Titrating apparatus and method
First Claim
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1. A method for determining a chemical characteristic of a liquid comprising:
- disposing the liquid having a chemical characteristic in both reference and measuring test cells, said cells being at least partially transparent to light;
adding an indicator to said liquid so that the liquid disposed in at least said measuring test cell contains the indicator, said indicator responding to a titrant to alter the optical transmission of the liquid containing the indicator;
transmitting light through said reference and measuring cells;
generating first and second electrical signals respectively indicative of the amount of light transmitted through said reference and measuring cells;
comparing said first and second signals to each other;
adding a titrant to said measuring cell, said titrant responding to said chemical characteristic by altering the optical transmission of said liquid containing said indicator, and repeating said comparing and adding titrant steps until the difference between said first and second signals satisfies a prescribed condition; and
determining the volume of titrant added to said liquid to satisfy said prescribed condition, whereby said chemical characteristic can be determined.
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Abstract
Titration apparatus includes two cells that receive and contain liquids and are transparent to light. A liquid having an unknown characteristic and mixed with an indicator that is optically responsive to a titrant is disposed in the cells. Light is transmitted through each cell to separate photosensors. The photosensor signals are compared and a titrant is added to one of the cells in known-volume increments until the difference between the signals reaches or exceeds a prescribed threshold. The characteristic of the liquid is calculated from the quality of known concentration titrant added in order to reach or exceed the prescribed threshold.
41 Citations
24 Claims
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1. A method for determining a chemical characteristic of a liquid comprising:
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disposing the liquid having a chemical characteristic in both reference and measuring test cells, said cells being at least partially transparent to light; adding an indicator to said liquid so that the liquid disposed in at least said measuring test cell contains the indicator, said indicator responding to a titrant to alter the optical transmission of the liquid containing the indicator; transmitting light through said reference and measuring cells; generating first and second electrical signals respectively indicative of the amount of light transmitted through said reference and measuring cells; comparing said first and second signals to each other; adding a titrant to said measuring cell, said titrant responding to said chemical characteristic by altering the optical transmission of said liquid containing said indicator, and repeating said comparing and adding titrant steps until the difference between said first and second signals satisfies a prescribed condition; and determining the volume of titrant added to said liquid to satisfy said prescribed condition, whereby said chemical characteristic can be determined. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. An apparatus for determining a chemical characteristic of a liquid comprising:
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at least one light source; reference and measuring cells, each cell for receiving and containing a liquid and being transparent to at least some of the light produced by said at least one light source; means for disposing the liquid in both said cells; a first reservoir for containing a liquid indicator and first means for controllably introducing indicator into the liquid disposed in at least said measuring cell; a second reservoir for containing a liquid titrant and second means for controllably introducing titrant from said second reservoir into the liquid disposed in said measuring cell; first and second photosensors for receiving light transmitted from said at least one source through said reference and measuring cells, respectively, and for generating first and second electrical signals, respectively, indicative of the amount of light transmitted through said reference and measuring cells; comparing means for comparing said first and second electrical signals to each other; and control means for controlling operation of said second means for introducing in response to the comparison of said first and second signals. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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Specification