Total organic carbon meter and total organic carbon measurement method

Abstract

In order to increase the degrees of freedom of the arrangement of constituent components configuring this total organic carbon meter, the meter is provided with: a sampling unit 20 which samples a liquid sample, a combustion reaction unit 30 which generates carbon dioxide by combusting the total organic carbon contained in the liquid sample, a dehumidifier unit 40 which has a dehumidifying part for dehumidifying gas flowing from the combustion reaction unit 30, and a control unit 50 which has a control part for controlling the total organic carbon meter, wherein the sampling unit 20, the combustion reaction unit 30, the dehumidifier unit 40 and the control unit 50 are configured so as to be separable from each other.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a total organic carbon meter and a total organic carbon measurement method used for analyzing, for example, water quality. [Background technology]

[0002] As shown in Patent Document 1, this type of total organic carbon meter is configured to introduce a liquid sample into a ceramic combustion furnace to combust the total organic carbon contained in the liquid sample and detect the carbon dioxide produced as a result.

[0003] Specifically, this total organic carbon meter includes a sample measuring unit that samples the liquid sample, a combustion reactor that burns the total organic carbon contained in the liquid sample to generate carbon dioxide, a dehumidifier that dehumidifies the gas flowing out of the combustion reactor, and a control unit that controls the total organic carbon meter.

[0004] However, if the layout of the various components described above is predetermined, problems may arise, such as difficulty in managing the piping connecting components such as multiple valves and sample measuring units, especially when there is limited space to install the analyzer. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 5012580 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and its main object is to improve the degree of freedom in the arrangement of the components that make up a total organic carbon meter. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] That is, the total organic carbon meter of the present invention is a total organic carbon meter that measures the total organic carbon contained in a liquid sample, and is equipped with a sampling unit that samples the liquid sample, a combustion reaction unit that burns the total organic carbon contained in the liquid sample to generate carbon dioxide, a dehumidification unit having a dehumidification section that dehumidifies the gas flowing out from the combustion reaction section, and a control unit having a control section that controls the total organic carbon meter, and is characterized in that the sampling unit, the combustion reaction unit, the dehumidification unit, and the control unit are configured to be separable from each other. With this configuration, each function is separated into a unit, and therefore the degree of freedom in arranging each unit can be improved.

[0008] It is preferable that at least one of the sampling unit, the combustion reaction unit, the dehumidification unit, and the control unit is provided with a support that supports the components of the unit in a state where they are floating above the mounting surface when the unit is separated from the other units and placed on a predetermined mounting surface. In this case, by separating one unit from the other units and placing it on a surface such as the floor or a desk, the components of that unit are supported in a floating position, making it easy to replace and inspect the components and improving maintainability.

[0009] When the units are assembled, it is preferable that at least those of the components that are consumed during measurement are supported on the front surface facing forward of the support body. In this case, components that require replacement due to wear are supported on the front surface of the support body, so that the component can be replaced without separating the unit in which the component is installed from the other units, thereby further improving maintainability.

[0010] It is preferable that at least piping or wiring among the components is supported on a rear surface of the support body opposite the front surface. In this case, the piping or wiring that is routed when assembling each unit is supported on the back surface of the support, so that the front surface of the support can be kept attractive.

[0011] A specific embodiment of the support body is one having a substantially U-shaped cross section and including a pair of side plates and a front plate connecting the pair of side plates. This allows the support to be made from a single piece of sheet metal, reducing manufacturing costs. Furthermore, compared to a roughly H-shaped cross section, for example, this shape eliminates any protrusions or other obstacles on the front, allowing for better access to the components supported on the front. Furthermore, compared to a roughly H-shaped cross section, for example, this shape allows for more stable placement on a designated mounting surface.

[0012] The dehumidifying unit is preferably disposed below the combustion reaction unit. The gas generated in the combustion reaction unit condenses as it flows into the dehumidification unit, and as described above, by positioning the dehumidification unit below the combustion unit, the moisture generated by condensation can be directed smoothly toward the dehumidification unit.

[0013] It is preferable that the air conditioner further comprises a detection unit having a detector for detecting carbon dioxide, and that the detection unit is provided at least above the dehumidifying unit. In this case, the warm air is directed upward to the detection unit, thereby warming the detector and preventing condensation on the detector.

[0014] It is preferable that the detection unit and the control unit are provided above the other units. This makes it possible to protect the components of the detection unit and the control unit from getting wet with water, etc., and also makes it possible to gather the wiring connecting the detection unit and the control unit together at the top.

[0015] However, in the total organic carbon meter according to the present invention, various components such as multiple valves and a sample measuring unit are connected by many pipes, and when a user assembles each unit, there is a risk that one component may be mistakenly connected to another component that should not be connected. This could result in problems such as incorrect measurement, making it impossible to ensure measurement accuracy. Therefore, it is preferable to further provide a diagnostic function for diagnosing the connection point between the sampling unit and the combustion reaction unit, and for the diagnostic function to diagnose the connection point by comparing the actual pressure, which is the pressure when gas is flowed into a diagnostic area including the connection point, with a reference pressure, which is the pressure when gas is flowed into the diagnostic area under normal conditions. With this configuration, it is possible to notify the user of any connection problems or incorrect connections during assembly.

[0016] It is preferable that the connection point diagnosed as having a defect or an error is displayed so as to be distinguishable from the other connection points. This makes it possible to see at a glance which connections have problems or errors.

