols used for the transmission of data between the gateway and the analysis means 60. These means may be wired or wireless, including for example cellular networks, wireless local area networks, Internet, Modbus, IoT, GSM.

[0165] The choice of telecommunication means will depend on the specific requirements of the application, in particular in terms of distance, data rate, and security.

[0166] In general, the monitoring system 10 advantageously includes interface means (not shown) for the supervision of said monitoring system 10.

[0167] Such means enable a user to supervise and interact with the monitoring system 10.

[0168] These interface means can take various forms, such as:

[0169] - a software interface: software installed on a computer, tablet or a smartphone, allowing the user to access system data remotely, view graphs and reports, configure alerts, etc.;

[0170] - a web interface: accessible via a web browser, this interface allows monitor the system from any internet-connected device.

[0171] The interface means facilitate the use and management of the monitoring system, by providing the user with a clear and concise view of its operation and by allowing them to interact with it intuitively.

[0172] More generally, the interface means not only allow control and visualization of the data of a single monitoring system 10, but also allow management of several monitoring systems 10 in a centralized manner via a single interface.

[0173] The user can thus access data from several monitoring systems 10 from a single point.

[0174] In general terms, the analysis means 60 are associated with alerting means (not shown).

[0175] Such warning means make it possible to detect and report a wide range of anomalies that may occur during the processing of the liquid.

[0176] Among the alerts generated by the alerting means, there are, for example:

[0177] - "Processing interruption" alert: this alert is triggered when a refill of Liquid is detected without concomitant consumption of the treatment product. This situation indicates a potential malfunction of the injection equipment;

[0178] - "Low product" alert: this alert is activated when the product level The measured treatment level in the container is below the defined minimum threshold. This allows for anticipating a stock shortage and ensuring continuity of treatment;

[0179] - "Product order" alert: similar to the "product shortage" alert. This alert is triggered when the level of treatment product reaches a threshold below the minimum threshold, but early enough to allow ordering and receiving a new supply before a stockout;

[0180] - Alert "overconsumption or underconsumption of treated liquid": this alert is activated when the measured consumption of treated liquid exceeds or falls below a defined value over a given period. It allows for the detection of leaks, consumption anomalies, or malfunctions in the treated liquid distribution system;

[0181] - Alert "overconsumption or underconsumption of treatment product": This alert is triggered when the material balance—that is, the difference between the quantity of treatment product consumed and the quantity theoretically required—exceeds a predefined threshold over a given period. It allows for the detection of dosing errors, treatment product losses, or variations in the quality of the treated liquid.

[0182] The alert system can be configured to transmit alerts to the user by various means, such as:

[0183] - display on the human-machine interface,

[0184] - sending notifications,

[0185] - triggering audible or visual alarms.

[0186] The warning means thus make it possible to guarantee the safety and efficiency of the liquid treatment, by quickly detecting anomalies and allowing rapid intervention by the user.

[0187] In a complementary or alternative manner, the analytical means 60 may advantageously include information means.

[0188] These information means are configured to provide the user with relevant information on the operation of the monitoring system 10 and on the parameters of the liquid treatment.

[0189] Information generated by information means may include, for example:

[0190] - the consumption of treated liquid, advantageously detailed per hour, per day, per month, or according to any other period defined by the user. This data makes it possible to track changes in liquid consumption and to identify trends and anomalies;

[0191] - the quantity of treatment product consumed, advantageously detailed by hourly, daily, monthly, or according to any other period defined by the user. This information allows for monitoring the consumption of treatment products and optimizing stock management;

[0192] - the peak flow rate, advantageously calculated over a given period, This can be advantageously measured using a pulse counter, for example, recording the 10 minutes of highest water consumption. This information is useful for sizing equipment and identifying consumption peaks.

[0193] In addition, the information means are advantageously configured to generate periodic reports (day, week, month, year) which compile the essential data of the monitoring system.

