Formulating chemical solutions based on volumetric and weight based control measurements

• US 20060210430A1
• Filed: 03/18/2005
• Published: 09/21/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/18/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ecolab USA Incorporated (Ecolab, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Ecolab USA Incorporated (Ecolab, Inc.)
• Inventors: Willman, Eric, Pannkuk, Warren, Jahnke, Darren, Lark, Larry Mitchell
• Granted Patent: US 7,803,321 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 422/62
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 2101/2204 Mixing chemical components in generals in order to improve chemical treatment or reactions, independently from the specific application
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 23/483 using water for diluting a liquid ingredient, obtaining a predetermined concentration or making an aqueous solution of a concentrate
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/832 Flow control by weighing
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 11/132 by controlling the flow of the individual components G05D11/133 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 11/134 by sensing the weight of the individual components
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/25 including sample preparation

Abstract

A system and method for formulating a chemical solution using both volumetric and weight based measurements of components of the chemical solution is disclosed. The components of the chemical solution include water and at least one other component, which may take any form, such as, without limitation, liquid, solid, powder or gaseous form. Formulation of the chemical solution is administered by combining water with the one or more other components at an output port, from which this combination is dispensed to a solution storage tank. In response to a user'"'"'s request to formulate a specified amount of the chemical solution, the volume of water provided to the output port is monitored by a flow meter and the weight of the other component(s) provided to the output port is monitored by one or more load cells. Based on such monitoring, appropriate amounts of water and the other component(s) are combined together to formulate the specified amount of the chemical solution in the solution storage tank.

Claims

1. A system for formulating a chemical solution by combining water with at least one component concentrate, the system comprising:

a storage tank for storing the at least one component concentrate;

an output port operable to receive the water from a water source and the at least one component concentrate from the storage tank and dispense the water and the at least one component concentrate to a solution container for forming the chemical solution therein;

a flow meter operable to measure volumetric readings representing a volume of the water communicated between the water source and the output port;

a weight measuring device operable to measure weight readings representing an actual weight of the at least one component concentrate contained in the storage tank; and

a controller operable to control supply of the water and the at least one component concentrate to the output port based on the volumetric readings and the weight readings to form a specified amount of the chemical solution.

2. A system as defined in claim 1, wherein the storage tank is a component sump, the system further comprising:

a concentrate container for storing the at least one component concentrate prior to storage in the component sump;

a pump fluidly connected between the component sump and the concentrate container, the pump being controllable by the controller to pump the at least one component concentrate from the concentrate container to the component sump; and

a control valve fluidly connected between the component sump and the output port, the control valve being controllable by the controller to enable the flow of the at least component concentrate between the component sump and the output port.

3. A system as defined in claim 2, wherein the weight measuring device measures the weight readings as the at least one component concentrate is being pumped from the concentrate container into the component sump and prior to any of the component concentrate being dispensed to the output port by way of the control valve.

4. A system as defined in claim 3, wherein the output port comprises:

means for evacuating the at least one component concentrate from the component sump when the control valve is activated by the controller.

5. A system as defined in claim 4, wherein the evaluating means comprises an aspirator.

6. A system as defined in claim 1, wherein the solution container comprises an automatic endoscope reprocessor (AER) and the chemical solution is operable to clean endoscopes.

7. A system as defined in claim 1, further comprising:

a control valve fluidly connected between the storage tank and the output port, the control valve being controllable by the controller to enable the flow of the at least component concentrate between the storage tank and the output port; and

means for evacuating the at least one component concentrate from the storage tank when the control valve is activated by the controller.

8. A system as defined in claim 7, wherein the weight measuring device measures the weight readings as the at least one component concentrate is being evacuated from the storage tank and provided to the output port.

9. A system as defined in claim 1, the controller comprising:

a display;

a user interface presented on the display; and

a user interface selection device operable by a user to interact with the user interface to input instructions into the controller, wherein the instructions request formulation of the specified amount of the chemical solution.

