Device and method for conditioning and detecting a property of a fluid

Abstract

The invention relates to a device (1) for conditioning a fluid, the device comprising a housing (2) and a first element (4), the fluid being able to be conducted through a first region (15) in order to separate heavy matter from the fluid, and an outlet opening (11) of the first element (4) being separably connected to a housing outlet (6) in order to separate the heavy matter from the first region (15). The invention further relates to a measuring device (20) for detecting a property of the fluid, to a method for conditioning the fluid, and to a method for detecting the property of the fluid. The invention permits the reproducible detection of the property of the fluid, irrespective of heavy matter carried along with the fluid.

Description

[0001] Apparatus and method for conditioning and detecting a property of a fluid

[0002] The invention relates to a device for conditioning a fluid, in particular sludge water, and to a measuring device for detecting a property of the fluid. The invention further relates to a method for conditioning the fluid and a method for detecting a property of the fluid.

[0003] Water is separated from a suspension in various technical processes. Examples include centrifugal dewatering, for example in a centrifuge or in a decanter, press filter dewatering, for example in a filter press, or filtration, for example in a sieve filter. The water separated from the suspension, especially from sludge, is called sludge water, but specifically also as centrate, filtrate, turbidity or press water. Additives such as polymers, flocculants, etc. are often added to improve the dewaterability of the suspension. The general aim is to achieve optimal dewatering with minimal use of energy or additives, which offers economic and ecological advantages. One way to assess the quality of dewatering is to evaluate the sludge water resulting from dewatering.Properties of the sludge water to control dewatering.

[0004] However, the continuous and reliable assessment of sludge water is challenging. Firstly, sludge water is not necessarily free of heavy substances. Heavy substances are defined as solid phases in the sludge water, and these heavy substances themselves tend to agglomerate and can re-form into agglomerated solid phases in the sludge water after dewatering. These heavy substances can lead to contamination in measuring devices, even destroying the measuring device, and, in particular, to problems in determining the properties of the sludge water.

[0005] Equally problematic is the tendency of sludge water to foam. The formation of foam on the sludge water hinders reliable and reproducible measurements of the sludge water being assessed. After all, many measurements require reproducible hydraulic conditions, especially to ensure comparability between different sludge water measurements.

[0006] The aim of the invention is a device for conditioning a fluid, in particular sludge water, which offers a solution to the above-mentioned problems and, in particular, enables reproducible detection of a property of the fluid, without prejudice to heavy substances entrained with the fluid. The invention should allow reliable, continuous detection and be insensitive to the presence of heavy substances.

[0007] This is achieved according to the invention in that the device for conditioning a fluid, in particular sludge water, comprises a housing with a housing base and a first element, wherein:

[0008] - the housing comprises a housing inlet and at least one housing outlet arranged in the housing base;

[0009] - the first element is arranged within the housing and comprises an inlet opening in the bottom of the first element, a reservoir, an inner wall, and an outlet opening, the reservoir is formed between the inlet opening, an overflow surface and the inner wall formed as a first overflow, the outlet opening is arranged outside the reservoir in the bottom of the first element, and wherein the outlet opening is detachably connected to the housing outlet;

[0010] - for the separation of heavy substances, the fluid which can be fed to the device via the housing inlet can be fed to the reservoir via the inlet opening through a first region formed between the housing base and the base of the first element;

[0011] - to form the overflow surface, the fluid can be guided as a free surface over the first overflow of the reservoir;

[0012] - the fluid can be fed after the first overflow to the outlet opening of the first element and to the housing outlet; wherein, in order to separate the connection between the outlet opening of the first element and the housing outlet, the first element can be moved away from the housing bottom, whereby the fluid located in the first region, together with separated heavy substances, can be fed directly from the first region to the housing outlet.

