Titration Apparatus Hydraulic Coupling for Precision Metering
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing titration apparatuses have complex liquid management systems that require multiple pumps, valves, and lines, leading to high equipment expenditure, maintenance intensity, and carryover issues, which result in inefficient metering and long process durations.
Innovation Solution
A titration apparatus with a simplified structure featuring a temporary storage container filled with a working liquid that hydraulically couples the first pump to the liquid supply, allowing a single pump to handle multiple liquids without carryover, using a valve device to control fluid connections and an electronic controller to manage the titration process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a single pump is used to convey multiple liquids through a common fluid line, then device complexity is reduced, but carryover between different liquids occurs leading to measurement precision deterioration
Solution Approach 1:
The fluid line is segmented into multiple independent channels, each dedicated to conveying a specific liquid. This segmentation prevents carryover between different liquids while maintaining a relatively simple overall system structure by using parallel rather than sequential complex valve switching mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
A common pump serves as an intermediary device that is hydraulically coupled to multiple liquid supplies through separate fluid lines. The pump conveys different liquids independently through its pumping chambers, acting as a mediator that enables multiple liquid handling without direct contamination between liquid paths.
2Measurement precision
If multiple pumps are used for each liquid supply, then measurement precision is maintained without carryover, but device complexity and maintenance needs increase
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple pumping functions are merged into a single multi-chamber pump unit. The pump integrates several pumping chambers that can independently convey different liquids, combining the functionality of multiple separate pumps into one device, thereby reducing system complexity while maintaining precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The common pump is designed with multi-functionality to handle different types of liquids (samples, reagents, indicators) through its multiple pumping chambers. This universal pump replaces the need for dedicated single-function pumps for each liquid, reducing device complexity while maintaining the precision required for each specific liquid type.
3Device complexity
If a common fluid line is used for multiple liquids, then device complexity is reduced, but carryover issues increase leading to longer process durations for rinsing
Solution Approach 1:
The fluid transport system is segmented into parallel independent channels, each dedicated to a specific liquid type. This eliminates the need for sequential rinsing operations that would be required in a shared line system, thereby maintaining simple device architecture while enabling continuous parallel operation that improves productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The segmented fluid line configuration enables continuous operation without interruption for rinsing between different liquid types. Each liquid flows continuously through its dedicated channel, eliminating idle rinsing time and maintaining continuous useful action throughout the titration process, thereby improving overall productivity.
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 configuration enables precise, rapid, and low-carryover metering of liquids, reducing equipment complexity, maintenance needs, and process duration while maintaining measurement accuracy.
Implementation Method 1
The third fluid line is filled with a working liquid at least in a section adjacent to the first pump, wherein the chemical composition of the working liquid is selected such that the working liquid does not affect the titration to be carried out
Implementation Method 2
a valve device, wherein the valve device is configured to selectively block or unblock the first fluid line for fluid transport through the first fluid line into the temporary storage container by means of the first pump
Implementation Method 3
a second pump configured to convey a volumetric solution from a volumetric solution supply and to transport the volumetric solution taken from the volumetric solution supply through the fourth fluid line into the titration vessel
Implementation Method 4
The sensor may, for example, be an electrochemical sensor integrated into the titration vessel and in contact with the solution to be titrated during operation or an optical sensor
Data Source
AI summary
A titration apparatus includes a titration measuring cell with a titration vessel, a valve device, and a first pump for sucking liquid through a first fluid line into a temporary storage container and transporting it via a second fluid line into the titration vessel. The temporary storage container is arranged in a fluid path between the first pump and the valve device. A third fluid line connects the first pump to the temporary storage container and is filled with a working liquid that does not affect the titration. A second pump conveys a volumetric solution into the titration vessel. An electronic controller controls the first and the second pumps and the valve device to convey a liquid from the first liquid supply into the temporary storage container to transport the liquid into the titration vessel and transport the volumetric solution into the titration vessel to carry out titration.