GB2191293A

GB2191293A - Induction conductivity sensor

Info

Publication number: GB2191293A
Application number: GB08711173A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Francis Tsutomu Ogawa; Jr George Jurgen Eilers; Michael Randolph Manes; Donn Douglas Lobdell; Terry Dean Boucher
Original assignee: Cobe Laboratories Inc
Current assignee: Terumo BCT Inc
Priority date: 1986-05-30
Filing date: 1987-05-12
Publication date: 1987-12-09
Anticipated expiration: 2007-05-12
Also published as: FR2599515B1; GB2226141B; GB8928473D0; FR2599515A1; JPS631961A; JPH076947B2; DE3718111A1; DE3718111C2; GB2226141A; GB2191293B; GB8711173D0

Description

GB 2 191 293A 1

SPECIFICATION

Remote conductivity sensor The invention relates to remotely sensing conductivity of fluid flowing in a conduit, and in 5 particular to sensing conductivity of dialysate in a dialysate preparation and supply machine.

Conductivity of dialysate in a dialysate preparation and supply machine is typically measured by sensors that are immersed in the dialysate in a conduit and are subject to long term drift, owing to formation of film and precipitates on the electrodes, and to other shortcomings.

Electrodeless conductivity sensors, e.g., those available from Great Lakes Instruments, Inc., 10 Milwaukee, Wisconsin, have been used in water quality and process control. In one of these sensors, the conductivity of fluid flowing in a fluid flow conduit is remotely measured by providing a fluid loop connected to the conduit and two transformers coupled with the loop, inducing an electrical current in the fluid loop with one transformer, measuring the current induced in the other transformer by the current in the fluid loop, and determining the conductiv- 15 ity in the liquid using resistance, current and voltage relationships.

We describe below the provision of reduced leakage coupling between the excitation and sensing transformers of a two-transformer/fluid-loop remote conductivity sensor by using coplanar toroidal ferrite cores in excitation and sensing transformers.

The invention accordingly provides, in a first aspect thereof, a cell for remotely sensing 20 conductivity of a fluid passing through it, said cell comprising:

fluid flow path means for defining a fluid flow path in said cell, said means having an inlet and an outlet and two fluid paths between the two, thereby defining a fluid loop; an excitation transformer comprising a first toroidal core having a hole through it and wire turns around it, said core encompassing a portion of said fluid flow path means and said fluid 25 loop therein; and a sensing transformer comprising a second toroidal core having a hole through it and wire turns around it, said core encompassing a portion of said fluid flow path means and said fluid loop therein; the plane of symmetry of said second toroidal core that is perpendicular to the axis of its hole 30 being coplanar with the plane of symmetry of said first toroidal core that is perpendicular to the axis of its hole, to thereby reduce leakage coupling between said transformers.

In preferred embodiments a desirably low fluid loop length to fluid crosssectional area ratio is provided by a fluid flow conduit having two circular portions that pass through the two toroidal magnets and are connected to each other by first and second connecting portions, the inner 35 diameters of the toroidal magnets and wire turns around them being approximately equal to the outer diameters of the circular conduit portions, the connecting conduit portions being approxi mately equal in length to the diameters of the toroidal magnets and wire turns around them; the connecting portions extend in a straight line beyond the circular conduit portions to the inlet and the outlet to avoid corners at which bubbles could collect; and the connecting portions have 40 opposing flat outer surfaces for holding the toroidal transformers in place.

We also describe below how to simply and inexpensively drive the excitation transformer of a two-transformer/fluid-loop remote conductivity sensor with a square wave excitation signal pro vided by a digital timer and a flip-flop.

The invention accordingly provides, in a second and alternative aspect thereof, apparatus for 45 remotely sensing conductivity of a fluid passing through it, said apparatus comprising:

a cell including means for defining a fluid flow path having a fluid loop and excitation and sensing transformers each having a core encompassing a portion of said fluid loop; and a digital timer and a flip-flop connected to provide a square wave excitation signal to said excitation transformer. 50 In preferred embodiments the excitation transformer is bifilar wound and connected to both the true and complement outputs of the flip-flop; there are a current to voltage converter, AC amplifier, and synchronous detector connected to the sensing transformer; and there are addi tional turns about the transformers for use in calibrating the sensor.