[0013] The device according to the invention thus allows the separation of heavy substances from the fluid in the first region, with the separated heavy substances being present in particular at the housing bottom and beneath the bottom of the first element. According to the invention, this prevents the heavy substances from reaching the overflow area, which is designed as a free surface. The device is advantageously designed such that the fluid velocity occurring in the first region is lower than that at the housing inlet, which promotes the settling of the heavy substances.

[0014] The device according to the invention further allows the separation of the connection between the outlet opening of the first element and the housing outlet by moving the first element away from the housing base, whereby the fluid located in the first region, including any separated heavy substances, can be fed directly from the first region to the housing outlet. This makes it possible to clean the device during a flushing process, with the heavy substances accumulated in the first region during an operating process being fed directly from the first region to the housing outlet. The device according to the invention thus makes it possible to remove the heavy substances entrained with the fluid from the device and creates the prerequisite for reliable, continuous detection of a property of the fluid.

[0015] Finally, as the fluid flows through the reservoir, reproducible hydraulic conditions are established. Firstly, the flow in the reservoir becomes calmer or more directional. The overflow surface, formed as a free surface of the fluid, makes it ideal for reproducible recording of a fluid property, e.g., using an optical device such as a camera.

[0016] In an advantageous embodiment of the device, the first element comprises an outer wall which is designed as a second overflow into the first element which is open at the top, wherein the fluid which can be fed to the device via the housing inlet can also be fed through a region formed between the housing and the outer wall via the second overflow to the first element and then to the outlet opening of the first element. This advantageously allows the separation of foam introduced into the device with the fluid. The fluid is fed to the device via the housing inlet, wherein the fluid and the heavy substances flow to the first region between the housing base and the base of the first element. The foam which has a lower density, on the other hand, flows through the region formed between the housing and the outer wall via the second overflow to the first element and then to the outlet opening of the first element.Advantageously, the device allows not only the separation of heavy substances but also the separation of foam from the fluid, whereby the entire device can be designed very compactly.

[0017] In a further advantageous embodiment of the device, a second element is included with a wall connected to the housing, which wall is also partially arranged within the first element, wherein the wall of the second element is arranged outside the reservoir and preferably extends below the overflow surface or preferably below the first overflow of the reservoir, and wherein the fluid supplied to the first element via the second overflow can be guided through a region formed between the outer wall and the wall of the second element and further supplied to the housing outlet. The design of the second element allows advantageous guidance of the foam in the device.The second element is connected to the housing via the wall, for example to a lid enclosed by the housing, and depending on the further partial arrangement of the second element in the first element, a relative movement of the first element to the second element is possible, in particular when the first element moves away from the housing base. The foam is advantageously fed to the first element via the second overflow, passed through the area formed between the outer wall and the wall of the second element, and finally fed to the housing outlet. Particularly advantageously, the wall of the second element extends below the overflow surface or below the first overflow of the reservoir, thereby ensuring that the foam is guided separately by the wall of the second element below the overflow surface. Foam can therefore not be present in the area of ​​the overflow surface or the free surface.

[0018] In a particularly advantageous embodiment of the device, the area of ​​the overflow surface through which the fluid can flow is larger than the area through which the fluid can flow through the housing inlet, and in particular, larger than twice the area through which the fluid can flow through the housing inlet. This results in a calm, uniform flow of the fluid through the reservoir, which allows for advantageous recording of the fluid properties, in particular by using a camera to record the overflow surface. The larger flow-through cross-section of the reservoir or the overflow surface enables the setting of advantageous hydraulic conditions and enables improved reproducibility.In accordance with the larger flow-through overflow area compared to the housing inlet, the flow velocity in the overflow area is reduced compared to the housing inlet, with laminar flow conditions in the overflow area being particularly advantageous.

[0019] In an equally advantageous embodiment, the housing is rotationally symmetrical about an axis of symmetry, in particular as a cylinder. Preferably, the first element is also rotationally symmetrical about an axis of symmetry, in particular as a cylinder. The rotationally symmetrical design of the housing or the first element, in particular as a cylinder, prevents contamination by or deposits from the fluid in the housing or the first element, since dead flow spaces are effectively avoided. This ensures good cleanability of the housing or the first element.

