Ceramic Luminophor Screen Dye Concentration Measurement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods struggle to accurately measure the concentration of organic dyes in liquids due to the short decay time of luminescent signals, making it difficult to distinguish between the illuminating and luminescent signals, especially when using organic dyes with small Stokes shift.
Innovation Solution
A system that combines organic dyes with ceramic luminophors, where the luminescence from a ceramic luminophor-coated screen is used to measure the dye concentration in a liquid by measuring the absorption of the luminescent signal after the illuminating source is turned off, utilizing a glass tube with transparent ends and a photo element to detect the luminescence.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If organic dyes with small Stokes shift are used to mark liquids, then the liquid can be identified by luminescence measurement, but the short decay time of the luminescent signal makes it difficult to distinguish between illuminating and luminescent signals
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a ceramic luminophor as an intermediary substance that absorbs the illuminating light and re-emits luminescent light. This mediator has a long decay time (milliseconds to seconds) compared to the organic dye, allowing the measurement system to distinguish between the illuminating signal and the luminescent signal by measuring after the illuminating source is turned off. The ceramic luminophor effectively decouples the timing of illumination from luminescence detection, solving the signal distinction problem.
2Productivity
If the luminescence is measured while the illuminating signal is present, then measurement can be performed, but the small Stokes shift makes it difficult to distinguish between the illuminating signal and the luminescent signal
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs periodic action by turning the illuminating source on and off in cycles. During the 'on' phase, the ceramic luminophor is excited and stores energy. During the 'off' phase, the illuminating signal is removed but the luminescent signal continues to decay over a longer period. This periodic modulation allows the measurement system to capture the luminescent signal without interference from the illuminating signal, achieving both fast measurement and high precision.
3Duration of action of moving object
If ceramic luminophors are used instead of organic dyes, then the longer decay time allows separate measurement of luminescent signal, but ceramic luminophors are insoluble in most solvents and water
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the advantages of both organic dyes and ceramic luminophors by combining them in a single system. The organic dye is dissolved in the liquid to be marked, providing solubility and ease of mixing. The ceramic luminophor is added as a suspended particulate that provides the long decay time luminescence. When the illuminating source excites the system, both the dye and luminophor are excited, but the luminophor's long-lived luminescence dominates the measurable signal, enabling accurate concentration measurement while maintaining ease of liquid preparation.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach allows for accurate measurement of dye concentration without interference from the illuminating signal, as the ceramic luminophor's longer decay time enables separate measurement of the luminescent signal, overcoming the limitations of organic dyes with short decay times.
Implementation Method 1
Some organic dyes luminesce when illuminated by light with a particular wavelength. Luminescence is a response of certain optical materials to electromagnetic radiation. More specifically, a luminescent material that is illuminated and excited with electromagnetic radiation at a certain wavelength will emit electromagnetic radiation in response at a different wavelength.
Implementation Method 2
One method of detecting a marked liquid in which a dye has been dissolved is to measure the light absorption of the marked liquid when it is illuminated by light of a certain wavelength.
Implementation Method 3
In contrast to the short decay times of organic dyes, inorganic ceramic luminophors luminesce with much longer decay times, typically ranging from 0.05-10 milliseconds. This allows the luminescent signal of a ceramic luminophor to be measured after the signal illuminating and exciting the luminophors is turned off.
Data Source
AI summary
Apparatus and methods for measuring dye concentration in liquids are described herein. An example method includes emitting first electromagnetic radiation having a first wavelength through a first end of a tube for a first duration of time, the tube being filled with a liquid and a dye diluted in the liquid to a first concentration, ceasing the emission of the first electromagnetic radiation for a second duration of time following the first duration of time, detecting a first strength of second electromagnetic radiation emitted by a luminophor coated on a screen at a second end of the tube at the conclusion of the second duration of time, the luminophor having luminescent properties such that the first electromagnetic radiation causes the luminophor to emit the second electromagnetic radiation having a second wavelength, wherein the second electromagnetic radiation is partially absorbed by the dye and the amount of the second electromagnetic radiation absorbed by the dye depends on the first concentration, and determining the first concentration based on the first strength.