[0017] Furthermore, the total organic carbon measurement method according to the present invention is a method for measuring total organic carbon contained in a liquid sample using a total organic carbon meter, characterized in that the total organic carbon meter comprises a sampling unit that samples the liquid sample, a combustion reaction unit that combusts the total organic carbon contained in the liquid sample to generate carbon dioxide, a dehumidification unit having a dehumidification section that dehumidifies the gas flowing out from the combustion reaction section, and a control unit having a control section that controls the total organic carbon meter, and the sampling unit, combustion reaction unit, dehumidification unit, and control unit are configured to be separable from one another. Such a total organic carbon measurement method can achieve the same effects as the above-mentioned total organic carbon meter. [Effects of the Invention]

[0018] According to the present invention configured in this manner, it is possible to improve the degree of freedom in the arrangement of the components that make up the total organic carbon meter. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0019] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a total organic carbon meter according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a flow path configuration of the embodiment. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a sampling unit according to the embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing the peripheral structure of the sample introduction tube of the same embodiment. [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing the internal structure of the combustion reaction unit of the embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a schematic view showing the inner furnace body, the vaporization member, and the holding unit of the embodiment; [Figure 7] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a dehumidifying unit according to the embodiment. [Figure 8] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing the arrangement of each unit in the embodiment. [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram showing a flow path configuration of another embodiment. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram showing a flow path configuration of another embodiment. [Figure 11] FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram showing a flow path configuration of another embodiment. [Explanation of symbols]

[0020] 100 Total Organic Carbon Meter 10. Device body 20 Sampling Unit 30 Combustion reaction unit 40 Dehumidification unit 50 Control Unit 31 Sample weighing section 311 Sample introduction tube 312···Blower fan 32 Combustion reaction section 33 Combustion furnace body 331...Inner furnace body 332...Outer furnace body 34 Vaporizing element 35 Retaining member DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0021] An embodiment of a total organic carbon meter according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

[0022] The total organic carbon meter 100 of this embodiment indicates the total amount of organic matter contained in a liquid sample, such as tap water or sewage, in terms of the amount of carbon contained in the organic matter, and specifically, as shown in Figure 1, it comprises an apparatus main body 10, a sampling unit 20, a combustion reaction unit 30, a dehumidification unit 40, and a control unit 50.

[0023] [Device body 10] As shown in Fig. 1, the device main body 10 includes a housing 11 that houses the above-mentioned units 20 to 50, and the units 20 to 50 are attached to the housing 11 with fasteners such as screws. The units 20 to 50 are configured to be separable from one another and are detachable from the housing 11, allowing the user to customize the arrangement of the units 20 to 50 within a certain degree of freedom. Fig. 1 shows an example of such an arrangement, with the housing 11 divided into an upper, middle, and lower level, and the control unit 50 is located on the upper level, the sampling unit 20 on the right side of the middle level as viewed from the front, the combustion reaction unit 30 on the left side of the middle level as viewed from the front, and the dehumidification unit 40 on the lower level. However, the arrangement of the units is not limited to this.

[0024] In this embodiment, the device main body 10 and each of the units 20 to 50, or the units 20 to 50 themselves, are connected via, for example, electrical wiring or piping through which a liquid or gas flows. More specifically, each of the units 20 to 50 is configured to be connected with one touch to the device main body 10 or another unit 20 to 50 via a connector having multiple connection pins, such as a 20-pin connector.

[0025] [Sampling Unit 20] As shown in FIG. 2, the sampling unit 20 includes a sample container 21 for storing a liquid sample, a pretreatment section having a valve 22 for feeding an acid such as hydrochloric acid into the sample container 21, and a carrier gas supply section 23 for supplying a carrier gas. The liquid sample is acidified and subjected to an aeration process to liberate inorganic carbon contained in the liquid sample, and the liquid sample is then fed to the combustion reaction unit 30 by the carrier gas.

[0026] More specifically, as shown in Figure 3, when the sampling unit 20 is separated from the other units 30, 40, and 50 and placed on a predetermined mounting surface Z1, it is provided with a support 24 that supports the components of the sampling unit 20 in a state where they are floating above the mounting surface Z1.

[0027] The placement surface Z1 is a surface on which the support 24 can be placed in a predetermined position, for example, during maintenance of the sampling unit 20, and specifically includes the floor surface, the top surface of a desk, etc. The position of the support 24 placed on the placement surface Z1 may be an upright position (see FIG. 3), which is the position when the sampling unit 20 is attached to the housing 11, or may be a laid-down position in which the support 24 is laid down from the upright position.

[0028] As described above, the shape of the support 24 is not particularly limited as long as it can support the components in a floating state, but the support 24 here has a roughly U-shaped cross section and includes a pair of side plates 241 and a front plate 242 connecting the pair of side plates 241, and various components that make up the sampling unit 20, such as the sample container 21, pump, on-off valve, filter, etc., are supported on the support 24.

[0029] The support body 24 in this embodiment is formed, for example, by bending a single sheet of metal, and replacement parts that are removed during maintenance, etc. are attached to the front surface 24a of the front plate 242, while regular parts such as piping, electrical wiring, and connectors are attached to the back surface 24b of the front plate 242.

[0030] More specifically, the front surface 24a of the support body 24 is the surface that faces forward and is visible to the user when the sampling unit 20 is attached to the housing 11, in other words, when the units 20 to 50 are assembled. Here, the housing 11 is provided with an openable / closable door D and / or a display unit DP such as a display (see FIG. 1), and the surface of the support body 24 that faces the side where the door D and / or the display unit DP are arranged is the front surface 24a.

[0031] This front surface 24a supports at least those components of the sampling unit 20 that are consumed or deteriorated during measurement, specifically, some or all of the sample container 21, pump, on-off valve, or filter.

