Hydrogen Gas Permeable Membrane for Continuous Liquid Concentration Measurement

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional methods for measuring hydrogen gas concentration in liquids, such as measuring hydrogen-ion concentration (pH), fail to reliably quantify molecular hydrogen gas concentrations, leading to inaccurate measurements.

Innovation Solution

A continuous measurement method involving a hydrogen gas permeable material that allows hydrogen gas to equilibrate with a flowing liquid, using a gas supply and exhaust system to dilute and circulate the gas, enabling accurate concentration tracking through a hydrogen gas concentration detection unit.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If a pH measurement method is used to measure hydrogen gas concentration, then the measurement can be performed using conventional electrodes, but the measurement does not reliably reflect the actual molecular hydrogen gas concentration

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvehydrogen gas concentration measurement accuracyVSAvoidmeasurement reliability
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a hydrogen gas permeable membrane as an intermediary between the liquid sample and the gas concentration sensor. This membrane selectively allows hydrogen gas molecules to pass through from the liquid phase to the gas phase, enabling the sensor to indirectly but accurately measure dissolved hydrogen gas concentration without direct contact with the liquid, thus resolving the contradiction between measurement feasibility and accuracy

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces the conventional pH electrode measurement system with a new system based on gas permeation and mass spectrometry detection. Instead of measuring hydrogen-ion concentration electrically, the system uses physical permeation of hydrogen gas through a membrane followed by mass spectral detection, fundamentally changing the measurement mechanism to achieve reliable molecular hydrogen concentration measurement

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Measurement precision

If a hydrogen gas permeable membrane is used to separate and measure hydrogen gas, then accurate concentration measurement is achieved, but the device complexity increases due to additional components

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvehydrogen gas concentration measurement accuracyVSAvoidmeasurement device structure
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines multiple functions into an integrated measurement system where the hydrogen gas permeable membrane, vacuum pump, and mass spectrometer are merged into a unified apparatus. The membrane serves both as a separation barrier and as the interface for gas phase introduction, while the vacuum system simultaneously maintains pressure differential and enables gas flow, reducing overall system complexity despite the advanced measurement capabilities

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent extracts only the hydrogen gas molecules from the liquid sample by using the selective permeability of the membrane. This extraction approach allows the measurement system to focus solely on detecting hydrogen gas concentration without interference from other liquid components, simplifying the detection process while maintaining high measurement precision

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

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 method allows for reliable and continuous measurement of hydrogen gas concentration in liquids, effectively addressing the limitations of previous methods by achieving equilibrium and enabling precise tracking of changes in hydrogen gas concentrations.

Implementation Method 1

a hydrogen gas permeable material placed in such a manner as to come in contact with a flowing hydrogen water containing hydrogen gas, and a hydrogen gas passing through the hydrogen gas permeable material from the hydrogen water is introduced into a hollow part

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPermeation: Permeation

Data Source

PatentEP3312584B1Continuous measurement method for hydrogen gas concentration and hydrogen gas concentration measurement device used in same
Publication Date: 2020.01.08 PURERON JAPAN
  • EP3312584B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3312584B1 patent drawingFigure 2A~2B
  • EP3312584B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Provided are a continuous measurement method for hydrogen gas concentration enabling direct measurement of the dissolved hydrogen gas concentration in a liquid to be measured without using a pH sensor and a hydrogen gas concentration measurement device used in the method. A pipe 2 is placed in such a manner as to come in contact with a hydrogen water, and from the hydrogen water, hydrogen gas passed through the pipe 2 is introduced into a hollow part 3. A first gas is introduced into the hollow part 3 by a gas supply pump 14a, and a second gas is extracted and exhausted from the hollow part 3 by a gas exhaust pump 15a. The hydrogen gas that has passed through the pipe 2 and has been introduced into the hollow part 3 from the hydrogen water is circulated by a circulation pump 16a through a gas supply conduit 14 into the hollow part 3. When the equilibrium state between the concentration of hydrogen gas contained in the hydrogen water and the hydrogen gas concentration in the hollow part 3 is achieved, the hydrogen gas concentration in the hollow part 3 is measured. The relation between the concentration of hydrogen gas contained in a hydrogen water and the hydrogen gas concentration in the hollow part 3 is previously determined, and on the basis of the relation, the concentration of hydrogen gas contained in the hydrogen water is calculated from the measured hydrogen gas concentration.