Optical Probe Cap Filtration for Turbid Liquid Measurement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing optical measurement techniques for liquids in turbid media, such as agricultural produce, suffer from measurement errors due to light scattering by solid substances, requiring destructive sample preparation and limited non-destructive methods that need species-specific calibration.
Innovation Solution
A probe with a tube and cap design that allows liquid to pass through while blocking solid substances, combined with an optical measurement head to collect measurement information without interference, using an optical fiber to guide light and minimize reflections.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If optical measurement is performed directly on turbid media (mixture of liquid and solid), then measurement can be done without sample preparation, but light scattering by solid substances causes measurement errors
Solution Approach 1:
The probe divides the measurement system into separate functional zones: a cap region that handles solid substance exclusion and a measurement region that handles liquid analysis. The cap with its porous structure segments the turbid medium into solid particles (blocked) and liquid (passed through), enabling the optical measurement to occur only in the liquid phase where accuracy is maintained.
Solution Approach 2:
The probe extracts the liquid component from the turbid medium by allowing it to pass through the porous cap while retaining solid substances. This extraction creates a liquid-only measurement environment at the optical measurement head, eliminating the harmful light scattering effect of solids while maintaining rapid in-situ measurement capability.
2Measurement precision
If juice is extracted from produce for analysis, then accurate refractive index measurement can be obtained, but the method becomes destructive and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The porous cap is pre-configured with a pore size structure that automatically performs liquid separation upon contact with the turbid medium. This preliminary action of separation occurs in-situ within the probe, eliminating the need for subsequent manual juice extraction and preparation steps, thus saving time while maintaining measurement accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The porous cap acts as an intermediary element between the turbid medium and the optical measurement system. It mediates the separation process by allowing liquid to pass through while blocking solids, providing a ready-to-measure liquid sample without requiring destructive extraction or manual preparation, thereby reducing time loss while preserving measurement precision.
3Object-generated harmful factors
If reflective coating is applied inside the cap, then light reflections are reduced, but the coating may interfere with liquid passage through openings
Solution Approach 1:
The reflective coating is applied selectively only to specific regions of the cap interior where light reflections occur, rather than coating the entire surface. This localized application ensures that the coating reduces harmful reflections in critical areas while leaving the pore openings and surrounding regions uncoated, maintaining liquid passage capability without interference.
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 non-destructive, minimally invasive analysis of liquid properties like refractive index and sugar content in turbid media without sample extraction, providing accurate results without species-specific calibration.
Implementation Method 1
an optical fiber arranged inside the tube and configured to guide light from the light source to a tip of the optical fiber in contact with the liquid, and to guide reflected light from the liquid back along the optical fiber to the circulator
Implementation Method 2
guide reflected light from the liquid back along the optical fiber
Implementation Method 3
configured to measure an index of refraction of the liquid
Data Source
AI summary
According to an aspect of the present inventive concept there is provided a probe for analysis of a liquid in a mixture of the liquid and solid substance. The probe comprises: a tube comprising a sample end configured to be inserted into the mixture; a cap configured to come into contact with the mixture at the sample end, the cap comprising one or more openings configured for allowing passage of the liquid therethrough, and for preventing passage of the solid substance therethrough; and an optical measurement head arranged in the tube and configured to come into contact with the liquid having passed the one or more openings, wherein the optical measurement head is configured to collect measurement information for analysis of the liquid.