[0032] On the other hand, as described above, the back surface 24b, which is the rear side of the front surface 24a of the support body 24, supports some or all of the piping, electrical wiring, and connectors that are components of the sampling unit 20, and these are housed in a space surrounded by the opposing surfaces of a pair of side plates 241 and the back surface 24b of the front plate 242.

[0033] This ensures that when the support body 24 is placed on the placement surface Z1 in a laid-down position with the front surface 24a of the support body 24 facing upward and the back surface 24b facing downward, there is little or no interference between the components supported on the back surface 24b and the placement surface Z1. Note that the side plate 241 may be formed with one or more notches (not shown) for extracting electrical wiring.

[0034] [Combustion Reaction Unit 30] 2, the combustion reaction unit 30 includes a sample measuring section 31 that measures a predetermined amount of the liquid sample sampled by the above-described sampling unit 20, and a combustion reaction section 32 into which the measured predetermined amount of liquid sample is injected. Note that the sample measuring section 31 may be a component of the above-described sampling unit 20.

[0035] The sample measuring unit 31 measures a predetermined amount of liquid sample using, for example, a member with a known volume. In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 2, a measuring container capable of measuring a predetermined amount of liquid sample is used, and this measuring container is designed to be able to store a predetermined amount of liquid sample.

[0036] The predetermined amount of liquid sample measured in this manner is injected into the combustion reaction section 32 together with the carrier gas supplied by the above-mentioned carrier gas supply section 23 by switching the three-way valve, which is an on-off valve connected downstream of the sample measurement section 31. Note that here, a buffer tank T for storing the carrier gas is provided on the carrier gas flow path, and the carrier gas stored in this buffer tank T is allowed to flow in all at once. However, this buffer tank T is not necessarily required.

[0037] As shown in FIG. 4, the measured predetermined amount of liquid sample is introduced into the combustion reaction section 32 through the sample introduction tube 311. However, if the sample introduction tube 311 is made of, for example, a highly heat-resistant ceramic, the liquid sample may adhere to and remain on the inner surface of the tube, and it may not be possible to inject all of the measured predetermined amount of liquid sample.

[0038] Therefore, the sample measurement section 31 of this embodiment is connected to a sample introduction tube 311 made of resin, such as fluororesin, and is provided with a blower fan 312 as a cooling mechanism for cooling the sample introduction tube 311 in order to reduce the thermal influence of the combustion reaction section 32 on this sample introduction tube 311. The sample introduction tube 311 does not necessarily have to be made of resin, but may be made of, for example, a tube made of ceramic or metal with a water-repellent coating on the inner surface.

[0039] A predetermined amount of liquid sample is introduced into the combustion reaction section 32 through the sample introduction tube 311, and all organic carbon contained in the liquid sample is combusted to generate carbon dioxide.

[0040] Specifically, as shown in Figure 5, this combustion reaction section 32 comprises a combustion furnace main body 33, a vaporization member 34 housed inside the combustion furnace main body 33, a holding member 35 that holds the vaporization member 34, and a heating mechanism 36 that heats the vaporization member 34.

[0041] The combustion furnace body 33 is cylindrical, into which a liquid sample is introduced through an opening at one end and carbon dioxide is discharged from an opening at the other end. Specifically, it has a double-tube structure having an inner furnace body 331 into which the liquid sample is introduced and an outer furnace body 332 surrounding the inner furnace body 331.

[0042] The inner furnace body 331 is made of, for example, ceramics, and is interposed between the outer furnace body 332 and the vaporizing member 34 to prevent cracks and the like caused by expansion of the outer furnace body 332 .

[0043] The inner furnace body 331 of this embodiment has a straight tubular shape, with the inner circumferential surface 331a and the outer circumferential surface 331b having the same cross-sectional shape from one end opening to the other end opening, and is formed by, for example, drawing. Note that the inner furnace body 331 may have a portion of the inner circumferential surface 331a or the outer circumferential surface 331b cut out, and does not necessarily have to be a straight tubular shape.

[0044] The outer furnace body 332 is made of, for example, ceramics and is provided on the outer peripheral surface 331b of the inner furnace body 331 via a gap, and is arranged so that the central axis of the outer furnace body 332 and the central axis of the inner furnace body 331 are coaxial.

[0045] The outer furnace body 332 of this embodiment has an inner circumferential surface 332a that is a straight pipe with the same cross-sectional shape from one opening to the other opening, and is formed by, for example, drawing. Note that the outer furnace body 332 may have a portion of the inner circumferential surface 332a cut out, and does not necessarily have to be a straight pipe.

[0046] A metallic inlet flange portion 37 is detachably connected to one open end of this outer furnace body 332, and a metallic outlet flange portion 38 is detachably connected to the other open end.

[0047] The introduction side flange portion 37 is, for example, annular, and here has a pair of opposing annular elements 371, 372 (hereinafter referred to as the first element 371 and the second element 372) and a fastener B1 such as a bolt that fastens them together.

[0048] The first element 371 is made of metal and provided via a seal member S1 at the upper end of the outer furnace body 332, and here, the above-mentioned resin sample introduction tube 311 is fixed to it. Specifically, a threaded hole H1 communicating with the internal space of the outer furnace body 332 is formed in this first element 371, and the above-mentioned sample introduction tube 311 is held by a bolt member B that screws into this threaded hole H1 (see FIG. 4).

[0049] With this configuration, by screwing the bolt member B to which the sample introduction tube 311 is fixed into the threaded hole H1 of the first element 371, the sample introduction tube 311 is connected to the introduction side flange portion 37, for example, in a state aligned with the tube axis of the inner furnace body 331.