[0020] In a further advantageous embodiment of the device, the housing inlet is arranged above the base of the first element. Thus, the base of the first element is arranged between the housing base and the housing inlet. According to the invention, in order to separate the heavy substances from the fluid, the fluid is guided through the first region formed between the housing base and the base of the first element. The arrangement of the housing inlet above the base of the first element provides advantageous separation of the heavy substances from the fluid, in particular advantageous separation of the foam from the fluid, which can be fed in a targeted manner to the first element via the second overflow through the region formed between the housing and the outer wall.

[0021] In an equally advantageous embodiment, the inlet opening of the first element is arranged centrally in the base of the first element, in particular with respect to an axis of symmetry of the first element. This allows for advantageous calming and homogenization of the flow of the fluid through the reservoir, and thus an advantageous possibility for recording the properties of the fluid, in particular by using a camera to record the overflow area. In a further advantageous embodiment of the device, the housing comprises at least two and preferably six housing outlets. The plurality of housing outlets allows for improved discharge of the fluid located in the first region, including separated heavy substances, which is particularly advantageous in the case of a symmetrical arrangement.

[0022] Particularly advantageous is a device comprising a movement means for moving the first element relative to the housing base to separate or reconnect the outlet opening of the first element and the housing outlet. The movement means is designed, for example, as an actuator, in particular as a lifting cylinder.

[0023] The invention also relates to a measuring device for detecting a property of the fluid, comprising the device according to the invention for conditioning the fluid, a camera and an evaluation unit, wherein the camera is designed to image the free surface formed by the fluid in the overflow surface and the evaluation unit is designed to evaluate the image according to the property of the fluid. Due to the advantageous separation of the heavy substances from the fluid in the first region, or the optional separation of the foam by partially guiding the fluid over the second overflow, as well as the design of the overflow surface as a free surface of the fluid, a reliable, reproducible measurement or assessment of the fluid is possible by imaging the free surface formed by the fluid in the overflow surface. The elimination of the interfering factors - heavy substances orFoam - and the homogenization of the flow in the reservoir, leads to the formation of a reproducible free surface of the fluid. Images of this overflow surface can therefore advantageously be evaluated by an evaluation unit for evaluating the image according to the property of the fluid. Such an evaluation unit preferably comprises means for image recognition, particularly preferably means for image classification. Image classification can be carried out particularly effectively using trainable models, for example neural networks, wherein the trainable model evaluates the image created with the camera on the basis of training data. The possibility of evaluating images created with a camera is described by way of example in WO 2022 263020 A1. Advantageously, the measuring device for detecting a property of the fluid further comprises a light source for illuminating the free surface formed in the overflow surface.Uniform illumination of the overflow surface further improves the quality of the images of the free surface created with the camera.

[0024] The invention also relates to a method for conditioning a fluid, wherein a fluid, in particular sludge water, is fed to a device according to the invention via the housing inlet, the fluid flows via the first region to the reservoir via the inlet opening in the base of the first element, the fluid flows in the overflow surface over the first overflow to form the free surface and continues to flow out of the device via the outlet opening of the first element and through the housing outlet. The method according to the invention allows the separation of heavy substances from the fluid and the formation of the overflow surface as a free surface, whereby the fluid flow is evened out or calmed. The free surface of the fluid, which is free of heavy substances, is ideally suited for further use, for example for assessing the properties of the fluid by evaluating images of the free surface.

[0025] In a particularly advantageous embodiment of the method, to separate the connection between the outlet opening of the first element and the housing outlet, the first element is moved away from the housing base in order to guide the fluid in the first region, including the separated heavy substances, directly out of the device via the housing outlet. This allows the heavy substances separated in the first region to be fed directly to the housing outlet, thus ensuring continuous conditioning of the fluid and continuous operation of the device.

