Hazardous Substance Sensor Using Indicator Segmentation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing hazardous substance sensing devices face issues with distinguishing between residual reagents and actual hazardous substances during operation, leading to frequent erroneous sensing and reduced throughput, especially in high-traffic facilities.

Innovation Solution

Incorporating an indicator substance into the hazardous substance reagent, allowing the device to differentiate between real and residual substances through mass analysis, thereby preventing false alarms and ensuring accurate detection.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a hazardous substance reagent is used for operation confirmation, then the device operation can be confirmed, but erroneous sensing occurs due to residual reagent remaining in the device

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveoperation confirmation reliabilityVSAvoidhazardous substance detection accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The reagent is segmented into two distinct components: the hazardous substance component and the indicator substance component. This segmentation allows the device to distinguish between residual reagent and actual hazardous substance through differential detection of these components in the mass spectrum.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The indicator substance acts as an intermediary marker that does not interfere with hazardous substance detection but provides a detectable signal to identify the presence of residual reagent. This intermediary enables the determination unit to differentiate between false positives and genuine detections.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Productivity

If the device operates continuously in high-traffic facilities, then throughput is maintained, but erroneous sensing increases due to accumulated residual reagent

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefacility throughputVSAvoidsensing accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system implements feedback through continuous monitoring of the indicator substance signal. When residual reagent is detected via the indicator substance, the system can trigger alerts, initiate cleaning protocols, or adjust operation parameters to prevent false alarms, thereby maintaining reliability during continuous high-traffic operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The indicator substance provides preliminary warning of residual reagent presence before it causes erroneous sensing. This allows proactive measures to be taken, such as flushing the device or adjusting detection parameters, to maintain both throughput and reliability during continuous operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Reliability

If the same substance as hazardous substance is used for reagent, then reliable performance confirmation is achieved, but it becomes impossible to distinguish between residual reagent and actual hazardous substance

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveperformance confirmation reliabilityVSAvoidsubstance origin information

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The indicator substance provides a detectable spectral signature (analogous to color change in optical detection) that differentiates the reagent from the actual hazardous substance. In mass spectrometry, this appears as a distinct mass-to-charge ratio signal that serves as a fingerprint for reagent identification.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #32Color changes

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 effectively suppresses malfunctions caused by residual reagents, enhancing the reliability of hazardous substance sensing by distinguishing between the reagent and actual hazardous substances, thus reducing erroneous sensing and maintaining high throughput.

Implementation Method 1

an inspection target is sampled, the inspection target is mass analyzed by applying a mass spectrometry technique

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectMass spectrometry:

Implementation Method 2

an analysis unit performing mass analysis or ion mobility analysis

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectIon mobility:

Data Source

PatentEP3470831B1Hazardous substance sensing device and method

Publication Date: 2023.05.24 HITACHI LTD

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AI summary

In order to suppress malfunctions even when using a reagent (chemical for reagent) corresponding to a hazardous substance, the present invention has an analyzing unit in which a chemical for reagent, having added thereto an indicator that is different from a hazardous material that is a detection target, is used to calibrate on the basis of the detection target included in the chemical for reagent, and which performs mass spectrometry. When a peak corresponding to the indicator is not included and a peak corresponding to the detection target material is included in the spectrum that is the analysis result of the analyzing unit, the detection target is determined to be included.