[0050] The second element 372 is made of metal and has an inner diameter slightly larger than the outer diameter of the outer furnace body 332. The second element 372 is fixed to the first element 371 using a fastener B1. More specifically, a downward step D1 is formed on one of the inner peripheral surface of the second element 372 and the outer peripheral surface 332b of the outer furnace body 332 on one end opening side, and an upward step D2 is formed on the other, with the upper intermediate member 373 interposed between the downward step D1 and the upward step D2.

[0051] The upper intermediate member 373 is composed of a pair of half elements, for example, formed by splitting a circular ring plate in half, and its inner diameter is equal to the outer diameter of the downward step D1 formed on the outer peripheral surface 332b on one end opening side of the outer furnace body 332.

[0052] The following procedure can be given as an example of a method for connecting the introduction side flange portion 37 to one end opening side of the outer furnace body 332.

[0053] First, the second element 372 is passed through one end opening of the outer furnace body 332, and each of the pair of half elements is fitted onto a downward step D1 formed on the outer peripheral surface of one end opening side of the outer furnace body 332 to form an annular upper intermediate member 373. Next, this upper intermediate member 373 is sandwiched between the downward step D1 and the upward step D2 of the second element 372, and the second element 372 is fixed to the first element 371 with a fastener B1.

[0054] The cooling mechanism described above, ie, air blower fan 312, is provided outside introduction-side flange 37 configured in this manner. Air blower fan 312 cools metal first element 371 and bolt member B that holds sample introduction tube 311, thereby cooling sample introduction tube 311.

[0055] The outlet side flange portion 38 is, for example, annular, and here has a pair of opposing annular elements 381, 382 (hereinafter referred to as the third element 381 and the fourth element 382) and a fastener B2 such as a bolt that fastens them together.

[0056] The third element 381 is made of metal and is provided at the lower end of the outer furnace body 332 via a seal member S2, and a gas outflow pipe (not shown here) is fixed to the third element 381. Specifically, a threaded hole H2 communicating with the internal space of the outer furnace body 332 is formed in the third element 381, and the gas outflow pipe is connected to the threaded hole H2 via, for example, a joint or the like.

[0057] The fourth element 382 is made of metal and has an inner diameter slightly larger than the outer diameter of the outer furnace body 332. The fourth element 382 is fixed to the third element 381 using fasteners B2. More specifically, a downward step D3 is formed on one of the inner peripheral surface of the fourth element 382 and the outer peripheral surface 332b on the other end opening side of the outer furnace body 332, and an upward step D4 is formed on the other, with the lower intermediate member 383 interposed between the downward step D3 and the upward step D4.

[0058] The lower intermediate member 383 is composed of a pair of half elements, for example, a circular plate split in half, and its inner diameter is equal to the outer diameter of the upward step D4 formed on the outer peripheral surface 332b on the other end opening side of the outer furnace body 332.

[0059] An example of a method for connecting the introduction side flange portion 37 to the other end opening side of the outer furnace body 332 is as follows.

[0060] First, the fourth element 382 is passed through the other end opening side of the outer furnace body 332, and each of the pair of half elements is fitted onto the upward step D4 formed on the outer peripheral surface of the other end opening side of the outer furnace body 332 to form an annular lower intermediate member 383. Next, this lower intermediate member 383 is sandwiched between the upward step D4 and the downward step D3 of the fourth element 382, ​​and the fourth element 382 is fixed to the third element 381 with the fastener B2.

[0061] The vaporizing member 34 is provided inside the inner furnace body 331 and vaporizes the liquid sample, and in this embodiment is, for example, a ceramic granular material.

[0062] Here, the combustion reaction section 32 of this embodiment further includes a catalyst Z below the vaporization member 34, as shown in FIGS.

[0063] The catalyst Z is a layer made of a material different from the vaporizing member 34, such as CeO2 (cerium oxide), CuO (copper oxide), Pt (platinum), Pd (palladium), or ZrO2 (zirconia), and is disposed in contact with the vaporizing member 34. By providing such a catalyst, the combustion efficiency of organic matter in the liquid sample can be improved, thereby improving measurement accuracy. In addition to the layer of catalyst Z, another catalyst layer may be provided inside or above the vaporizing member 34, or a catalyst may be mixed (added) to all or part of the vaporizing member 34.

[0064] 5, the holding member 35 is provided below the vaporizing member 34 of the inner furnace body 331, and holds the granular material in the axial center of the combustion furnace body 33. This holding member 35 is made of ceramics and has passages through which gas generated from the liquid sample passes, and a specific example of this is a honeycomb plate or the like having multiple passages.

[0065] 6, in this embodiment, the inner furnace body 331, vaporization member 34, and holding member 35 are unitized and configured to be detachable as a whole from the outer furnace body 332. In order to facilitate attachment and detachment, one or more holes h are provided in the upper part of the inner furnace body 331, and other members can be hooked onto these holes h. However, the inner furnace body 331, the vaporizing member 34, and the holding member 35 do not necessarily need to be unitized.

[0066] The heating mechanism 36 has a heater surrounding the axial center of the outer furnace body 332, and heats the vaporizing member 34 to, for example, about 1000° C. Note that a catalyst may be used to lower the heating temperature.

[0067] [Dehumidification unit 40] As shown in FIG. 2, the dehumidifying unit 40 includes a dehumidifier 41 to which the gas generated by the combustion reaction unit 30 described above is introduced, and an absorber 42 that removes corrosive gas resulting from vaporization of the acid used in the pretreatment described above from the gas that has passed through the dehumidifier 41.