[0026] The invention further relates to a method for detecting the properties of a fluid, wherein the fluid is fed to a measuring device according to the invention via the housing inlet and conditioned according to a method according to the invention for conditioning the fluid, wherein the camera creates images of the free surface formed by the fluid in the overflow area, and the evaluation unit evaluates the images according to the properties of the fluid. This enables the reproducible detection of the properties of the fluid, unaffected by heavy substances entrained with the fluid, as well as reliable, continuous detection of the properties, which detection is insensitive to the presence of heavy substances. The invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the drawings.

[0027] Fig. 1 shows the structure of the device according to the invention for conditioning a fluid in cross section.

[0028] Fig. 2 shows the device according to the invention for conditioning a fluid in cross section, wherein the device is shown in a first operating state.

[0029] Fig. 3 shows the device according to the invention for conditioning a fluid in cross section, wherein the device is shown in a further operating state.

[0030] Fig. 1 shows the structure of the device 1 according to the invention for conditioning a fluid, in particular sludge water, in cross-section. The device 1 comprises a housing 2 with a housing base 3 and a first element 4. The housing 2 comprises a housing inlet 5 and at least one housing outlet 6 arranged in the housing base 3. In Fig. 1, for example, two housing outlets 6 are shown. The first element 4 is designed for arrangement within the housing 2 and comprises an inlet opening 7 in the base 8 of the first element 4, a reservoir 9, an inner wall 10, and an outlet opening 11. The reservoir 9 is formed between the inlet opening 7, an overflow surface 12, and the inner wall 10 designed as a first overflow 14. The outlet opening 11 is arranged outside the reservoir 9 in the base 8 of the first element. According to the invention, the outlet opening 11 can be connected to the housing outlet 6.The first element 4 further comprises an outer wall 16. The optional second element 18 is also shown, which has a wall 19 connected to the housing 2.

[0031] The housing 2 and the first element 4 are rotationally symmetrical about an axis of symmetry, in particular as a cylinder, wherein the inlet opening 7 of the first element 4 is arranged centrally in the bottom 8 of the first element 4, in particular with respect to the axis of symmetry of the first element 4.

[0032] Fig. 1 also shows the measuring device 20 according to the invention for detecting a property of the fluid, which comprises the device 1 according to the invention, a camera 21, and an evaluation unit (not shown). The camera 21 is designed to image the free surface formed by the fluid in the overflow surface 12, and the evaluation unit is designed to evaluate the image according to the property of the fluid. Advantageously, the measuring device 20 further comprises a light source 22 for illuminating the free surface formed in the overflow surface 12.

[0033] Fig. 2 shows the device 1 according to the invention in cross-section, wherein the device 1 is illustrated in a first operating state. The device 1 has all the features already described for Fig. 1, which are not repeated separately here. Fig. 2 shows two housing outlets 6. The first element 4 is arranged within the housing 2. According to the invention, the outlet opening 11 is detachably connected to the housing outlet 6. Fluid is supplied to the device 1 via the housing inlet 5, which is illustrated by an arrow arranged in the region of the housing inlet 5. The housing inlet 5 is formed on the circumference of the housing 2 for the tangential introduction of the fluid.To separate heavy substances from the fluid, the fluid supplied to the device 1 is guided through a first region 15 formed between the housing base 3 and the base 8 of the first element, wherein the fluid, free of the separated heavy substances, is further fed to the reservoir 9 via the inlet opening 7. To form the overflow area 12 as a free surface, the fluid is guided over the first overflow 14 of the reservoir 9, and after the first overflow 14, the fluid is fed to the outlet opening 11 of the first element 4 and the housing outlet 6. To separate the connection between the outlet opening 11 of the first element 4 and the housing outlet 6, the first element 4 is designed to be movable away from the housing base 3.

