System and method for analyzing fluids

• US 8,446,582 B2
• Filed: 05/26/2008
• Issued: 05/21/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: S.A.E. Afikim Milking Systems Agricultural Cooperative Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Afimilk Agricultural Cooperative, Ltd.
• Inventors: Pinsky, Niv, Sabbah, Benjamin, Merchav, Ziv, Katz, Gil, Kutscher, Martin I., Sarig, Moran, Gilboa, Alon
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, TU T
• Application Number:
  US12/602,157
• Publication Number:
  US 20100285523A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,821 Days
• Field of Search: 356/319
• US Class Current: 356/319
• CPC Class Codes: A01J 5/0135 by using light, e.g. light absorption or light transmission
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/33 using ultraviolet light G01N21/39 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/04 Dairy products

Abstract

A spectrometric sensor for measuring a spectra value of a flowing fluid. The spectrometric sensor comprises a light source for emitting a first light flux toward a sample of the flowing fluid, a light detector for measuring a first intensity of a reflection of the first light flux from the flowing fluid and a second intensity of a second light flux received via the flowing fluid, and a control unit configured for generating at least one spectra value according to at least one of the first and second intensities.

Claims

1. A spectrometric sensor for measuring a spectra value of a sample of flowing milk, said spectrometric sensor comprising:

a sampling chamber for containing a sample of flowing milk;

a light source for emitting a first light flux toward said sample in said sampling chamber;

a light detector for measuring a first intensity of a reflection of said first light flux from said sample and for measuring a second intensity of a second light flux transmitted through said sample;

a light calibration unit for receiving a portion of said first light flux that does not enter said sampling chamber and adjusting said light source to emit light at a predefined intensity; and

a control unit for calculating at least one spectra value according to at least one of said first and second intensities and performing an analysis of said sample according to said at least one spectra value.

2. The spectrometric sensor of claim 1, wherein said first light flux is an ultraviolet light flux centered at an ultraviolet wavelength.

3. The spectrometric sensor of claim 1, wherein said control unit is configured for calculating a concentration of somatic cells in said sample according to said analysis.

4. The spectrometric sensor of claim 1, wherein said light calibration unit comprises a feedback detector for receiving said portion of said first light flux.

5. The spectrometric sensor of claim 4, wherein said portion of first light flux is guided to said feedback detector by a light guide.

6. The spectrometric sensor of claim 5, wherein said light guide derives said portion of first light flux from approximately the center of said first light flux.

7. The spectrometric sensor of claim 1, further comprising a converging lens for converging said reflection and said second light flux onto said light detector.

8. The spectrometric sensor of claim 1, wherein said analysis is a chemometric analysis, said control unit comprises a central unit and a local unit said local unit transmitting said at least one spectra value to said central unit for performing said chemometric analysis.

9. The spectrometric sensor of claim 8, wherein said sampling chamber having first and second transparent portions, said first and second light fluxes being respectively emitted toward said first and second transparent portion.

10. The spectrometric sensor of claim 1, wherein said sampling chamber is assembled into a milk flow conduit.

11. The spectrometric sensor of claim 1 further comprising a thermo-stabilization unit for sustaining said light source in a predefined temperature range, thereby stabilizing said light flux at a predefined intensity.

12. The spectrometric sensor of claim 11, wherein said thermo-stabilization unit comprising a heating device, said sustaining being performed using said heating device.

13. The spectrometric sensor of claim 1, wherein said light source comprises a set of light emitting diodes (LEDs) for emitting a plurality of first light fluxes, said light detector being configured for measuring a plurality of intensities of at least one of reflections of said plurality of first light fluxes from said sample and a plurality of second light fluxes received via said sample, said control unit generating said at least one spectra value according to said plurality of intensities.

14. The spectrometric sensor of claim 13, wherein each said LED generates light at a band of wavelengths centered at a different wavelength from the other LEDs.

15. The spectrometric sensor of claim 1, wherein said light detector is configured for measuring calibration intensity from at least one of a reflection of said first light flux from a calibration fluid and a portion of said second light flux, said control unit calculating said at least one spectra value according to a deviation between said at least one of said first and second intensities and a calibration intensity.

16. A device for generating one or more spectra values from a sample of flowing milk comprising

a first spectrometric sensor according to claim 1 comprising a control unit, said device further comprising an additional spectrometric sensor comprising:

a additional light source for emitting said second light flux toward said sample; and

a additional light detector for measuring a third intensity of a reflection of said second light flux from said sample and a fourth intensity of said first light flux transmitted through said sample

wherein said control unit further calculates at least one additional spectra value according to at least one of said third and fourth intensities and performing said analysis according to said at least one additional spectra value.

17. A device for measuring an intensity of at least one light flux, comprising:

a light source for emitting a first light flux having a predefined intensity toward a sample of flowing milk;

a light detector for measuring a first intensity of a reflection of said first light flux from said sample and for measuring a second intensity of a second light flux transmitted through said sample;

a light calibration unit for receiving a portion of said first light flux that does not enter said sample and adjusting said light source to emit light at a predefined intensity; and

a thermo-stabilization unit for sustaining said light source in a predefined temperature range , thereby stabilizing said first light flux at said predefined intensity.

18. A system for estimating a number of somatic cells in a sample of milk, said system comprising:

a light source for emitting a light flux centered on an ultraviolet (UV) wavelength toward a sample of flowing milk;

a light detector for measuring a first intensity of a reflection of said first light flux from said sample and for measuring a second intensity of a second light flux transmitted through said sample;

a light calibration unit for receiving a portion of said first light flux that does not enter said sample and adjusting said light source to emit light at a predefined intensity; and

a control unit for estimating the number of somatic cells according to said measurement.

19. The system of claim 18, further comprising a sampling chamber for containing said sample.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein the center UV wavelength is between 365 nanometer and 400 nm nanometer.

21. A method for estimating a number of somatic cells in a sample of milk, said method comprising:

a) emitting a first light flux centered on an ultraviolet (UV) wavelength toward a sample of flowing milk;

b) measuring a first intensity of a reflection of said first light flux from said sample and a second intensity of a second light flux transmitted through said sample;

c) calibrating said light flux according to a portion of said first light flux that does not enter said sample; and

d) estimating the number of somatic cells in the sample of milk according to said at least one of said first and second intensities.

22. A method for acquiring spectrometric information from a flowing milk, said method comprising:

a) sustaining a light source at a predefined temperature using a heating device;

b) using said light source for emitting a light flux toward a flowing milk, said light source having a predefined intensity at said predefined temperature;

c) calibrating and adjusting said light source according to a portion of said light flux that does not enter said milk;

d) acquiring at least one spectra value from at least one of a reflection of said light flux from said sample and a portion of said light flux received via said flowing milk based on said predefined intensity; and

d) performing an analysis of said sample according to said at least one spectra value.