OPTICAL BIOFILM PROBE

• US 20180017490A1
• Filed: 07/15/2016
• Published: 01/18/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett Packard Enterprise Development LP (Hewlett-Packard Enterprise Company)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett Packard Enterprise Development LP (Hewlett-Packard Enterprise Company)
• Inventors: Cader, Tahir, Franz, John, Norton, William K.
• Granted Patent: US 10,444,147 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/4738 Diffuse reflection precedence is given to G01N21/55 - G01N21/57 if specular component is taken into consideration, e.g. also for testing fluids, fibrous materials
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/59 Transmissivity G01N21/25 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/85 Investigating moving fluids or granular solids
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/94 Investigating contamination, e.g. dust G01N21/85 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2201/12 Circuits of general importance; Signal processing

Abstract

Example implementations relate to an optical biofilm probe. For example, in an implementation, the optical biofilm probe may include a light source to project light towards a substrate disposed within a bypass and a detector to detect light from the substrate. Properties of light detected by the detector may be affected by biofilm formation on the substrate. The bypass may be connected in parallel to a conduit of a fluid system.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a bypass that is connected in parallel to a conduit of a fluid system;

a valve that isolates the bypass from fluid flow of the fluid system;

a substrate disposed within the bypass and in contact with fluid of the fluid system; and

an optical biofilm probe at the bypass to detect biofilm formation on the substrate, the optical biofilm probe including;

a light source to project light into the bypass and at the substrate, and

a detector to detect light from the substrate,

wherein properties of light detected by the detector are a function of biofilm formation on the substrate.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the light source and the detector are disposed on different sides of the bypass,

the substrate is between the light source and the detector for a transmittance measurement by the optical biofilm probe, and

the substrate is non-opaque.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the light source and the detector are disposed on a same side of the bypass relative to the substrate for a reflectance measurement by the optical biofilm probe.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the substrate comprises a material noninhibitive of biofilm formation.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a total dissolved solids sensor disposed at the bypass to provide a fluid quality measurement to be analyzed in conjunction with biofilm formation detection from the optical biofilm probe.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a wiper disposed within the bypass to clean the substrate.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the fluid system forms at least part of a computer liquid-cooling system.

8. A system comprising:

a bypass connected in parallel to a conduit of a liquid-cooling system of a computer;

a valve that, in a closed position, isolates the bypass from flow of the liquid-cooling system;

a substrate disposed within the bypass and in contact with fluid of the liquid-cooling system in the bypass;

an optical biofilm probe at the bypass to detect biofilm formation on the substrate, the optical biofilm probe including;

a light source to project light into the bypass and towards the substrate, and

a detector to detect light from the substrate and output a signal according to detected light, wherein biofilm formation on the substrate affects properties of the detected light; and

a baseboard management controller of the computer to;

actuate the valve to the closed position,

read the signal from the optical biofilm probe when the valve is in the closed position, and

determine whether the signal indicates a presence of biofilm on the substrate.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the baseboard management controller is to provide an alert in response to a determination that the signal indicates the presence of biofilm on the substrate.

10. The system of claim 8, further comprising a total dissolved solids sensor disposed at the bypass to measure electrical conductivity of fluid in the bypass,

wherein the baseboard management controller is to generate an overall fluid quality measurement of the liquid-cooling system based on the electrical conductivity and the signal of the detector of the optical biofilm probe.

11. The system of claim 8, further comprising an injection system coupled to the liquid-cooling system,

wherein the baseboard management controller is to control the injection system to deliver an additive into the liquid-cooling system in response to a determination that the signal indicates the presence of biofilm on the substrate.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the baseboard management controller is to read the signal periodically.

13. A method comprising:

actuating, by a baseboard management controller, a valve at a bypass in parallel to a conduit of a liquid-cooling system to a position that isolates the bypass from flow of the liquid-cooling system;

reading, by the baseboard management controller, a signal of an optical biofilm probe at the bypass, the optical biofilm probe including a light source to project light towards a substrate disposed within the bypass and a detector to detect light from the substrate and generate the signal according to detected light; and

analyzing, by the baseboard management controller, the signal to determine whether a biofilm is present on the substrate.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

setting a baseline signal level, at the baseboard management controller, based on a reading of the signal of the optical biofilm probe when the substrate is in a clean state; and

collecting a current signal level, at the baseboard management controller, based on a reading of the signal of the optical biofilm probe at a time after setting the baseline signal level,

wherein the analyzing includes comparing the current signal level to the baseline signal level.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising controlling, by the baseboard management controller, an injection system to deliver an additive into the liquid-cooling system in response to a determination by the analyzing that a biofilm is present on the substrate.