[0194] These reports may include:

[0195] - the data collected (e.g., liquid consumption, product level, estimated dose, etc.),

[0196] - the generated alerts (for example with the date, time and nature of each alert),

[0197] - the results of the calculations (material balance, treatment efficiency, etc.),

[0198] - a comparison between measurement periods, allowing analysis of the evolution of parameters over time.

[0199] Reports can be generated automatically and sent to the user by email or via the monitoring interface.

[0200] Furthermore, the analysis means 60 can be associated with databases, for example:

[0201] - a database of 30 containers, to allow, depending on the containers, to choose, without calculation, the surface area to be taken into account for the volume calculation.

[0202] - a database of treatment products, to take into account the mass volumetric value of treatment products and give a result in g / m3 or mL / m3 as chosen.

[0203] The analytical means 60 can thus take into account the density of the treatment product to give a dosage of product in g / m3 for example (whereas the measurement of the treatment product is a volumetric value).

[0204] Container filling schedules can also be established, thus optimizing the frequency of site visits. Injection methods

[0205] The injection means 70 ensure the introduction of the treatment product into the liquid to be treated.

[0206] They can be carried out in different ways, depending on the characteristics of the treatment product, the treated liquid and the desired injection method.

[0207] By way of example, the injection means 70 may consist of:

[0208] - a dosing pump,

[0209] - a venturi (for example in the case of a water softener and brine injection),

[0210] allowing a precise volume of treatment product to be injected into the treated liquid, with a controlled flow rate. Piloting methods

[0211] The control means 80 are for the function of controlling the operation of the injection means 70.

[0212] They advantageously receive information on the dose of treatment product to be injected, and adapt accordingly the operation of the injection means 70.

[0213] Advantageously, the control means 80 take into account the dose of treatment product already present in the treated liquid, in order to adjust the injection and maintain the desired concentration.

[0214] The control means 80 may include, in particular:

[0215] - adjust the injection frequency, by determining the time intervals between the injections,

[0216] - to trigger or interrupt the injection, depending on the needs and conditions of treatment.

[0217] The control means 80 can be implemented by a programmable logic controller, a microcontroller, or any other suitable control system. Method of implementation

[0218] According to a first embodiment illustrated in [Fig. 1], the monitoring system equips a liquid circuit, designed to monitor the dose of a treatment product, for example a water conditioning product (antiscale, anticorrosion, biodispersant, biocide, flocculant coagulant, antiscale).

[0219] Such a monitoring system is particularly suitable for volumetric dosing.

[0220] According to a second embodiment, illustrated in [Fig.2], the monitoring system equips a liquid circuit, designed to monitor the dose of softener salt.

[0221] For this purpose, this second embodiment advantageously comprises:

[0222] - a container 30, intended to contain a treatment product in the form of salt water softener, and

[0223] - at least one softener A, intended to contain an exchange resin.

[0224] The installation here comprises two water softeners, operating alternately. When the first water softener is saturated, the second automatically comes into operation and the first enters a regeneration phase.

[0225] Such a monitoring system is particularly suitable for shock or batch dosing.

[0226] According to a third embodiment, illustrated in [Fig.3], an industrial installation comprises a combination of two monitoring systems:

[0227] - a first monitoring system, for the dosage of a treatment product, by for example, a water conditioning product, according to [Fig. 1], and

[0228] - a second monitoring system, for dosing a softener salt, according to the [Fig.2],

[0229] This industrial installation again includes a steam boiler and a water reservoir.

[0230] In this third embodiment, the means of collection 50 and the means of analysis 60 are advantageously common (or shared). Monitoring method

[0231] The present invention further relates to the monitoring method, designed to estimate the dose of a treatment product mixed in a liquid circulating in a liquid circuit C equipping an installation T, by implementing a monitoring system 10 according to the invention.

