Patent ID: 6113858
Filing Date: 2000-09-05
Classification: G01N,Y10T

Abstract:
A monitor for continuously monitoring the quality of a liquid by monitoring the concentration of a predetermined particle in the liquid, comprising:a probe being immersed into the liquid, the probe having an open sampling cavity in contact with the liquid;an indicator coupled to the probe for holding a predetermined amount of at least one predetermined indicator solution, the indicator solution capable of being refilled such that the indicator is continuously supplied with the indicator solution, the indicator solution generating a predetermined color when the indicator solution admixes with the predetermined particle in the liquid;a delivery unit coupled to the indicator for dispensing a predetermined amount of said at least one indicator solution to react, in the sampling cavity, with the liquid in a predetermined time interval;a light source disposed within the probe for emitting light through the sampling cavity, the light having a wavelength which is color-sensitive to the indicator solution upon reaction with the liquid;an optical detector coupled to the light source for detecting the light after the light is applied to the sampling cavity to detect if the light has changed to a predetermined color, andan optical signal processing unit coupled to the optical detector for reading the light and generating concentration information based on the predetermined color of the light, the optical signal processing reading the light based on the predetermined time interval such that the presence of the predetermined particle in the liquid is continuously monitored.