Automated soil measurement
First Claim
1. A filtration system of a soil analysis device, the filtration system comprising:
- a chamber including a liquid mixture inlet and a filtrate drain;
a filter configured to remove particulates from a liquid mixture received from the liquid mixture inlet to generate a filtered liquid mixture, the filter oriented in a substantially vertical orientation and partitioning the chamber into a first chamber configured to receive the liquid mixture from the liquid mixture inlet and a second chamber configured to receive the filtered liquid mixture from the filter and provide the filtered liquid mixture to the filtrate drain, the filter including a perforated area located below the liquid mixture inlet and above the filtrate drain; and
a pressure source configured to create a pressure differential between the first chamber and the second chamber.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A filtration system for a soil analysis device and methods of pressure filtration and automated cleaning are disclosed for generating filtrate used in measuring characteristics of a soil sample and preparing the filtration system for repeated measurements. A mixing chamber combines a soil sample and an extractant into a liquid mixture. The filtration system receives and pressure filters the liquid mixture to quickly generate filtrate used to measure characteristics of the sample. The filtrate is passed to a measurement cell for analysis. Once the analysis is complete, the filtration system performs a cleaning process in preparation to receive a subsequent liquid mixture from another soil sample.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A filtration system of a soil analysis device, the filtration system comprising:
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a chamber including a liquid mixture inlet and a filtrate drain; a filter configured to remove particulates from a liquid mixture received from the liquid mixture inlet to generate a filtered liquid mixture, the filter oriented in a substantially vertical orientation and partitioning the chamber into a first chamber configured to receive the liquid mixture from the liquid mixture inlet and a second chamber configured to receive the filtered liquid mixture from the filter and provide the filtered liquid mixture to the filtrate drain, the filter including a perforated area located below the liquid mixture inlet and above the filtrate drain; and a pressure source configured to create a pressure differential between the first chamber and the second chamber. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A method comprising:
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receiving, in a first chamber of a soil analysis device, a liquid mixture from a liquid mixture inlet; generating a pressure differential across a filter separating the first chamber from a second chamber of the soil analysis device, the pressure differential causing the liquid mixture in the first chamber to pass through a perforated area of the filter located below the liquid mixture inlet and above a filtrate drain of the second chamber, the filter configured to remove particulates from the liquid mixture to create a filtered liquid mixture received in the second chamber; and analyzing the filtered liquid mixture using a measurement cell coupled to the filtrate drain.
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Specification