[0232] The method, according to the invention, advantageously comprises the following steps:

[0233] - Determination of the quantity of liquid treated: means of determining consumption 20 determines the quantity (for example expressed in volume or frequency) of liquid circulating in the liquid circuit C;

[0234] - measurement of the treatment product level: simultaneously, the measuring means level 40 determines the evolution of the level of treatment product present in container 30;

[0235] - data collection and transmission: consumption and level data 50 of the product are collected using collection methods. These can be integrated into a communication gateway which ensures the transmission of data to the analysis means 60, locally or remotely via a communication network;

[0236] - estimation of the dose of treatment product: the analytical means 60 treat Consumption and treatment product level data are used to estimate the dose of treatment product injected into the treated liquid. This estimation can be carried out in real time and take into account various parameters, such as the type of product, the desired concentration, and the dosing method (volumetric or batch);

[0237] - preferably, injection guidance: depending on the estimated dose, the means of pilot 80 adjust the injection of treatment product in order to maintain the target dose and ensure the effectiveness of the treatment;

[0238] - preferably, monitoring of the surveillance system: interface means allow the user to supervise the monitoring system, view the collected data and calculation results, receive alerts in case of anomalies, and modify the system's operating parameters.

[0239] Of course, various other modifications can be made to the invention within the scope of the annexed claims.

Claims

Demands

1. A monitoring system (10) for a liquid circuit (C), preferably a water circuit, equipping an installation (T), designed to monitor the dose of a treatment product, for example liquid or solid, mixed with a treated liquid, which monitoring system (10) comprises: - consumption determination means (20), configured to determine a quantity of treated liquid; - a container (30), intended to contain said treatment product and equipped with level measuring means (40) which are configured to measure the level of said treatment product present in said container (30); - collection means (50), configured to collect the data from said consumption determination means (20) and said level measuring means (40);- analytical means (60), configured to estimate the dose of said treatment product mixed in said treated liquid, from data from said consumption determination means (20) and said level measurement means (40).

2. Monitoring system (10) according to claim 1, wherein the consumption determination means (20) are selected from: - flow measurement means (201), intended to equip a pipeline of said liquid circuit (C), configured to measure in real time the flow of the treated liquid, and - flow control means (202), for example a valve associated with a dry contactor.

3. Monitoring system (10) according to claim 2, wherein the flow measurement means (201) are selected from meters, for example pulse meters, flow meters and venturis.

4. Monitoring system (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the container (30) is selected from drums, jerrycans, containers, reagent trays and salt trays.

5. Monitoring system (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the level measurement means (40) are selected from radar means, pressure measurement means, laser means and optical measurement means.

6. Monitoring system (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein said analysis means (60) are installed on remote servers, and in that the collection means (50) are equipped with a gateway comprising telecommunication means configured to communicate with said analysis means (60).

7. Monitoring system (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 6, comprising interface means for monitoring said monitoring system (10).

8. Monitoring system (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the products are selected from any product being injected according to a volume or a time, for example water conditioning products, for example scale inhibitors, corrosion inhibitors, biocides, biodispersants, flocculants, coagulants or water softener salts.

9. Monitoring system (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the analysis means (60) are further configured to estimate the dose of treatment product by volumetric dosing or by shock dosing.

10. Monitoring system (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the analysis means (60) are associated with: - alerting means which are configured to issue at least one alert, and / or - information means which are configured to issue at least one piece of information.

11. An industrial or collective installation (T) comprising a liquid circuit (C) equipped with at least one monitoring system (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 10, which industrial installation (T) is selected from cooling towers, steam boilers, closed circuits (hot or cold), district heating networks, DHW (Domestic Hot Water) networks, wastewater treatment plants, swimming pools, geothermal systems, open cooling circuits, water treatment systems requiring chemical treatment such as reverse osmosis, ultrafiltration, filtration, water softener, or

12. which collective installation is chosen from among the collective tertiary, residential or public installations. Monitoring method, designed to estimate the dose of a treatment product mixed in a liquid circulating in a liquid circuit (C) equipping an installation (T) according to claim 11, by implementing a monitoring system (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 10.

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