10. A system for formulating a chemical solution by combining water with a plurality of component concentrates, the system comprising:

a first storage tank for storing a first component concentrate;

a second storage tank for storing a second component concentrate;

an output port operable to receive the water from a water source, the first component concentrate from the first storage tank and the second component concentrate from the second storage container, wherein the output port dispenses the water, the first component concentrate and the second component concentrate to a solution container for forming the chemical solution therein;

a flow meter operable to measure volumetric readings representing a volume of the water communicated between the water source and the output port;

a first weight measuring device operable to measure weight readings representing an actual weight of the first component concentrate contained in the first storage tank;

a second weight measuring device operable to measure weight readings representing an actual weight of the second component concentrate contained in the second storage tank; and

a controller operable to control supply of the water, the first component concentrate and the second component concentrate to the output port based on the volumetric readings and the weight readings to form a specified amount of the chemical solution.

11. A system as defined in claim 10, wherein the first storage tank and the second storage tank are both component sumps, the system further comprising:

a first concentrate container for storing the first component concentrate prior to storage in the first storage tank;

a second concentrate container for storing the second component concentrate prior to storage in the second storage tank;

a first pump fluidly connected between the first storage tank and the first concentrate container, the first pump being controllable by the controller to pump the first component concentrate from the first concentrate container to the first storage tank;

a second pump fluidly connected between the second storage tank and the second concentrate container, the second pump being controllable by the controller to pump the second component concentrate from the second concentrate container to the second storage tank;

a first control valve fluidly connected between the first storage tank and the output port, the first control valve being controllable by the controller to enable the flow of the first component concentrate from the first storage tank to the output port; and

a second control valve fluidly connected between the second storage tank and the output port, the second control valve being controllable by the controller to enable the flow of the second component concentrate from the second concentrate container to the output port.

12. A system as defined in claim 10, wherein:

the first weight measuring device measures the weight readings as the first component concentrate is being pumped from the first concentrate container into the first storage tank and prior to any of the first component concentrate being dispensed to the output port by way of the first control valve; and

wherein

the second weight measuring device measures the weight readings as the second component concentrate is being pumped from the second concentrate container into the second storage tank and prior to any of the second component concentrate being dispensed to the output port by way of the second control valve.

13. A system as defined in claim 10, wherein the first component concentrate comprises a peroxycarboxylic acid, the second component concentrate comprises at least one adjuvant, and the chemical solution comprises about 5 to about 5000 ppm peroxycarboxylic acid.

14. A system as defined in claim 10, further comprising:

means for evacuating the first component concentrate from the first storage tank when the first control valve is activated by the controller and for evacuating the second component concentrate from the second storage tank when the second control valve is activated by the controller.

15. A system as defined in claim 14, wherein the first weight measuring device measures the weight readings as the first component concentrate is being evacuated from the storage tank and provided to the output port.

16. A method for formulating a chemical solution by combining water with at least one component concentrate, the method comprising:

storing the at least one component concentrate in a storage tank;

supplying water and the at least one component concentrate to a solution container;

measuring volumetric readings representing a volume of the water being supplied from the water source to the solution container prior to the water being introduced into the solution container;

measuring weight readings representing an actual weight of the at least one component concentrate remaining in the storage tank while the component concentrate is being supplied to the solution container; and

controlling the supply of the water and the at least one component concentrate to the solution tank based on the volumetric readings and the weight readings to form a specified amount of the chemical solution therein.

17. A method as defined in claim 16, further comprising:

receiving an instruction from a user requesting formulation of the specified amount of the chemical solution.

18. A method as defined in claim 17, further comprising:

in response to the receiving act, determining a target volume of water and a target weight of the at least one component concentrate appropriate for formulating the specified amount of the chemical solution;

analyzing the weight readings to determine whether the target weight of the at least one component concentrate has been dispensed to the solution container, wherein the controlling act controls the supply of the at least one component concentrate based on results the analyzing act; and

analyzing the volumetric readings to determine whether the target volume of the water has been dispensed to the solution container, wherein the controlling act controls the supply of the water based on results the analyzing act.

19. A method as defined in claim 16, wherein the storing act comprises:

transporting the at least one component concentrate to the storage tank from a concentrate container;

prior to the supplying act, measuring weight readings representing an actual weight of the at least one component concentrate in the storage tank while the component concentrate is being transported from the concentrate container; and

stopping the transporting act if the actual weight of the at least one component concentrate in the storage tank meets a target weight of the at least one component concentrate appropriate for formulating the specified amount of the chemical solution.

20. A method as defined in claim 16, further comprising:

communicating the weight readings and the volumetric readings to a remote computer over a network connection for analysis.