Heated Membrane Sampling for Real-Time Liquid By-Product Analysis
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current monitoring systems in chemical and pharmaceutical processes, as well as in engine oil dilution, often fail to detect undesirable by-products and impurities in real-time due to off-line sampling and analysis, leading to delays in reacting to their formation.
Innovation Solution
A device with a heatable chamber that rapidly establishes equilibrium between the gas and liquid phases of a liquid sample, allowing for on-line partial conversion of liquid samples to the gas phase for immediate analysis, connected directly to the process for real-time monitoring.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If off-line sampling and laboratory analysis are used, then comprehensive analysis of liquid samples can be performed, but detection time is significantly delayed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the sample preparation function from the laboratory setting and integrates it directly into the process line. A sampling device with heating element and membrane separator is installed inline, allowing liquid samples to be extracted, heated, and converted to gas phase directly at the process location, eliminating the need to transport samples to the laboratory while maintaining analysis capability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a membrane separator as an intermediary component that enables direct coupling between the liquid sample stream and the gas-phase analysis instrument. The membrane allows selective passage of volatile components from liquid to gas phase, serving as a bridge between the liquid sampling system and gas-phase detectors, thus enabling real-time analysis without full liquid handling to the laboratory
2Ease of operation
If regular interval sampling is performed, then process monitoring is simplified, but real-time detection of by-products is not achieved
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements continuous sampling and analysis by installing the sampling device directly in the process line with continuous flow through the heating element and membrane separator. This eliminates discrete sampling intervals and provides uninterrupted real-time detection of process parameters and by-products, maintaining both operational simplicity and detection reliability
3Quantity of substance
If large volume samples are extracted for analysis, then sufficient material for comprehensive testing is obtained, but process disruption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the necessary volatile components from the liquid sample through selective heating and membrane separation, rather than removing large volumes of liquid. This targeted extraction obtains sufficient analytical material while minimizing disturbance to the main process flow and maintaining high productivity
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
Enables rapid detection and analysis of liquid samples within minutes, reducing the time from sampling to result, and allows for immediate reaction to undesirable by-products, with minimal sample volume extraction that does not disrupt the process.
Implementation Method 1
a heatable chamber in which a two-phase or multi-phase gas/liquid system is produced
Implementation Method 2
an equilibrium between the gas and liquid phases of a liquid sample introduced into the chamber is quickly established
Implementation Method 3
a two-phase or multi-phase gas/liquid system is produced
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a device and method for partial conversion of a fluid sample comprising a plurality of components and a process for on-line determination and analysis of components of a fluid sample comprising a plurality of components. The invention also relates to the use of the device as a sample treatment device.