Treatment Liquid Sampling for Reliable Additive Measurement

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing methods for determining the concentration of treatment additives in reused washing liquids in tunnel washing machines are inefficient, as they require filtering the entire liquid, which is time-consuming and impractical.

Innovation Solution

A method where a small sample of the used treatment liquid is diverted and filtered before measurement, allowing for precise determination of additive levels, enabling targeted replenishment and ensuring sufficient additive concentration for effective reuse.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the entire treatment liquid is filtered before measurement, then the measurement reliability is improved, but the time consumption and operational complexity increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemeasurement reliabilityVSAvoidtime consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The treatment liquid is divided into two paths: a main flow that continues to the reuse process and a diverted sample stream that is filtered and measured. This segmentation allows measurement of a small representative portion without processing the entire volume, resolving the contradiction between measurement reliability and time consumption.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

A small sample is extracted from the main treatment liquid flow for filtering and measurement purposes. This extracted sample undergoes the time-consuming filtration process while the main flow continues uninterrupted, enabling reliable measurement without significant time loss to the overall process.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

2Measurement precision

If the entire treatment liquid is filtered before measurement, then the measurement precision is improved, but the device complexity and operational difficulty increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemeasurement precisionVSAvoiddevice complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The measurement system is segmented from the main treatment process, with a dedicated sample diversion pathway. This allows the complex filtration and measurement equipment to handle only a small sample stream rather than the entire treatment liquid flow, reducing overall device complexity while maintaining measurement precision.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The sample extraction mechanism removes a small portion of treatment liquid for analysis, isolating the complex filtration and measurement operations to this minor stream. This extraction approach enables precise measurement without requiring the entire treatment liquid processing system to be complex.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Productivity

If treatment liquid is reused without sufficient treatment additives, then the productivity is improved, but the cleaning effectiveness deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveproductivityVSAvoidcleaning effectiveness
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system implements feedback control by continuously measuring the concentration of treatment additives in the reused treatment liquid. When the concentration falls below a threshold, the system automatically triggers replenishment, ensuring cleaning effectiveness is maintained while maximizing productivity through continuous reuse of treatment liquid.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The system monitors and maintains the concentration parameter of treatment additives within an optimal range. By detecting changes in additive concentration and automatically replenishing when necessary, the system ensures cleaning effectiveness is preserved while allowing maximum reuse of treatment liquid for productivity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

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 approach simplifies the measurement process, provides accurate and reliable results, and allows for efficient reuse of treatment liquids by ensuring sufficient additive levels, thereby optimizing the washing process.

Implementation Method 1

The sample is filtered by microfiltration before measurement

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectMicrofiltration: Filter (physical)

Data Source

PatentEP2552611B1Method for wet-treating, in particular cleaning, objects
Publication Date: 2018.05.16 HERBERT KANNEGIESSER GMBH & CO
  • EP2552611B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2552611B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2552611B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

According to the method, a small amount is branched off from the treatment liquid to be reused as a sample, and only said sample is measured in regard to the concentration of at least one treatment additive still present in the treatment liquid used. Before the measurement, only a small part of the treatment liquid to be reused must be filtered as a sample. Only a relatively small filter is required for this purpose. The sample containing only a small amount of treatment liquid can be measured in an easier and more reliable manner.