In a third and yet alternative aspect thereof, the present invention provides dialysate prepara- 55 tion and supply apparatus comprising:

a dialysate supply line; fluid flow path means for defining a fluid flow path in said supply line, said means having an inlet and an outlet and two fluid paths between the two, thereby defining a fluid loop; an excitation transformer comprising a first core having a hole through it and wire turns around 60 it, said core encompassing a portion of said fluid flow path means and said fluid loop therein; and a sensing transformer comprising a second core having a hole through it and wire turns around it, said core encompassing a portion of said fluid flow path means and said fluid loop therein. 65 2 GB2191293A 2 Other advantages and features of the invention will be apparent from the following description of the preferred embodiment thereof.

The drawings will be described first.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a conductivity cell according to the invention.

Figure 2 is a plan view, partially in section, of the Fig. 1 cell. 5 Figure 3 is an elevation of the Fig. 1 cell.

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view, taken at 4-4 of Fig. 2, of the Fig. 1 cell.

Figure 5 is a diagrammatic exploded sectional view of the Fig. 1 cell.

Figure 6 is an electrical schematic of the electrical components of the excitation and sensing circuitry connected to the Fig. 1 cell. 10 Referring to Figs. 1-5, there is shown conductivity cell 10, including plastic fluid flow conduit 12, excitation transformer 14 and sensing transformer 16. Excitation transformer 14 and sensing transformer 16 each include a toroidal core 18 and wires 20 wrapped around the core. Cell 10 is mounted in the dialysate flow path of a dialysate preparation and supply machine of the general type described in U.S. Patent No. 4,371,385, which is hereby incorporated by reference, 15 at a position along the dialysate supply conduit downstream of the mixing of concentrate with water and is connected to a processor to control the addition of concentrate to water.

Channel 12 has inlet 22, outlet 24, circular conduit portions 26, 28 (through transformers 14, 16) and connecting portions 30, 32 between them. In line with connecting portion 30 and extending beyond circular conduit portion 26 to inlet 22 is extension 31. In line with connecting 20 portion 32 and extending beyond circular conduit portion 28 to outlet 24 is extension 35.

Connecting portions 30, 32 have flat outer surfaces and circular inner surfaces 33 defining fluid flow channels therein (Fig. 4). As seen best in Fig. 4, the outer diameter of the circular conduit portion 26 is close in size to the inner diameter of toroidal core 18 and the wire turns on it, resulting in the largest practical cross-sectional area for the fluid flow path permitted by the 25 dimensions of the cores. Also, the height of circular conduit portion is only slightly more than the thickness of toroidal core 18 and the wire turns on it, and there is a small distance between transformers 14, 16 (thus the length of the connecting portions between circular conduit por tions is only slightly more than the diameter of the toroidal cores and the wire turns on them).

These two factors provide a low value for the ratio of the length of fluid flow loop 38 (dashed 30 line in Fig. 3) provided by connecting portions 30, 32 and circular portions 26, 28 to the cross sectional area of the flow path, which in turn provides good sensitivity. While the transformers could be physically brought slightly closer together, to the point that the turns on one core overlap those on the other core and even contact the other core, this is not done, because it would tend to increase the likelihood of a leakage coupling between the transformers. 35 As is seen in Fig. 5, channel 12 is made of two identical pieces 34, 36, which are solvent bonded together after inserting transformers 14, 16 between them.

Referring to Fig. 6, there is shown the electronic circuitry providing excitation signals to excitation transformer 14 and receiving the signal relating to fluid conductivity from sensing transformer 16. Transformer 14 is connected to receive a 10 KHz square wave excitation signal 40 on the left side of the schematic from oscillator 39 and driver 40. On the right side, sensing transformer 16 is connected to current-to-voltage converter 42, AC amplifier 44, synchronous detector 46, and filter/buffer 48, including, respectively, amplifiers 58, 60, 62, 64 (LF347).

Oscillator 39 includes timer 41 (7555) and flip-flop 42 (74HC74). Both the true and comple ment outputs of flip-flop 43 are connected to driver interface 45 (75451), the true and comple- 45 ment outputs of which are connected to transformer 14. The true output (Q) of flip-flop 43 is also connected by line 50 to synchronous detector 46.

Excitation transformer 14 is a bifilar wound transformer having 43 turns. Sensing transformer 16 has 89 turns. Both excitation transformer 14 and sensing transformer 16 each also have wrapped around them single wire turns 52, 54, connected to calibration pins 56, for connection 50 to a resistor for use in calibrating the apparatus. The values or numbers of the remaining components on Fig. 6 are as follows:

3 GB2191293A 3 Component Value or Number Capacitors C8 0.0056 C10 0.001 5 Cl, C2, C5, C6, C13, C14, C15 0.1 Capacitors C9 0.47 C12, C16 1.0 C3, C4, C7 10.0 10 C11 10.Opf Resistors F16 13.0 R13 100.0 R10 0.28K 15 R7, Rl 1 2.4K R4 10.2K Resistors, cont.