[0068] More specifically, as shown in FIG. 7, when the dehumidifying unit 40 is separated from the other units 20, 30, 50 and placed on a predetermined placement surface Z2, it is provided with a support 43 that supports the components of the dehumidifying unit 40 in a state where they are floating above the placement surface Z2.

[0069] The placement surface Z2 is a surface on which the support 43 can be placed in a predetermined position, for example, during maintenance of the dehumidifying unit 40, and specifically may be a floor surface, the top surface of a desk, etc. The position of the support 43 placed on the placement surface Z2 may be an upright position (see FIG. 7), which is the position when the dehumidifying unit 40 is attached to the housing 11, or may be a laid-down position in which the support 43 is laid down from the upright position.

[0070] As described above, the shape of the support 43 is not particularly limited as long as it can support the components in a floating state, but the support 43 here has a cross section that is roughly U-shaped, with a pair of side panels 431 and a front panel 432 connecting the pair of side panels 431, and various components that make up the dehumidifying unit 40, such as the dehumidifier 41 as the dehumidifying section and the absorber accommodating section 44, are supported on the support 43.

[0071] The support body 43 in this embodiment is formed, for example, by bending a single sheet of metal, and replacement parts that are removed during maintenance, etc. are attached to the front surface 43a of the front plate 432, while regular parts such as piping, electrical wiring, and connectors are attached to the back surface 43b of the front plate 432.

[0072] More specifically, the front surface 43a of the support body 43 is the surface that faces forward and is visible to the user when the dehumidifying unit 40 is attached to the housing 11, in other words, when the units 20 to 50 are assembled. Here, the housing 11 described above is provided with an openable / closable door D and / or a display unit DP such as a display (see FIG. 1), and the surface of the support body 43 that faces the side where the door D and / or the display unit DP are arranged is the front surface 43a.

[0073] This front surface 43a supports at least those components of the dehumidifying unit 40 that are subject to wear or deterioration during measurement, specifically, the dehumidifier 41 or some or all of the multiple absorber housing sections 44.

[0074] On the other hand, as described above, the back surface 43b, which is the rear side of the front surface 43a of the support body 43, supports some or all of the piping, electrical wiring, and connectors that are components of the dehumidification unit 40, and these are housed in a space surrounded by the opposing surfaces of a pair of side plates 431 and the back surface 43b of the front plate 432.

[0075] This ensures that when the support 43 is placed on the placement surface Z2 in a laid-down position with the front surface 43a of the support 43 facing upward and the back surface 43b facing downward, there is little or no interference between the components supported on the back surface 43b and the placement surface Z2. Note that the side plate 431 may be formed with one or more notches (not shown) for extracting electrical wiring.

[0076] As shown in FIG. 8, the above-mentioned dehumidifying unit 40 is connected to the combustion reaction unit 20 via a tubular member TB, and the combustion gas produced by burning the liquid sample in the combustion reaction unit 20 flows through this tubular member TB and is led to the dehumidifying unit 40.

[0077] With this configuration, the combustion gas cools and condenses as it flows through the tubular member TB, and the droplets produced by this condensation are guided to the dehumidification unit and removed, allowing the dried combustion gas to be guided to the detection unit described below.

[0078] In this embodiment, the dehumidifying unit 40 is disposed below the combustion reaction unit 20 so that droplets generated by condensation can be guided to the dehumidifying unit smoothly and without strain.

[0079] With this arrangement, droplets formed by condensation of combustion gases flow downward due to their own weight, and these droplets can be guided to the dehumidifying unit 40 smoothly and without strain.

[0080] Furthermore, the dehumidifying unit 40 here is disposed obliquely below the combustion reaction unit 20, avoiding being located directly below the combustion reaction unit 20. This allows a longer distance from the combustion reaction unit 20 to the dehumidifying unit 40 compared to when the dehumidifying unit 40 is placed directly below the combustion reaction unit 20, and the above-mentioned tubular member TB can be made longer, making it possible to cool the combustion gas more reliably. Furthermore, when a long tubular member TB is used in this way, a space can be provided below the combustion reaction unit 20 to accommodate the tubular member TB after it has been wound up, for example. Furthermore, the inner furnace body 331 constituting the combustion reaction unit 20 can be pulled out straight down, making it easier to handle the inner furnace body 331 and the vaporization member 34 housed therein.

[0081] 2, the gas that has passed through the dehumidifying unit 40 passes through a filter and is guided to a carbon dioxide detection section X, which is a detection unit X. The carbon dioxide detection section X here includes a detector that detects carbon dioxide contained in the combustion gas by, for example, NDIR (non-dispersive infrared absorption), and is provided near the control unit 50 in this example. However, the type and location of the detector are not limited to this and may be changed as appropriate.

[0082] 8, the detection unit X is provided above the dehumidifying unit 40. More specifically, the detection unit X is connected to a control unit 50 (described later) via an electric wiring EC, and the detection unit X and the control unit 50 are provided above the other units, namely the sampling unit 20, the combustion reaction unit 30, and the dehumidifying unit 40.

[0083] That is, in this embodiment, the detection unit X and the control unit 50 are located at the top level within the housing 11. However, the detection unit X and the control unit 50 do not necessarily have to be located at the top level, and for example, one of the detection unit X and the control unit 50 may be located above the other.

[0084] [Control Unit 50] The control unit 50 is physically a dedicated or general-purpose computer equipped with a CPU as a control unit, a memory, an AD converter, input / output means, etc., and functionally performs at least the function of calculating the amount and concentration of total organic carbon contained in a liquid sample based on the light intensity signal detected by the detection unit X described above by operating in accordance with an analysis program stored in a predetermined area of ​​the memory.

