System and Method for the Spectroscopic Determination of the Components and Concentrations of Pumpable Organic Compounds

• US 20070272004A1
• Filed: 02/22/2005
• Published: 11/29/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Carl Zeiss Spectroscopy GmbH
• Original Assignee: CARL Zeiss JENA GmbH (Carl-Zeiss-Stiftung), Christian-Albrechts- Universitaet Zu Kiel
• Inventors: Rode, Michael, Andree, Helga, Malley, Diane
• Granted Patent: US 7,800,757 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 73/64.560
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 23/007 Metering or regulating systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 1/2035 by deviating part of a fluid stream, e.g. by drawing-off or tapping
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2033/245 for agricultural purposes
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2033/248 related to manure as a biological product, i.e. excluding artificial fertilizers
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/05 Flow-through cuvettes G01N21/09 takes precedence; handling fluid samples G01N1/10
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/255 Details, e.g. use of specially adapted sources, lighting or optical systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/31 Investigating relative effect of material at wavelengths characteristic of specific elements or molecules, e.g. atomic absorption spectrometry G01N21/72 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/1095 for supplying the samples to flow-through analysers for a specific analyser see relevant groups, e.g. under G01N15/00, G01N21/00, G01N27/00, G01N30/00, H01J49/00

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a fast, nondestructive measurement method for determining the contents of solid, liquid and/or suspended flowing organic compounds. The arrangement according to the invention comprises a sample vessel, a pump, and a measurement cell which form a unit together with a spectroscopic measurement head. The measurement cell is connected to the pump, which can be regulated to vary the flow rate, and to the sample vessel by a pipe, and the spectroscopic measurement head and the regulatable pump have electrical connections to a controlling and evaluating unit. Due to its compact construction, the solution which makes use of the principle of transflection is also particularly suited to mobile use, for example, to determine the components of liquid manure while the latter is being dispensed. In principle, the solution can be transferred to any applications with suspensions or pumpable, homogeneous and inhomogeneous materials.

Claims

1-21. -21. (canceled)

22. An arrangement for the spectroscopic determination of the components and concentrations of pumpable organic waste, comprising:

a sample vessel;

a pump; and

a measurement cell which form a unit together with a spectroscopic measurement head;

said measurement cell being connected to the pump, which can be regulated to vary the flow rate, and to the sample vessel by a pipe; and

said spectroscopic measurement head and the regulatable pump having electrical connections to a controlling and evaluating unit.

23. The arrangement according to claim 22, wherein the measurement cell is constructed in such a way that the sample flows between two oppositely located windows which are integrated in the measurement cell perpendicular to the direction of flow.

24. The arrangement according to claim 22, wherein a multi-port valve is arranged in the pipe to produce connections to a water vessel and/or cleaning liquid vessel.

25. The arrangement according to claim 22, wherein the multi-port valve arranged in the pipe can produce connections to one or more vessels with test liquids for self-calibration.

26. The arrangement according to claim 22, wherein the multi-port valve has an actuating drive which is connected to the controlling and evaluating unit.

27. The arrangement according to claim 22, wherein a device is provided for drying the measurement cell and is connected to the controlling and evaluating unit.

28. The arrangement according to claim 22, wherein a device is provided for regulating the temperature of the sample and is connected to the controlling and evaluating unit.

29. The arrangement according to at claim 22, wherein the arrangement is connected to the outlet line of a vessel arranged on a vehicle by two three-way directional valves.

30. The arrangement according to claim 22, wherein the arrangement is mounted in its entirety on a vehicle for dispensing pumpable organic waste, and the through-flow volume of an outlet valve provided in the outlet line of the vessel is regulated by the controlling and evaluating unit.

31. A method for the spectroscopic determination of the components and concentrations of pumpable organic waste, comprising the steps of:

pumping a sample contained in a sample vessel by a pump through a measurement cell which forms a unit with a spectroscopic measurement head;

allowing the measurement head to carry out a spectroscopic measurement of the sample flowing through the measurement cell using the principle of transflection; and

conveying the measurement results for further processing to a controlling and evaluating unit which determines components and concentrations of substances contained in the sample based on stored specific calibrations.

32. The method according to claim 31, wherein the pump can be regulated to ensure the flow rate of the sample required for the spectroscopic measurement.

33. The method according to claim 31, wherein an existing water vessel is connected to the measurement cell by a multi-port valve in order to remove residues of the measured sample from the measurement cell and prepare the measurement cell for the next sample.

34. The method according to claim 31, wherein an existing water vessel and a vessel with cleaning liquid are connected successively to the measurement cell by a multi-port valve in order to clean out residues of the measured sample from the measurement cell, rinse the measurement cell, and prepare the measurement cell for the next sample.

35. The method according to claim 31, wherein residual moisture is removed from the measurement cell by a device for drying after the measurement cell has been cleaned.

36. The method according to claim 31, wherein one or more vessels with test liquids for self-calibration of the arrangement can be connected to the measurement cell by a multi-port valve.

37. The method according to claim 31, wherein the sample can be temperature-controlled by a device to prevent the influence of temperature on the measurement results.

38. The method according to claim 31, wherein the measurement head carries out a spectroscopic measurement of the measurement cell without a sample in order to determine the degree of contamination of the measurement cell.

39. The method according to claim 31, wherein the cleaning and/or drying of the measurement cell and a possible temperature regulation of the sample are/is controlled by the controlling and evaluating unit.

40. A method comprising the steps of:

pumping a sample to be measured by a pump through a measurement cell which forms a unit with a spectroscopic measurement head;

allowing the measurement head to carry out a spectroscopic measurement of the sample flowing through the measurement cell by transmission and/or reflection; and

conveying the measurement results for further processing to a controlling and evaluating unit which determines components and concentrations of substances contained in the sample based on stored specific calibrations;

said sample to be measured is taken from the outlet line of a vessel arranged on a vehicle by a first three-way directional valve arranged in the pipe and is conveyed back into the outlet line by a second three-way directional valve arranged in the pipe after being measured.

41. The method according to claim 40, wherein an additional control signal is generated by the controlling and evaluating unit based on the determined components and concentrations of substances contained in the sample for regulating the flow through an outlet valve when dispensing pumpable organic waste.

42. The method according to claim 40, wherein previously determined soil values and the instantaneous speed of the vehicle are taken into account by the controlling and evaluating unit in addition to the determined components and concentrations of substances contained in the sample in order to generate a control signal for regulating the flow through an outlet valve while dispensing pumpable organic waste.