R9, R12 14.OK Rl, R2 23.7K 20 F18 28.OK R3 49.9K R14 1 00.OK R5 274.OK Transistor Q1 2N3904 25 In operation, dialysate flows into inlet 22 through loop 38-and out outlet 24, filling up the entire fluid flow path between inlet 22 and outlet 24 and providing a fluid loop coupled with transformers 14, 16. Because cell 10 is mounted so that the flow paths through connecting portions 30, 32 make a 45' angle with respect to the horizontal, there are no corners at which 30 air bubbles (which would distort measurements) could be trapped; thus, any air bubbles are displaced.

Oscillator 39 provides a 10 KHz square wave applied by driver 40 to excitation transformer 14. A square wave is advantageous because it can be simply generated from inexpensive components providing a constant amplitude, which need not be controlled, as with sinusoidal 35 waves. Driver 40 increases the voltage of the square wave received from oscillator 39 from the volt logic level to 12 volts.

Excitation transformer 14 induces an electrical current in fluid loop 38, which current is then sensed by sensing transformer 16. The current induced in transformer 16 is proportional to the conductivity of liquid in loop 38. 40 Transformer 16 is capacitively coupled by capacitor C9 to amplifier 58, so that the DC offset is blocked and only the alternating signal is amplified. The output of amplifier 58 is a voltage that is proportional to the conductivity of the liquid in loop 38. Capacitor C12 is used to block the DC offset so that amplifier 60 only amplifies the AC voltage.

Synchronous detector 46 converts the AC voltage from amplifier 44 to a DC voltage output, 45 eliminating extraneous frequencies. When transistor Ql, driven by flip- flop 43, is turned on, it acts as a short to ground, and amplifier 62 operates as an inverting amplifier with a gain of -1; at this time the output of AC amplifier 44 is negative, resulting in a positive output from synchronous detector 46. When transistor Q1 is turned off, it acts as an open circuit, and amplifier 62 has a gain of +1; at this time, the output of AC amplifier 44 is positive, resulting 50 again in a positive output from synchronous detector 46.

The output of synchronous detector 46 charges capacitor C16 through resistor R14. If there are frequencies other than 10 KHz, over a long period the negative and positive components average out; only the signal at the 10 KHz frequency consistently charges capacitor C16, and is passed through amplifier 64 of filter/buffer 48. The output of filter/buffer 48 is a DC voltage 55 proportional to conductivity; it is converted through an A/D converter to a digital signal by a digital processor (both not shown) used to control a dialysate preparation and supply machine of the general type described in U.S. Patent No. 4,371,385, The circuitry of Fig. 6 can be calibrated by placing a resistor of known value between pins 56, draining the liquid from loop 38 (so that transformers 14, 16 are only coupled through single 60 turns 52, 54) and comparing the output of filter/buffer 48 with the known resistance of the resistor.

Claims

1. A cell for remotely sensing conductivity of a fluid passing through it, said cell comprising: 65 4 GB2191293A 4 fluid flow path means for defining a fluid flow path in said cell, said means having an inlet and an outlet and two fluid paths between the two, thereby defining a fluid loop; an excitation transformer comprising a first toroidal core having a hole through it and wire turns around it, said core encompassing a portion of said fluid flow path means and said fluid loop therein; and 5 a sensing transformer comprising a second toroidal core having a hole through it and wire turns around it, said core encompassing a portion of said fluid flow path means and said fluid loop therein; the plane of symmetry of said second toroidal core that is perpendicular to the axis of its hole being coplanar with the plane of symmetry of said first toroidal core that is perpendicular to the 10 axis of its hole, to thereby reduce leakage coupling between said transformers.

2. The cell of claim 1, wherein said fluid flow path means comprises two circular conduit portions of a first length and two connecting portions between the ends of said circular conduit portions of a second length measured between the centres of said two circular conduit portions, the outer diameter of each 15 said conduit portion being approximately equal to the inner diameter of a said core and said wire turns on it, said first length being approximately equal to the thickness of a said core and said wire turns on it, said second length being approximately equal to the outer diameter of a said core and said wire turns on it.

