Mercury Measurement Apparatus with Automatic Cleaning System
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional mercury measurement apparatuses suffer from reduced sensitivity and reliability due to stain deposition in the outlet port of the reducing tube and gas-liquid separator, leading to measurement errors as mercury is adsorbed in these contaminated areas.
Innovation Solution
A cleaning system is integrated to automatically clean the outlet port of the reducing tube and gas-liquid separator using a cleaning liquid, which is supplied under predetermined pressure to remove contaminants and prevent constant contamination, ensuring accurate mercury measurements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the reducing tube is heated by a heating device to facilitate catalyst functionality, then the catalytic reduction of divalent mercury to metal mercury is improved, but stain deposition occurs in the outlet port and gas-liquid separator where temperature decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The cleaning system performs preliminary cleaning actions by circulating cleaning liquid through the reducing tube and gas-liquid separator before stain deposition can significantly affect measurement accuracy. This preventive cleaning approach removes potential contaminants before they cause measurement errors.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses its own fluid circulation infrastructure to deliver cleaning liquid through the reducing tube and gas-liquid separator, enabling self-cleaning without external intervention. The pump and circulation system that serve the measurement function are repurposed to also perform cleaning functions.
2Device complexity
If the outlet port of the reducing tube and gas-liquid separator are allowed to stand without cleaning, then the apparatus structure remains simple, but mercury is adsorbed in contaminated portions leading to measurement errors
Solution Approach 1:
The cleaning system integrates multiple functions into existing components. The pump serves both measurement sample delivery and cleaning liquid circulation. The circulation system performs both sample transport and stain removal. This multi-functionality adds cleaning capability without proportionally increasing device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system continuously discards contaminated cleaning liquid and replaces it with fresh cleaning liquid, maintaining a clean environment in the reducing tube and gas-liquid separator. This discarding approach ensures measurement precision by removing adsorbed mercury that would otherwise contaminate measurements.
3Reliability
If a cleaning system is introduced to remove stain deposition, then measurement reliability is improved, but the apparatus complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cleaning system merges with the existing measurement apparatus by integrating the cleaning liquid circulation path with the gas flow path. The pump, circulation system, and cleaning liquid reservoir are combined with the existing reducing tube and gas-liquid separator, creating a unified system that performs both measurement and cleaning functions.
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 cleaning system effectively eliminates measurement errors by removing contaminants from the flow passage, enhancing the reliability and stability of mercury measurement results over time, and can be easily integrated into existing apparatuses.
Implementation Method 1
a reducing tube (reducing column) filled with a reducing catalyst for reducing divalent mercury (Hg2+) contained in the gaseous medium to metal mercury (Hg0)
Implementation Method 2
the reducing tube filled with the reducing catalyst is surrounded with and is therefore heated by a heating device such as, for example, a heater for the purpose of facilitating the functionality of the catalyst filled therein
Implementation Method 3
a gas-liquid separator for removing a moisture component contained in the gaseous medium
Implementation Method 4
If the outlet port of the reducing tube and the gas-liquid separator are allowed to stand without the stain being removed, the mercury will be adsorbed in those portions thereof where stain deposited
Data Source
AI summary
To provide a highly reliable apparatus for measuring mercury contained in the gaseous medium, in which the outlet port 3b of the reducing tube and the gas-liquid separator, both susceptible to deposition of stain, can be automatically cleaned to avoid reduction of the sensitivity of the measuring instrument, the apparatus for measuring mercury contained in the gaseous medium includes a reducing tube 3 for reducing divalent mercury contained in a gaseous medium to zerovalent mercury, a gas-liquid separator 4 for removing a liquid component (drain) from the gaseous medium that has passed through the reducing tube 3, a measuring instrument 6 for measuring the quantity of the mercury contained in the gaseous medium delivered from the gas-liquid separator 4, and a cleaning system 10 for running a cleaning liquid from an outlet port of the reducing tube 3 past the gas-liquid separator 4 to emerge outwardly of the gas-liquid separator 4.