Cylindrical ATR Element for Inline Spectroscopy
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional ATR spectroscopy devices face challenges in cleaning and contamination issues due to their design, which limits their sensitivity and efficiency in industrial process analysis, especially when integrated into cylindrical probe shafts for use in reactors or pipelines.
Innovation Solution
A device with a cylindrical ATR element integrated into the probe body's peripheral wall, eliminating protruding edges and allowing for easy cleaning, featuring a hollow-cylindrical geometry with a high number of reflections for enhanced sensitivity and using suitable materials like sapphire for the MIR range, ensuring compactness and ease of maintenance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If conventional ATR elements with planar surfaces are used, then spectroscopic analysis is enabled, but cleaning becomes complex and time-consuming due to protruding edges and corners
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies curvature by using a cylindrical ATR element instead of conventional planar surfaces. The cylindrical geometry eliminates sharp edges and corners that trap contaminants, allowing cleaning liquids to flow smoothly over the surface. The light is guided helically through the curved cylindrical surface, maintaining total internal reflection while enabling easy cleaning through the absence of protruding geometric features.
Solution Approach 2:
The cylindrical ATR element is designed with a smooth continuous surface that can be easily segmented for cleaning purposes. The helical light path segments the interaction area along the cylinder length, while the smooth outer surface allows uniform cleaning without requiring disassembly or special access to corners and edges.
2Adaptability or versatility
If ATR elements are integrated into cylindrical probe shafts, then inline process analysis is enabled, but sensitivity is limited due to restricted number of reflections
Solution Approach 1:
The cylindrical geometry of the ATR element enables a helical light path that wraps around the cylinder multiple times. This curved geometry naturally increases the number of reflections compared to linear paths in planar elements, enhancing sensitivity while maintaining compatibility with cylindrical probe shafts for inline process analysis.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from planar 2D reflection surfaces to 3D cylindrical surfaces with helical light paths. This adds a rotational dimension to the light-matter interaction, allowing multiple reflections along the length of the cylinder and significantly increasing the effective interaction length and sensitivity for inline analysis.
3Measurement precision
If cylindrical ATR elements with helical light paths are used, then sensitivity is improved, but cleaning complexity increases due to edges and protrusions
Solution Approach 1:
The cylindrical ATR element uses a smooth curved surface without sharp edges or protrusions. The helical light path is achieved through the curvature of the cylinder itself rather than through complex internal structures. This geometry maintains high sensitivity through multiple reflections while presenting a simple smooth surface that is easily cleaned by flowing liquids or gases.
4Ease of operation
If planar ATR surfaces are used, then cleaning is simplified, but the number of reflections and thus sensitivity is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent successfully combines the cleaning simplicity of smooth surfaces with the sensitivity enhancement of multiple reflections by using a cylindrical geometry. The curved surface maintains ease of cleaning like planar surfaces, while the helical light path through the cylinder provides multiple reflections to enhance sensitivity, resolving the trade-off between these two requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
By moving from 2D planar reflection to 3D cylindrical geometry with helical paths, the invention achieves multiple reflections without increasing surface complexity. The additional rotational dimension allows the light to interact with the sample multiple times along the cylinder length while maintaining a simple smooth outer surface for easy cleaning.
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
The solution enables simple and effective cleaning, maintaining high sensitivity and system efficiency, suitable for inline process analysis in various industries, including chemical, pharmaceutical, and petrochemical, with improved product quality and system performance.
Implementation Method 1
at least one measuring window (6) in the probe body (3) with an entry area (61) and an exit area (62) for measuring radiation... The at least one measurement window (6) is an ATR element
Implementation Method 2
An electromagnetic wave that is totally reflected at the interface to the medium inside the crystal is weakened due to the interaction of its evanescent field with the medium to be analyzed on the outside of the crystal
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~5
Figure 6~7
AI summary
The invention relates to a device (1) for analysing a product to be analysed which is located in a product space (10), comprising a probe body (3) arranged in a probe housing (2) and having a peripheral wall (31), comprising at least one radiation source and at least one optical receiver, comprising at least one measurement window (6) in the probe body having an entry region (61) and an exit region (62) for measurement radiation, and comprising an evaluation unit (7). The probe body (3) can be brought into a measurement position, in which at least one part of the probe body (3) in which the measurement window (6) is located penetrates through an opening (21) of the probe housing (2) into the product space (10) for the analysis. In addition, the probe body (3) can be brought into a retracted position, in which the probe body (3) is still located at least partially in the region of the opening (21) of the probe housing (2) and thus covers the opening (21). According to the claimed solution, the at least one measurement window is an ATR element (6), wherein the ATR element (6) is arranged in the beam path in at least one subregion of the peripheral wall (31) of the probe body (3).