[0085] As shown in FIG. 1, the control unit 50 of this embodiment is provided with a display DP as a display unit provided on the front of the housing, and this display DP displays, for example, a measurement screen that displays measurement results and a warning screen that issues various warnings.

[0086] According to the total organic carbon meter 100 described above, the catalyst Z is placed below the vaporizing member 34, so there is no need to raise the sample vaporized by the vaporizing member 34 toward the catalyst, and the vaporizing member 34 and the catalyst Z can be placed close to each other, which improves the combustion efficiency of organic matter in the liquid sample and ultimately improves measurement accuracy.

[0087] Furthermore, since the catalyst Z is arranged in contact with the vaporization member 34, the catalyst Z and the vaporization member 34 can be arranged without an air layer between them, making the improvement in combustion efficiency, etc., mentioned above, more effective.

[0088] Furthermore, since the heating furnace body has an inner furnace body 331 into which the liquid sample is introduced and an outer furnace body 332 surrounding the inner furnace body 331, the inner furnace body 331 can suppress cracks and the like caused by expansion of the outer furnace body 332. Furthermore, since the inner peripheral surface 332a of the outer furnace body 332 has a straight tubular shape with the same cross-sectional shape from one end opening to the other end opening, the outer furnace body 332 can be easily formed by, for example, drawing processing, thereby improving processability.

[0089] In addition, the inner furnace body 331, the vaporization member 34, and the holding member 35 are unitized and configured to be detachable from the outer furnace body 332 as a whole, thereby improving the ease of maintenance, for example, when replacing the vaporization member 34.

[0090] Furthermore, since the sample introduction tube 311 is made of resin, a predetermined amount of liquid sample can be introduced into the combustion furnace body 33 without remaining in the sample introduction tube 311, and since the sample introduction tube 311 is cooled by a cooling mechanism, thermal damage to the sample introduction tube 311 can be prevented.

[0091] In addition, since the sampling unit 20, the combustion reaction unit 30, the dehumidifying unit 40, and the control unit 50 are configured to be separable, the degree of freedom in arranging each unit can be improved.

[0092] Furthermore, when the sampling unit 20 and the dehumidifying unit 40 are separated from the other units 30, 50 and placed on the designated placement surfaces Z1, Z2, they are provided with supports 24, 43 that support the components of the sampling unit 20 and the dehumidifying unit 40 in a state where they are floating above the placement surfaces Z1, Z2, making it easy to replace and inspect the components and improving maintainability.

[0093] Furthermore, at least those components that require replacement due to wear during measurement are supported on the front surfaces 24a, 43a of the supports 24, 43, so that the components can be replaced without separating the unit in which they are installed from the other units, thereby further improving maintainability.

[0094] Furthermore, the rear surfaces 24b, 43b of the supports 24, 43 support the piping or wiring that is routed when assembling each unit, so that the front surfaces 24a, 43a of the supports 24, 43 can be kept attractive.

[0095] Because the supports 24, 43 have a generally U-shaped cross section, they can be made from a single piece of metal, reducing manufacturing costs. Furthermore, compared to, for example, a roughly H-shaped cross section, the front faces 24a, 43a have no protrusions or other obstacles, providing better access to the components supported on the front faces 24a, 43a. Furthermore, compared to, for example, a roughly H-shaped cross section, the supports can be placed more stably on the designated mounting surfaces Z1, Z2.

[0096] Since the detection unit X is provided above the dehumidifying unit 40, warm air flows toward the upper detection unit X, thereby warming the detector and preventing condensation on the detector.

[0097] Furthermore, since the detection unit X and the control unit 50 are provided above the other units, the components of the detection unit X and the control unit 50 can be protected from getting wet with water, and the wiring EC connecting the detection unit X and the control unit 50 can be concentrated above.

[0098] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment.

[0099] 9, a gas return mechanism 39 may be provided upstream of the combustion reaction section 32 to return the gas flowing out from the combustion reaction section 32 to the combustion reaction section 32. The gas return mechanism 39 may also be provided downstream of the combustion reaction section 32.

[0100] 9, one example of this gas return mechanism 39 is one in which gas vaporized in the combustion reaction section 32 is caused to flow backward into the sample introduction tube 311 and then returned to the combustion reaction section 32 via the sample introduction tube 311. A specific configuration in this case may include a configuration including a backward flow channel 39L communicating with the sample introduction tube 311 and a pump P provided in the backward flow channel 39L.

[0101] Another example of the gas return mechanism 39 is one in which the gas led out from the combustion reaction section 32 is returned to the combustion reaction section 32 without flowing to the dehumidification unit 40. A specific configuration in this case may include a configuration including a circulation flow path and a switching valve for selectively flowing the gas to either the circulation flow path or the dehumidification unit 40.

[0102] The combustion reaction section 32 may be provided with a position adjustment mechanism for adjusting the position of the sample introduction tube 311 relative to the heating furnace body. Specifically, examples of position adjustment mechanisms include those that utilize a movable stage or the like, and are configured to adjust the position of the sample introduction tube 311 so that the tube axis of the sample introduction tube 311 is positioned on the central axis of the inner furnace body 331.

[0103] Furthermore, the combustion reaction unit 30 may be provided with a table that is provided, for example, at the bottom of the heating furnace body and on which a used vaporization member 34 can be temporarily placed when the vaporization member 34 is replaced.

[0104] In the above embodiment, the supports 24, 43 constituting the sampling unit 20 and the dehumidifying unit 40 were described as having an approximately U-shaped cross section, but the shape of the supports 24, 43 is not limited to this and may be, for example, an approximately L-shaped cross section.

