Abstract:
An in situ oxygen analyzer (10) having an intrinsically-safe output (68) and a heated probe (12) is provided. The probe is extendable into a source of process gas and has an oxygen sensor (34) and heater (38) disposed therein. The heater (38) is configured to heat the oxygen sensor (34) to a temperature sufficient to operate the oxygen sensor (34). A housing is coupled to the probe and has first (36) and second chambers (64). The first chamber (36) is explosion-rated and includes non-intrinsically safe circuitry (50) coupled to the heater (38) to energize the heater (38). The second chamber (64) contains only intrinsically-safe circuitry (72) that complies with an intrinsically-safe specification. The first and second chambers (36, 64) are isolated from one another. The non-intrinsically-safe circuitry (50) is coupled to the intrinsically-safe circuitry (60) through an energy-limiting isolator (70).
Abstract:
An in situ flue gas analyzer (10) includes a probe (12) extendable into a flue. The probe (12) has a measurement cell providing a signal responsive to a concentration of a gas within the flue. A controller (52) is coupled to the probe (12) and configured to provide an output based on the signal from the measurement cell. A first media access unit (54) is coupled to the controller (52) and is operably coupleable to a first process communication link. The first media access unit (54) is configured to communicate in accordance with an all- digital process communication protocol. A second media access unit (56) is coupled to the controller (52) and is operably coupleable to a second process communication link. The second media access (56) unit is configured to communicate in accordance with a second process communication protocol that is different than the all-digital process communication protocol. The first and second media access units (54, 56) are enabled simultaneously.
Abstract:
A process combustion transmitter (10) is provided. The transmitter (10) includes a process probe (12) extendible into a flow of process combustion exhaust. The process probe (12) has a measurement cell (36) and a diffuser (32) that define a chamber (52) within the process probe. Electronic circuitry (42) is coupled to the measurement cell (32) and is configured to provide an indication relative to a combustion process based on an output signal of the measurement cell (32). A pressure sensor (50) is coupled to the electronic circuitry (42) and is fluidically coupled to the chamber (52). The electronic circuitry (42) is configured to provide an adjusted calibration based on pressure measured within the chamber (52) during a calibration.
Abstract:
A process analytic instrument (10), such as for gas or liquid chromatography, includes an analytical module (12) configured to analyze a process fluid and a removable tube carrier (18) coupled to the analytical module (12). The analytical module (12) has a plurality of inlet ports (54) in a sealing surface (30). The removable tube carrier (18) has an end (28) with a plurality of apertures (32) aligned with the plurality of inlet ports (54) of sealing surface (30) of the analytical module (12). The removable tube carrier (18) fluidically couples a plurality of tubes (16) to the analytical module (12) when the end (28) of the removable tube carrier (18) is biased into the sealing surface (30) of the analytical module (12). The interconnection between the plurality of inlet ports and the tubes is based on a plug and socket scheme.
Abstract:
A process analytic sensor (14) is provided. The process analytic sensor (14) includes a process analytic sensing element (24) that is coupleable to a process. The process analytic sensing element (24) has an electrical characteristic that varies with an analytical aspect of the process. A microcontroller (22) is disposed within the process analytic sensor (14) and is coupled to the process analytic sensing element (24) to sense the electrical characteristic and provide an analytical signal based on the sensed characteristic. The microcontroller (22) is operable on as little as 0.5 milliamps and includes electrically erasable programmable read only memory (EEPROM) (54) that can be written while the microcontroller (22) operates on as little as 0.5 milliamps.
Abstract:
An amperometric sensor (100) includes a sensor body (112) having a distal end (116) and an interior containing an electrolytic fill solution (132). A porous membrane (114) is disposed proximate the distal end (116) to allow diffusion of molecules or ions of interest. A working electrode (120) is disposed within the sensor body (112) proximate the membrane (114). A counter electrode (140) is disposed to conduct current between the counter electrode (140) and the working electrode (120). The counter electrode (140) is physically isolated from the electrolytic fill solution (132). A method (200) of measuring a concentration of the molecules or ions ofinterest is also provided.
Abstract:
A contacting-type conductivity sensor (40,68) includes a plurality of electrodes (30, 66) disposed on a distal surface (24, 54) of a substrate (20, 50). The substrate (20) includes a plurality of vias (22, 52) through which electrical interconnection to the electrodes (30, 66) is accomplished. The conductivity sensor (40,68) can employ two or four electrodes (30, 66) and may have a temperature sensitive element (80) disposed on the distal surface (24, 54). The electrodes (30, 66) may be patterned or otherwise deposited using semiconductor processing techniques.
Abstract:
A turbidity measurement system (100) with an improved thermal behavior is provided. A turbidity measurement system (100) includes an analyzer (102) and one or more turbidity sensors (104, 106). Each turbidity sensor (104, 106) includes a source of illumination and a semiconductor-based illumination sensor. The dark current of the semiconductorbased illumination sensor is measured when no illumination is provided by the source. This measured dark current is then used to provide a dark current compensated turbidity measurement.
Abstract:
An ion sensitive field effect transistor Ph sensor (200) is provided with an improved sensor gate configuration. Specifically, a tantalum oxide-sensing gate (214) is disposed on top of an alumina layer (212). The tantalum oxide-sensing gate (214) provides advantageous sensitivity, while the alumina barrier layer (212) increases sensor longevity in situations where the sensor (200) is exposed to caustic cleaning processes such as Clean In Place processes.
Abstract:
A control system includes a measurement device capable of gathering high frequency process parameter data, a modeling routine which uses the high frequency parameter data to develop a model of the high frequency noise and a compensation routine that employs the developed model to adjust a control signal to thereby compensate for the high frequency noise present within the process parameter. The measurement device may measure a process variable at a relatively high frequency and send a subset of the measured data (eg., the low frequency data) to a standard controller that generates a control signal to control the measured process parameter in any known manner. The modeling routine analyzes the high frequency data and develops a methematical model of the high frequency noise within the process variable. The resulting mathematical model may then be used by the compensation routine to alter the standard control signal produced by the controller before that control signal is delivered to or used by the device being controlled.