Measurement Probe Heat Cycle Counter
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Solution Overview
Problem
Measurement probes in bioprocess industries face degradation and failure due to exposure to extreme temperatures during sterilization and cleaning procedures, leading to inaccurate lifespan estimates and increased costs from premature replacement or failure during processes.
Innovation Solution
A device and method that automatically detect and count heat sterilization or cleaning cycles, including autoclave, steam-in-place, and clean-in-place cycles, using a condition responsive element and heat cycle detection unit to record and store cycle data, even when disconnected from external power sources, ensuring accurate tracking of probe usage and determining when to replace probes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If measurement probes are frequently sterilized using autoclave or steam heat methods, then sterilization effectiveness is improved, but probe degradation and failure rate increase
Solution Approach 1:
The probe includes a heat cycle counter that records the number of sterilization cycles before the probe fails. This preliminary tracking allows users to proactively replace probes based on accumulated heat exposure data, preventing unexpected failures during critical processes while optimizing replacement timing to avoid premature disposal of still-functional probes.
2Reliability
If probe replacement frequency is increased to prevent failure, then process reliability is improved, but operational costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The heat cycle counter provides continuous feedback on the probe's thermal exposure history. This feedback mechanism enables data-driven decisions about probe replacement timing, allowing users to optimize the balance between maintaining process reliability and minimizing probe consumption costs by replacing probes based on actual usage conditions rather than fixed schedules.
3Quantity of substance
If probe replacement frequency is decreased to reduce costs, then operational costs are reduced, but risk of probe failure during process increases
Solution Approach 1:
By tracking heat cycle accumulation in advance, the system enables proactive replacement planning that prevents probes from reaching their failure threshold. This allows extended probe usage to maximize cost efficiency while maintaining reliability by ensuring probes are replaced before the heat-induced degradation causes failure during critical processes.
4Measurement precision
If heat cycle detection and counting functionality is added to measurement probes, then probe usage tracking accuracy is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The heat cycle counter is an integrated self-service component that automatically tracks and records thermal exposure without requiring external monitoring equipment or complex external systems. This self-contained approach provides accurate usage tracking while minimizing the addition of external complexity, as the counting functionality is built directly into the probe structure.
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 accurate monitoring of heat cycle counts, reducing the risk of probe failure and costs by determining the optimal time for replacement, improving process control and minimizing waste in bioprocess applications.
Implementation Method 1
a condition responsive element (206), and a heat cycle detection unit (208)... The condition responsive element may be a bimetallic strip or other element that undergoes a physical transformation in response to the temperature or pressure increasing to near or above a certain threshold
Data Source
AI summary
A system comprising a measurement device and a handheld device is disclosed, the system adapted to withstand, detect, record, and display heat cycle event counts. The measurement device comprises a sensor for measuring and a heat cycle detection unit. The heat cycle detection unit comprises a temperature or pressure responsive element, a detection module, data interface, and data memory. The handheld device comprises a screen, a button, a communication circuit, and a processing system. The communication circuit is configured to communicate with the measurement device and a computing device and the processing system is configured to receive non-measurement information from the measurement device, display the received information on the screen, and cycle the received information displayed on the screen based on an actuation of the button, wherein the handheld device is used to display a heat sterilization cycle count of the measurement device.