Patent ID: 8265882

Claim:
A method for an automatic determination of a parameter of a sample using a measurement device, by a determination of an attenuation of radiated waves during a segregation of a monodisperse or polydisperse dispersion sample, the method comprising: (a) during the segregation, repeatedly determining and recording momentary transmission values I T (t, r), and optionally scattering values I S (t, r), characterizing a current segregation status of the sample using waves radiated with intensity values I o (t, r) as a function of a position r within the sample at a time t, for one or more wavelengths over at least a partial section of the sample, simultaneously for multiple positions r, wherein the repeated determination of momentary transmission values I T (t, r), and optionally scattering values I S (t, r), is conducted with the measurement device; (b) calculating extinction profiles E T (t, r) by finding a log of a ratio of I o (t, r)/I T (t, r) for a determination of a particle or droplet concentration for the dispersion sample as a function of the sample position and time; (c) from the extinction profiles E T (t, r) determined at different times and a local adjustment made in time segments, calculating segregation speeds for any constant extinction values; and (d) from a ratio of the segregation speeds determined for specific extinction percentiles, calculating a polydispersity index.