[0105] In the above embodiment, the vaporizing member 34 is described as a granular ceramic material, but the shape and material of the vaporizing member 34 may be changed as appropriate; for example, a flat ceramic vaporizing member may be used.

[0106] Here, a specific embodiment for measuring a predetermined amount of liquid sample using the sample measuring unit 31 can be an embodiment as shown in Figure 10, which includes a liquid sample line L1 connected at one end to the sample container 21 and at the other end to the sample measuring unit 31, a pump P such as a tubing pump provided on the liquid sample line L1, a three-way valve V0 provided on the liquid sample line L1, and an introduction line L2 connected to the liquid sample line L1 via this three-way valve V0 and which leads the measured liquid sample to the combustion reaction unit 32.

[0107] With the above-described configuration, the liquid sample stored in the sample container 21 is pressurized by the pump P and sent to the sample metering section 31, so that a predetermined amount of liquid sample remains in the piping T in the liquid sample line L1 from the three-way valve V0 to the sample metering section 31. Then, by switching the three-way valve V0, this predetermined amount of liquid sample can be introduced into the combustion reaction section 32 via the introduction line L2.

[0108] However, with the above-described configuration, the pulsation of the pump P causes the liquid sample to sometimes fill up to the tip of the pipe T connected to the sample measuring unit 31, but not other times, which causes variations in the amount of liquid that fills the pipe T, i.e., the amount of liquid after measuring. Furthermore, liquid droplets may adhere to the tip of the pipe T, which further causes variations in the amount of liquid.

[0109] Therefore, the total organic carbon meter 100 according to the present invention may be configured so that the liquid sample is sent to the sample measuring section 31 by a carrier gas, as shown in FIG. More specifically, a branch line L4, which branches off from the carrier gas line L3 that supplies carrier gas to the sample measuring section 31 and is connected to the sample container 21, is connected to the liquid sample line L1 described above by a connection line L5. This branch line L4 is a line for extracting inorganic carbon from the liquid sample stored in the sample container 21 by sending carrier gas into the sample container 21. Furthermore, one end of the connection line L5 does not necessarily have to be connected to the branch line L4, and may be connected to the carrier gas line L3.

[0110] In the above-described configuration, the connection line L5 and the branch line L4 are connected via a first three-way valve V1, and the connection line L5 and the liquid sample line L1 are connected via a second three-way valve V2. An on-off valve V3 such as a solenoid valve is provided on the liquid sample line L1 upstream or downstream of the second three-way valve V2.

[0111] Next, a weighing method using the above-described configuration will be described.

[0112] First, the pump P sends the liquid sample stored in the sample container 21 to the sample measuring section 31 .

[0113] Thereafter, the pump P is stopped, and the first three-way valve V1 and the second three-way valve V2 are switched to send the carrier gas into the liquid sample line L1 via the connection line L5, while the on-off valve V3 is open.

[0114] As a result, the liquid sample is pushed out into the sample measuring section 31 by the carrier gas flowing through the liquid sample line L1.

[0115] Next, by closing the on-off valve V3, a predetermined amount of liquid sample remains in the pipe T from the three-way valve V0 to the sample measuring section 31 in the liquid sample line L1.

[0116] Subsequently, carrier gas is introduced into the sample measurement section 31 via the carrier gas line L3, and the inside of the sample measurement section 31 is pressurized.

[0117] Then, by switching the three-way valve V0 of the liquid sample line L1, a predetermined amount of the liquid sample remaining in the pipe T is guided to the combustion reaction section 32 by the internal pressure of the sample measurement section 31.

[0118] With this configuration, the liquid sample is pushed out to the sample measurement section 31 by the carrier gas, and since the flow rate of this carrier gas is not pulsating, the liquid sample can be sent to the sample measurement section 31 at a constant speed. Furthermore, since the on-off valve V3 is closed while the liquid sample is being pushed out into the sample measurement section 31, it is possible to prevent droplets from remaining at the tip of the pipe T described above. As a result, a predetermined amount of liquid sample can be left in the pipe T with good reproducibility, and the liquid sample can be measured with good accuracy.

[0119] However, in the total organic carbon meter 100 according to the present invention, various components such as multiple valves and the sample metering unit 31 are connected by many pipes, and there is a risk that, for example, when a user assembles each unit 20 to 50, he or she may mistakenly connect a component to a component other than the one that should be connected. This may result in problems such as incorrect measurement, and measurement accuracy cannot be guaranteed.

[0120] Therefore, the total organic carbon meter 100 according to the present invention may be configured so that the connection of each unit 20 to 50 can be checked after the units 20 to 50 are assembled, and in this case, it is particularly configured so that the correctness of the connection between the sampling unit 20 and the combustion reaction unit 30 can be checked.

[0121] A specific embodiment is a method in which gas is introduced into a diagnosis area including one or more connection points (specifically, piping members) connecting the sampling unit 20 and the combustion reaction unit 30, and the diagnosis area is treated as a closed space, and the pressure in the diagnosis area is measured. The pressure may be measured using a pressure sensor mounted on the detection unit X, or a separate pressure sensor for measuring the pressure in the diagnosis area may be provided.

[0122] The connection points connecting the sampling unit 20 and the combustion reaction unit 30 are piping that connects the components of the sampling unit 20 with the components of the combustion reaction unit 30. Specifically, in FIG. 11, these include piping that connects the combustion reaction section 32 and the three-way valve V0, piping that connects the second three-way valve V2 and the on-off valve V3, and piping that is connected to the sample metering section 31 and that introduces a liquid sample or carrier gas.

