Silicate Analysis Device Housing Segmentation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional automatic analysis devices for measuring silicate concentration in sample liquids face a safety risk due to the potential leakage of pressurized liquids from containers or lines, which can damage electronic components within the device.

Innovation Solution

The analysis device is designed with a housing separation into an electronics region and a fluidic region, where fluidic components like pumps and liquid containers are contained within the fluidic region, and sensitive electronics are outside, using pumps to convey liquids instead of overpressure, thereby minimizing the risk of liquid escape and damage.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If pressurized liquid transport is used to convey sample liquid and reagents, then liquid transport efficiency is improved, but the risk of liquid leakage and damage to electronic components increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveliquid transport efficiencyVSAvoidliquid leakage risk

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The housing is divided into a first region containing electronic components and a second region containing fluidic components, separated by a partition wall. This segmentation isolates the pressurized liquid transport system from sensitive electronics, allowing efficient pressurized liquid conveyance while preventing leakage damage to electronic components.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Device complexity

If liquid containers and lines are placed within the housing, then device integration is improved, but the risk of liquid escape damaging electronics increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedevice integrationVSAvoidelectronic component safety

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The housing is divided into a first region containing electronic components and a second region containing fluidic components, separated by a partition wall. This segmentation allows liquid containers and lines to be integrated within the housing while isolating them from sensitive electronics, maintaining both device integration and electronic component safety.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Electronic components are extracted from the fluidic environment and placed in a separate first region, while liquid containers and lines remain in the second region. This extraction protects electronics from liquid escape risks while maintaining overall device integration through the shared housing structure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Ease of operation

If pumps are used to transport liquid, then liquid transport control is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveliquid transport controlVSAvoiddevice structure

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

A pump is introduced as an intermediary device in the second region to transport liquid from liquid containers through lines to the measuring cell. This intermediary provides controlled liquid transport while being isolated from electronics by the partition wall, managing the trade-off between transport control and device complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

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 design significantly reduces the risk of liquid-related damage to electronic components by containing fluidic operations within a separate region and using pumps to handle liquids, ensuring safer operation and reduced risk of corrosion and short circuits.

Implementation Method 1

Based upon an optical measurement, e.g., an absorption measurement, the analysis device determines the intensity of the color of the reaction mixture

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectAbsorption measurement: Absorption (EM radiation)

Data Source

PatentUS11293874B2Analysis device for determining a measurand representing a silicate concentration in a sample liquid

Publication Date: 2022.04.05 ENDRESS HAUSER CONDUCTA GMBH CO KG

AI summary

The present disclosure includes to an analysis device for determining a measurand representing a silicate concentration in a sample liquid, including a housing divided into an electronics region and a fluidic region, wherein the electronics region is separated from the fluidic region by at least one wall. In the fluidic region are a measuring cell, a sample feed line connected to the measuring cell, at least one liquid container having a liquid therein and connected to the measuring cell via a liquid line, and at least one pump configured to transport at least a portion of the liquid from the liquid container into the measuring cell, in which the sample feed line is connected to an over-pressurized container containing the sample liquid, where the container is arranged outside the housing. The electronics region includes an electronic control system configured to control the operation of the analysis device.