Real time suspended particle monitor
First Claim
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1. An apparatus for the real time monitoring of suspended particulates in a fluid, said apparatus comprising:
- a laser light source;
means for collimating an optical beam from said light source;
a fluid chamber for passing a fluid to be examined, said fluid chamber being suitable for illumination by said collimated beam;
means for forming an optical image of the fluid within said fluid chamber; and
means for classifying shapes of particulates in said optical image;
wherein said means for classifying shapes comprises;
a two-dimensional transducer array means for detecting said optical image andmeans for comparing, responsive to said means for detecting, shapes of the particulates in the fluid with at least one reference shape.
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for real-time monitoring of particulates in a fluid. The fluid is illuminated, and an image formed of the interior of the fluid. The image is then detected, and processed to determine the size, shape, etc. of particulates within the fluid.
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Citations
34 Claims
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1. An apparatus for the real time monitoring of suspended particulates in a fluid, said apparatus comprising:
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a laser light source; means for collimating an optical beam from said light source; a fluid chamber for passing a fluid to be examined, said fluid chamber being suitable for illumination by said collimated beam; means for forming an optical image of the fluid within said fluid chamber; and means for classifying shapes of particulates in said optical image; wherein said means for classifying shapes comprises; a two-dimensional transducer array means for detecting said optical image and means for comparing, responsive to said means for detecting, shapes of the particulates in the fluid with at least one reference shape. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method for the real time monitoring of suspended particulate matter in a fluid, said method comprising the steps of:
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a) illuminating a fluid with a laser beam; b) forming an optical image of the illuminated fluid; c) detecting said optical image of the fluid with a two-dimensional transducer array; and d) analyzing said optical image of the fluid wherein said analyzing comprises; retrieving from computer memory at least one particulate matter reference shape; electronically comparing said image to said at least one particulate matter reference shape to match said at least one reference shape to shapes present in said image. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. An apparatus for the real time monitoring of suspended particulates in a fluid, said apparatus comprising:
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a laser light source; means for collimating an optical beam from said light source; a fluid chamber for passing a fluid to be examined, said fluid chamber being suitable for illumination by said collimated optical beam; means for optical phase conjugation of said collimated beam on the side of said fluid chamber opposite to that which said light enters said chamber; a first imaging means, arranged between said fluid chamber and said means for optical phase conjugation for focusing said collimated beam exiting said fluid chamber onto said phase conjugation means; a second imaging means for forming an optical image of the fluid within said fluid chamber by capturing said collimated beam after said collimated beam has propagated from said optical phase conjugation means through said fluid chamber; and wherein each of said first and said second imaging means is a two-dimensional opto-electric array; and wherein said apparatus further comprises means for processing said optical image. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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Specification