[0123] The actual pressure, which is the pressure in the diagnosis area at the time of diagnosis, is compared with a reference pressure, which is the pressure in the diagnosis area previously acquired under normal conditions, and if, for example, the difference or ratio between the reference pressure and the measured pressure exceeds a predetermined threshold, it is determined that there is a problem or error in the piping connections included in that diagnosis area. This determination may be made by an operator, or, for example, the control unit 50 or the like may be provided with this diagnostic function to enable automatic diagnosis.

[0124] 2 and 9 to 11 on the display DP, the control unit 50 may also display an abnormal diagnostic area determined to have a malfunction or error so that it can be distinguished from other normal diagnostic areas. Specific examples of such a distinguishable display include a mode in which the color or brightness of the abnormal diagnostic area is made different from that of the normal diagnostic areas, and a mode in which a warning symbol is displayed in or near the abnormal diagnostic area.

[0125] The diagnostic area can be changed by switching the various valves V0 to V3 between open and closed states, and by carrying out the above-described diagnosis for each diagnostic area, it is possible to narrow down the location of the malfunction or incorrect connection. Of course, the valves that are switched between open and closed states are not limited to the valves V0 to V3 shown in Figure 11, and valves (not shown) provided in various locations may be switched.

[0126] In the above embodiment, the sampling unit 20 has a support 24 and the dehumidification unit 40 has a support 43, but it is sufficient if at least one of the sampling unit 20, the combustion reaction unit 30, the dehumidification unit 40, or the control unit 50 has a support.

[0127] Furthermore, one or both of the support 24 and the support 43 are not limited to having a U-shaped cross section, but may have various shapes such as an L-shaped cross section, an H-shaped cross section, or an I-shaped cross section.

[0128] Furthermore, one or both of the support body 24 and the support body 43 may have a common outlet formed in a side plate for taking out a plurality of wires supported on the back surface thereof. With such a configuration, multiple wires can be handled by bundling them together, for example, without becoming disorganized, and therefore the assembling and maintenance of the sampling unit 20 and / or the dehumidifying unit 40 can be improved.

[0129] In addition, one or both of the support 24 and the support 43 may have a hook portion that can be hooked onto the housing 11. With this configuration, by hooking the sampling unit 20 and / or the dehumidification unit 40 onto the housing 11, these units can be attached to the housing 11 in an engaged state using, for example, screws, etc., thereby further improving assembly ease.

[0130] Furthermore, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and it goes without saying that various modifications are possible without departing from the spirit of the present invention. [Industrial Applicability]

[0131] According to the present invention, it is possible to improve the degree of freedom in the arrangement of the components that make up the total organic carbon meter.

Claims

1. A total organic carbon meter for measuring total organic carbon contained in a liquid sample, a sampling unit for sampling the liquid sample; a combustion reaction unit that combusts all organic carbon contained in the liquid sample to generate carbon dioxide; a dehumidification unit having a dehumidification section that dehumidifies the gas flowing out from the combustion reaction unit; a control unit having a control unit for controlling the total organic carbon meter; a housing that houses the sampling unit, the combustion reaction unit, the dehumidification unit, and a control unit; A total organic carbon meter, wherein the sampling unit, the combustion reaction unit, the dehumidification unit, and the control unit are configured to be individually detachable from the housing.

2. 2. The total organic carbon meter of claim 1, wherein at least one of the units is provided with a support that supports the components of the unit in a floating state above the mounting surface when the unit is separated from the other units and placed on a predetermined mounting surface.

3. 3. The total organic carbon meter according to claim 2, wherein, when the units are assembled, at least those of the components that are consumed during measurement are supported on the front surface facing forward of the support.

4. 4. The total organic carbon meter according to claim 2, wherein at least piping or wiring of said components is supported on a rear surface of said support body opposite to the front surface facing forward.

5. 5. The total organic carbon meter according to claim 2, wherein the support has a substantially U-shaped cross section and includes a pair of side plates and a front plate connecting the pair of side plates.

6. The total organic carbon meter according to claim 1 , wherein the dehumidifying unit is disposed below the combustion reaction unit.

7. a detection unit having a detector for detecting carbon dioxide; The total organic carbon meter according to claim 1 , wherein the detection unit is provided at least above the dehumidification unit.

8. 8. The total organic carbon meter according to claim 7, wherein the detection unit and the control unit are provided above other units.

9. Further provided is a diagnostic function for diagnosing a connection point between the sampling unit and the combustion reaction unit, A total organic carbon meter as described in any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the diagnostic function diagnoses the connection point by comparing an actual pressure, which is the pressure when gas is flowed into a diagnostic area including the connection point, with a reference pressure, which is the pressure when gas is flowed into the diagnostic area under normal conditions.

10. 10. The total organic carbon meter according to claim 9, wherein the connection point diagnosed as having a malfunction or an error is displayed so as to be distinguishable from the other connection points.

11. A total organic carbon measurement method for measuring total organic carbon contained in a liquid sample using a total organic carbon meter, The total organic carbon meter a sampling unit for sampling the liquid sample; a combustion reaction unit that combusts all organic carbon contained in the liquid sample to generate carbon dioxide; a dehumidification unit having a dehumidification section that dehumidifies the gas flowing out from the combustion reaction unit; a control unit having a control unit for controlling the total organic carbon meter; a housing that houses the sampling unit, the combustion reaction unit, the dehumidification unit, and a control unit; A total organic carbon measurement method, wherein the sampling unit, the combustion reaction unit, the dehumidification unit, and the control unit are configured to be individually detachable from the housing.

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