Sensor Arrangement with Self-Calibrating Storage Housing
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Solution Overview
Problem
In pharmaceutical, biological, and biotechnological processes, existing sensors face challenges with sterilization and storage, leading to changes in sensor characteristics and calibration issues, especially when gamma radiation is used, which can damage electronic components, and there is a need for efficient calibration and verification before commissioning in disposable process plants.
Innovation Solution
A sensor arrangement with a self-contained housing that stores the sensing element in a medium with predetermined measurand values, allowing for calibration and sterilization, including the use of gamma radiation, and a data processing unit to adjust and verify the sensor readings, ensuring accurate measurement upon commissioning.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If gamma radiation is used for sterilization of sensors in disposable process plants, then sterilization effectiveness is improved, but sensor characteristics change and measurement precision deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by performing calibration of the sensor immediately before use in the disposable process plant. The sensor is calibrated with a calibration medium that has known measurand values, compensating for any characteristic changes that occurred during sterilization and storage. This ensures measurement precision is restored after the harmful effects of gamma radiation sterilization.
2Productivity
If sensors are stored for long periods before commissioning, then availability is improved, but sensor characteristics change and reliability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs calibration immediately before commissioning the sensor, addressing characteristic changes that occur during long-term storage. The calibration process uses a medium with predetermined measurand values to adjust the sensor readings, ensuring reliability is restored before the sensor is put into service in the disposable process plant.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If sensors are sterilized before use, then contamination risk is reduced, but calibration accuracy deteriorates due to characteristic changes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs calibration after sterilization but before use, using a calibration medium with known measurand values. This preliminary calibration action compensates for characteristic changes caused by sterilization, restoring calibration accuracy while maintaining the benefit of reduced contamination risk from prior sterilization.
4Ease of manufacture
If disposable process plants are used, then cleaning and sterilization complexity is reduced, but sensor calibration and verification requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements self-service calibration by including a calibration medium with predetermined measurand values directly in the disposable process plant or providing it as a simple reference material. The sensor calibrates itself against this known medium, eliminating the need for complex external calibration equipment and procedures, thus maintaining ease of use despite increased calibration requirements.
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 and reliable measurement by compensating for changes in sensor characteristics due to storage and sterilization, ensuring precise calibration and verification before use in disposable process plants, maintaining measurement quality and reliability.
Implementation Method 1
a first sensor with a first sensing element for recording measured values of a first measurand of a measuring medium, in particular of a liquid, to be monitored, having a housing with a housing wall surrounding a housing interior containing the first sensing element
Implementation Method 2
Gamma radiation is often used for this purpose in biochemical, biological, biotechnological, and pharmaceutical applications
Data Source
AI summary
A sensor arrangement for determining at least one measurand of a measuring medium includes at least one first sensor with a first sensing element used to record measured values of a first measurand of the measuring medium, a housing having a housing wall which surrounds a housing interior containing the first sensing element, wherein the housing interior contains a medium in particular, a liquid which has a predetermined value of the first measurand.