[0034] In an advantageous embodiment, the first element 4 is open at the top and comprises an outer wall 16, which is designed as a second overflow 17 into the first element 4, which is open at the top. This allows the fluid supplied to the device 1 to be partially guided through an area formed between the housing 2 and the outer wall 16, and to be supplied via the second overflow 17 to the first element 4 and further to the outlet opening 11 of the first element 4. In particular, the foam having a lower density can thus flow through the area formed between the housing and the outer wall via the second overflow to the first element and further to be supplied to the outlet opening of the first element.

[0035] In a further advantageous embodiment, the device comprises the second element 18, wherein the housing 2 is connected to the wall 19. The wall 19 is also partially arranged within the first element 4, wherein the wall 19 of the second element 18 is arranged outside the reservoir 9 and extends below the overflow surface 12 or below the first overflow 14 of the reservoir 9. The fluid supplied to the first element 4 via the second overflow 17 is thus guided through a region formed between the outer wall 16 and the wall 19 of the second element 18 and further supplied to the housing outlet 6.

[0036] Fig. 3 shows the device 1 according to the invention in cross-section, wherein the device 1 is illustrated in a further operating state. The device 1 has all the features already described for Fig. 1, which are not repeated separately here. The first element 4 has been moved away from the housing base 3, in particular by a moving means (not shown) for moving the first element 4 relative to the housing base 3. By thus separating the connection between the outlet opening and the housing outlet 6, the fluid located in the first region 15, including the separated heavy substances, can flow directly from the first region 15 to the housing outlet 6.After the heavy substances located in the first area 15 have been discharged via the housing outlet, the connection between the outlet opening 11 of the first element 4 and the housing outlet 6 is restored by the movement means (not shown), whereby the device 1 can again be operated according to the first operating state.

[0037] The present invention offers numerous advantages. The inventors have recognized that for the reproducible detection of a property of a fluid, especially sludge water, the conditioning of the fluid is essential. Thus, the device according to the invention allows the continuous separation of the heavy materials entrained in the fluid and, to ensure continuous operation, the controlled discharge of the heavy materials from the device. Furthermore, the device allows the formation of reproducible hydraulic conditions, whereby the formation of the free surface allows the advantageous detection of the fluid's properties, e.g., with an optical means, such as a camera. Subsequently, the quality of a dewatering process can be reliably assessed, and the dewatering can be controlled based on the detected fluid properties. Reference numerals

[0038] 1 Device for conditioning a fluid

[0039] 2 housings

[0040] 3 Case back

[0041] 4 first element

[0042] 5 Housing inlet

[0043] 6 Housing outlet

[0044] 7 Inlet opening

[0045] 8 Bottom of the first element

[0046] 9 Reservoir

[0047] 10 inner wall

[0048] 11 Outlet opening

[0049] 12 Overflow area

[0050] 13 -

[0051] 14 first overflow

[0052] 15 first area

[0053] 16 outer wall

[0054] 17 second overflow

[0055] 18 second element

[0056] 19 Wall of the second element

[0057] 20 Measuring device for recording a property of the fluid

[0058] 21 Camera

[0059] 22 Light source

Claims

Patent claims 1 . Device (1) for conditioning a fluid, in particular a sludge water, comprising a housing (2) with a housing base (3) and a first element (4), wherein - the housing (2) comprises a housing inlet (5) and at least one housing outlet (6) arranged in the housing base (3); - the first element (4) is arranged within the housing (2) and comprises an inlet opening (7) in the base (8) of the first element, a reservoir (9), an inner wall (10), and an outlet opening (11), the reservoir (9) is formed between the inlet opening (7), an overflow surface (12) and the inner wall (10) designed as a first overflow (14), the outlet opening (11) is arranged outside the reservoir (9) in the base (8) of the first element, and wherein the outlet opening (11) is detachably connected to the housing outlet (6); - for the separation of heavy substances, the fluid which can be fed to the device (1) via the housing inlet (5) can be fed to the reservoir (9) via the inlet opening (7) through a first region (15) formed between the housing base (3) and the base (8) of the first element; - to form the overflow surface (12) as a free surface, the fluid can be guided over the first overflow (14) of the reservoir (9); - the fluid can be fed to the outlet opening (11) of the first element (4) and the housing outlet (6) after the first overflow (14); wherein, in order to separate the connection between the outlet opening (11) of the first element (4) and the housing outlet (6), the first element (4) can be moved away from the housing base (3), whereby the fluid located in the first region (15), together with the separated heavy substances, can be fed directly from the first region (15) to the housing outlet (6).

