Sensor with antifouling control

• US 8,429,952 B1
• Filed: 02/02/2010
• Issued: 04/30/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/02/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Campbell Scientific
• Original Assignee: Campbell Scientific
• Inventors: Downing, John P. Jr., Bringhurst, Boyd T., Ewert, Daniel W., Thurston, R. Joseph, Christensen, Craig B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Raevis, Robert R
• Application Number:
  US12/698,669
• Time in Patent Office: 1,183 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 73/53.01
• CPC Class Codes: A01N 25/34 Shaped forms, e.g. sheets, not provided for in any other sub-group of this main group
• CPC Class Codes: A01N 59/16 Heavy metals; Compounds thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A01N 59/20 Copper
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/1886 using probes, e.g. submersible probes, buoys

Abstract

A probe with antifouling components. The probe includes a sensor for measuring attributes of a fluid such as liquid or gas. The probe includes antifouling components to prevent or inhibit fouling. The antifouling components include material components, antifoulant components such as biocide, scaling inhibitors, etc., and wiper/shutter components that are arranged to collectively prevent or inhibit fouling of the probe or of the sensor included in the probe.

Claims

1. A probe with antifouling control, the probe comprising:

a first portion;

a second portion, wherein the first portion and the second portion are configured to move between an open position and a closed position;

a sensor configured to measure an attribute of a fluid when the first portion and the second portion are in the open position, wherein the first portion and the second portion cooperate to cover the sensor in the closed position;

antifouling components that inhibit fouling of the sensor, wherein the antifouling components include;

a wiping component, wherein the wiping component moves across the sensor when the first portion and the second portion move between the open position and the closed position; and

an antifoulant component configured to deliver an antifoulant to the sensor; and

a feedback component, wherein the feedback component cooperates with at least some of the antifouling components to clean at least a portion of the probe,

wherein the feedback component includes a controller that measures a current or voltage required to move the first portion and the second portion between the open position and the second position,

wherein the controller repeatedly moves the first portion and the second portion back and forth two or more times when the current or voltage exceeds a threshold current or threshold voltage such that the wiping component scrubs the portion of the probe.

2. The probe according to claim 1, further comprising a material component to inhibit fouling of at least one of the first portion, the second portion, or the sensor, the material component located on a surface of the second portion and a surface of the first portion, wherein:

the sensor is incorporated into the first portion; and

the wiping component and the antifoulant component are incorporated into the second portion.

3. The probe according to claim 2, wherein the second portion is configured to move between the open position where the sensor is exposed to an environment and the closed position where the sensor is covered by the second portion, wherein the antifoulant component bathes the sensor with the antifoulant in the closed position.

4. The probe according to claim 3, wherein the second portion comprises at least one chamber formed therein, wherein the antifoulant component is stored in the at least one chamber and delivered to the sensor via apertures formed in a surface of the second portion that covers the sensor in the closed position, the apertures forming a pathway from the at least one chamber to the surface of the second portion.

5. The probe according to claim 1, wherein the second portion and the first portion cooperate to limit exposure of the sensor to attachment of biological growth when the first portion and the second portion are in the closed position.

6. The probe according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the first portion and the second portion comprises a surface formed, manufactured from or coated with a material that inhibits fouling.

7. The probe according to claim 1, wherein the first portion and the second portion are connected to reduce an amount of light and aquatic life that reaches the sensor when in the closed position.

8. The probe according to claim 1, further comprising a material component located on at least one of the first portion and the second portion, wherein the material component comprises at least one of copper, copper alloy, brass, coin silver, or silver plates or another material that prevents fouling.

9. The probe according to claim 8, wherein the material component inhibits non-biological fouling.

10. The probe according to claim 1, wherein the wiping component comprises a blade and/or scrubber configured to scrape and/or clean at least the sensor, wherein the sensor is substantially flush with a surface of the first portion.

11. The probe according to claim 1, wherein the first portion comprises a groove that engages a tongue on the second portion such that the tongue and groove are slidably engaged allowing the second portion to move between the open position and the closed position and keep the first portion connected to the second portion.

12. The probe according to claim 1, wherein the first portion comprises a shaft that engages the second portion such that the second portion rotates with respect to the first portion allowing the second portion to move between the open position and the closed position.

13. The probe according to claim 1, wherein the sensor includes electronics, further comprising a plurality of seals that protect the electronics from an environment including the fluid.

14. The probe according to claim 1, further comprising a motor and a shaft, wherein the shaft engages with an engagement mechanism formed in the second portion such that rotation of the motor moves the second portion between the open position and the closed position.

15. The probe according to claim 1, wherein the sensor is incorporated into the first portion, wherein:

a material component that inhibits fouling is located on at least some surfaces of the first portion and the second portion that are not wiped by the wiping component;

the wiping component is configured to scrub the sensor by repeatedly moving back and forth across the sensor when excessive growth is detected on the sensor;

the antifoulant component is configured to deliver a biocide or scaling inhibitor to at least one surface of the first portion and to the sensor and to a shaft that moves the portion and the second portion between the open position and the closed position.

