NMR Nitrogen Quantification in High-Water Samples

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Current methods for determining nitrogen content, such as wet chemistry and IR instruments, are time-consuming, expensive, and face challenges with inhomogeneous samples, particularly those containing high water content or requiring frequent calibration.

Innovation Solution

A method using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) to acquire isotope NMR intensity and relaxation time data, processed through a calibrated mathematical function for accurate and fast quantitative determination of nitrogen-containing units in materials like organic manure slurry or food products.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If wet chemistry-based methods (Kjeldahl and Dumas digestion) are used to determine nitrogen content, then measurement precision is improved, but productivity deteriorates due to time-consuming procedures

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenitrogen content determination accuracyVSAvoiddetermination speed

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces wet chemistry-based mechanical/chemical digestion methods (Kjeldahl and Dumas) with Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. This substitution eliminates time-consuming chemical digestion steps while maintaining measurement accuracy through direct detection of nitrogen-containing units in the sample.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the measurement parameter from indirect chemical analysis to direct NMR signal detection. By measuring NMR signals from nitrogen-containing units directly, the method achieves rapid quantification without the time-consuming digestion and recalculation steps required by traditional methods.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Productivity

If IR instruments (e.g., Foss MilkoScan) are used for nitrogen determination, then productivity is improved due to fast analysis, but measurement precision deteriorates for samples with high water content

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveanalysis speedVSAvoidnitrogen content accuracy in high-water samples

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the detection parameter from IR absorption (which is affected by water interference) to NMR signal detection. NMR signals from nitrogen-containing units can be directly detected and quantified even in high-water content samples, eliminating the precision deterioration problem while maintaining fast analysis speed.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Productivity

If IR methods are used for nitrogen determination, then productivity is improved, but device complexity increases due to requirements for frequent calibration and large databases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveanalysis speedVSAvoidcalibration and database requirements

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces IR spectroscopy with NMR spectroscopy, which inherently provides more robust measurements less susceptible to interference. This substitution reduces the need for frequent calibration and large reference databases, thereby reducing device complexity while maintaining fast analysis capability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

4Measurement precision

If NMR is used for quantitative determination in complex inhomogeneous samples, then measurement precision should be improved, but device complexity increases due to the complexity of NMR technique

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvequantitative determination accuracy in complex samplesVSAvoidNMR technique complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts and utilizes only the essential NMR parameters (signal intensity and relaxation times) needed for quantitative determination, rather than implementing the full complex NMR spectroscopy suite. This extraction of key parameters simplifies the measurement process and data analysis while maintaining high measurement precision for nitrogen-containing units in complex samples.

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 approach provides a fast, accurate, and simple method for determining nitrogen content, even in complex samples, improving upon the limitations of existing techniques by correlating NMR intensity and relaxation times with nitrogen content.

Implementation Method 1

nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) to acquire isotope NMR intensity and relaxation time data

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectNuclear magnetic resonance: Nuclear Fusion

Data Source

PatentUS20240060917A1A method of performing quantitative determinations of nitrogen containing units

Publication Date: 2024.02.22 NANONORD

AI summary

A method of generating a calibrated mathematical function for performing a quantitative determination of nitrogen containing units in a sample is described as well as a method of performing a quantitative determination of nitrogen containing units in a material and/or in a material sample. The function generation method includes generating a set of data of each of M reference samples. The set of data includes at least one N isotope NMR relaxation time and at least one isotope NMR relaxation time. Each set of reference data is associated to known quantity of nitrogen containing units of the respective reference sample. Also a processor having an embedded calibrated mathematical function and a system for performing a quantitative determination of nitrogen containing units is described.