2. Device (1) according to claim 1, wherein the first element (4) comprises an outer wall (16) which is designed as a second overflow (17) into the first element (4) which is open at the top, wherein the fluid which can be supplied to the device (1) via the housing inlet (5) can also be supplied to the first element (4) and further to the outlet opening (11) of the first element (4) through an area formed between the housing (2) and the outer wall (16) via the second overflow (17).

3. Device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 2, comprising a second element (18) with a wall (19) connected to the housing (2), which wall (19) is also partially arranged within the first element (4), wherein the wall (19) of the second element (18) is arranged outside the reservoir (9) and preferably extends below the overflow surface (12) or preferably below the first overflow (14) of the reservoir (9), and wherein the fluid supplied to the first element (4) via the second overflow (17) can be guided through a region formed between the outer wall (16) and the wall (19) of the second element (18) and can be fed further to the housing outlet (6).

4. Device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the area of ​​the overflow surface (12) through which the fluid can flow is larger than the area of ​​the housing inlet (5) through which the fluid can flow, and in particular larger than twice the area of ​​the housing inlet (5) through which the fluid can flow.

5. Device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the housing (2) and preferably the first element (4) is / are rotationally symmetrical about an axis of symmetry, in particular as a cylinder.

6. Device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the housing inlet (5) is formed on the circumference of the housing (2) and is designed in particular for the tangential introduction of the fluid.

7. Device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the housing inlet (5) is arranged above the bottom (8) of the first element (4).

8. Device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the inlet opening (7) of the first element (4) is arranged centrally in the bottom (8) of the first element (4), in particular with respect to an axis of symmetry of the first element (4).

9. Device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the housing (2) comprises at least two and preferably six housing outlets (6).

10. Device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 9, comprising a moving means for moving the first element (4) relative to the housing base (3) to separate or reconnect the outlet opening (11) of the first element (4) and the housing outlet (6).

11. Measuring device (20) for detecting a property of the fluid, comprising the device (1) for conditioning the fluid according to one of claims 1 to 10, a camera (21) and an evaluation unit, wherein the camera (21) is configured to image the free surface formed by the fluid in the overflow surface (12) and the evaluation unit is designed to evaluate the image according to the properties of the fluid.

12. Measuring device (20) according to claim 11, comprising a light source (22) for illuminating the free surface formed in the overflow surface (12).

13. A method for conditioning a fluid, wherein a fluid, in particular sludge water, is supplied to a device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 10 via the housing inlet (5), the fluid flows via the first region (15) to the reservoir (9) via the inlet opening (7) in the bottom (8) of the first element (4), the fluid flows in the overflow area (12) over the first overflow (14) to form the free surface and flows further via the outlet opening (11) of the first element (4) and through the housing outlet (6) out of the device (1).

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein, in order to separate the connection between the outlet opening (11) of the first element (4) and the housing outlet (6), the first element (4) is moved away from the housing base (3) in order to guide the fluid located in the first region (15) together with the separated heavy substances directly out of the device (1) via the housing outlet (6).

15. A method for detecting a property of a fluid, wherein the fluid is supplied to a measuring device (20) according to one of claims 11 to 12 via the housing inlet (5) and is conditioned according to a method for conditioning the fluid according to one of claims 13 to 14, wherein the camera (21) creates images of the free surface formed by the fluid in the overflow area (12) and the evaluation unit evaluates the images according to the property of the fluid.

Images