16. The probe according to claim 15, wherein the first portion is configured to move between the open position where the sensor is exposed to an environment and the closed position where the sensor is covered by the second portion, wherein the antifoulant component bathes the sensor with a biocide, algaecide, fungicide or scaling inhibitor in the closed position.

17. The probe according to claim 15, wherein the first portion is configured to move between the open position where the sensor is exposed to an environment and the closed position where the sensor is shuttered by the first and second portions, wherein the antifoulant component bathes the sensor with the antifoulant in the closed position.

18. The probe according to claim 15, wherein movement of the first portion and the second portion includes at least one of:

translational movement of the first portion or the second portion;

or rotational movement of the first portion or the second portion.

19. The probe according to claim 1, wherein movement of the first portion and the second portion flushes foulants from the sensor.

20. The probe according to claim 1, wherein:

the sensor and the antifoulant component are incorporated into the first portion;

the wiping component is incorporated into the second portion; and

a material component is located on a top surface of the second portion and a top surface of the first portion.

21. A probe for measuring an attribute of a fluid, the probe comprising:

a body having a first end and a second end; and

a sensor module disposed in the first end and configured to move at least between an open position and a closed position, the sensor module including a sensor for measuring the attribute of the fluid when the sensor module is in the open position and an antifouling component to inhibit fouling of the sensor module, wherein the antifouling component comprises;

a material component that forms at least a portion of a first surface of the sensor module;

a wiping component connected with a second surface of the sensor module opposite the sensor, wherein the wiping component is arranged to wipe at least a portion of the sensor; and

an antifoulant component configured to deliver an antifoulant to the sensor module,

wherein the sensor module shutters the sensor to prevent light from reaching the sensor and to limit exposure of the sensor and an area surrounding the sensor to an attachment of biological growth in the closed position.

22. The probe according to claim 21, wherein the antifoulant component includes one or more chambers that store the antifoulant, wherein the antifoulant component delivers the antifoulant at least to the sensor via apertures that are adjacent the sensor when in the closed position to bathe the sensor in the antifoulant.

23. The probe according to claim 22, wherein the material component is disposed on a top surface of the sensor module and wherein the material component interfaces with an edge of the body such that the sensor module is disposed inside the body in the closed position.

24. The probe according to claim 22, wherein the sensor module comprises a first portion that includes the sensor and a second portion that includes the wiping component, wherein the second surface is substantially parallel to a third surface that includes the portion of the sensor, wherein the wiping component scrapes the portion of the sensor when the sensor module moves between the open and closed positions and wherein the sensor is bathed in the antifoulant delivered by the antifoulant component when in the closed position.

25. The probe according to claim 24, further comprising a motor and a shaft that translates the second portion laterally to raise and lower the second portion between the open position and the closed position or that rotates the second portion relative to the first portion between the open position and the closed position.

26. The probe according to claim 22, wherein a second antifoulant is integrated into a film on the surfaces or in a reservoir chamber of the sensor module and released over time.

27. The probe according to claim 21, wherein the material component includes at least one of copper, copper alloy, brass, coin silver, or silver plates, or another material that prevents fouling.

28. The probe according to claim 21, further comprising a motor that drives a shaft to move the second portion relative to the first portion to expose the sensor to the fluid for measuring the attribute of the fluid.

29. The probe according to claim 21, further comprising a seal on the first portion that prevents the fluid from entering the body.

30. The probe according to claim 29 wherein electronics are disposed in the body and configured to control the sensor module, the electronics including a feedback component configured to move the wiping component to wipe the sensor repeatedly when the feedback component determines that the sensor is potentially fouled.

31. The probe according to claim 30 wherein the sensor is potentially fouled when a current or a voltage required to move the sensor module between the open position and the closed position exceeds a predetermined current or a predetermined voltage.

32. The probe according to claim 31, wherein the antifoulant component is configured to be refilled with the antifoulant and wherein the material component is removably attached to the sensor module.

33. A probe for measuring an attribute of a fluid, the probe comprising:

a first portion;

a second portion, wherein the first portion and the second portion are configured to move between an open position and a closed position;

a sensor configured to measure an attribute of a fluid when the first portion and the second portion are in the open position;

antifouling components that inhibit fouling of the sensor, wherein the antifouling components include;

a wiping component, wherein the wiping component is placed to move across the sensor when the first portion and the second portion move between the open position and the closed position;

an antifoulant component configured to deliver an antifoulant to the sensor; and

a material component configured to inhibit at least non-biological fouling; and

a feedback component that controls at least one of the antifouling components to clean the sensor when potential fouling is detected,

wherein the feedback component detects potential fouling when a current or a voltage required to move the first portion and the second portion between the open position and the closed position is above a threshold current or a threshold voltage,

wherein the feedback component includes a controller that operates at least one of the antifouling components to clean the sensor when the potential fouling is detected,

wherein the controller moves the wiping component across the sensor multiple times to clean the sensor.

34. The probe according to claim 33, wherein the antifoulant component is configured to bathe the sensor with the antifoulant in the closed position, wherein the first portion and the second portion substantially shutter the sensor from light in the closed position.

35. The probe according to claim 33, wherein the feedback component controls a speed or a pressure with which the controller moves the first portion and the second portion.