3. The cell of claim 2, wherein said connecting portions define circular fluid flow passages 20 therein and have flat surfaces that face each other to restrain portions of said toroidal cores between them.

4. The cell of claims 2 or 3, wherein said fluid flow path means is made of identical portions, each said portion having a said connecting portion and half of each of said circular conduit portions. 25

5. The cell of any of claims 2, 3 or 4, wherein there is a first extension in line with one said connecting portion and extending beyond an entrance to one said circular conduit to said inlet, and wherein there is a second extension in line with the other said connecting portion and extending in the other direction beyond an entrance to the other said circular conduit to the outlet, the fluid flow paths in said connecting portions and respective extensions being uninter- 30 rupted so as to avoid trapping bubbles when mounted at an inclined angle with respect to the horizontal.

6. Dialysate preparation and supply apparatus comprising: a dialysate supply line; fluid flow path means having an inlet and an outlet and defining two fluid paths between the two, said fluid paths being defined by two conduit portions of a first length and a generally circular cross40 section and two connecting portions between the ends of said circular conduit portions of a second length measured between the centres of said two circular conduit portions, thereby defining a fluid loop, and the connecting portions being coupled to the inlet and outlet; an excitation transformer comprising a first core having a hole through it and wire turns around it, said core encompassing one said circular conduit portion; and a sensing transformer comprising 45 a second core having a hole through it and wire turns around it, said core encompassing the other said circular conduit portion; the outer diameter of each said circular conduit portion being approximately equal to the inner diameter of a said core and said wire turns on it, said first length being approximately equal to the thickness of a said core and said wire turns on it, and said second length being approximately equal to the outer diameter of a said core and said wire 50 turns on it.

Printed for Her Majesty's Stationery Office by Burgess & Son (Abingdon) Ltd, Dd 8991685, 1987.

Published at The Patent Office, 25 Southampton Buildings, London, WC2A 1 AY, from which copies may be obtained.

6. Apparatus for remotely sensing conductivity of a fluid passing through it, said apparatus comprising:

a cell including means for defining a fluid flow path having a fluid loop and excitation and 35 sensing transformers each having a core encompassing a portion of said fluid loop; and a digital timer and a flip-flop connected to provide a square wave excitation signal to said excitation transformer.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein said excitation transformer is bifilar wound and is connected to both the true and complement outputs of said flip-flop. 40 8. The apparatus of claim 6 or 7, further comprising a current-to-voltage converter connected to said sensing tranformer.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, further comprising an AC amplifier connected to said current-to voltage converter.

10. The apparatus of any of claims 6 to 9 further comprising a turn about said excitation 45 transformer and a turn about said sensing transformer for use in calibrating said apparatus.

11. The apparatus of claim 9 further comprising a synchronous detector connected to said digital timer and to said AC amplifier, said detector providing a DC voltage output.

12. Dialysate preparation and supply apparatus comprising:

a dialysate supply line; 50 fluid flow path means for defining a fluid flow path in said supply line, said means having an inlet and an outlet and two fluid paths between the two, thereby defining a fluid loop; an excitation transformer comprising a first core having a hole through it and wire turns around it, said core encompassing a portion of said fluid flow path means and said fluid loop therein; and 55 a sensing transformer comprising a second core having a hole through it and wire turns around it, said core encompassing a portion of said fluid flow path means and said fluid loop therein.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein said first and second cores are toroidal.

14. For remotely sensing conductivity of a fluid passing through it, a cell substantially as 60 hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.

15. Apparatus, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings, for remotely sensing conductivity of a fluid passing through it.

16. Dialysate preparation and supply apparatus substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings. 65 GB2191293A 5 CLAIMS Amendments to the claims have been filed, and have the following effect:

Claims 1 to 5, 12, and 15 above have been deleted or textually amended.

New or textually amended claims have been filed as follows:- 5 Claims 6 to 11, 13, 14 and 16 above have been re-numbered as 9 to 14, 7, 5, and 8 and their appendancies corrected.

1. A cell for remotely sensing conductivity of a fluid passing through it, said cell comprising:

fluid flow path means having an inlet and an outlet and defining two fluid flow paths between the two, said fluid paths being defined by two conduit portions of a first length and a generally 10 circular cross-section and two connecting portions between the ends of said circular conduit portions of a second length measured between the centres of said two circular conduit portions, thereby forming a fluid loop, and the connecting portions being coupled to the inlet and outlet; an excitation transformer comprising a first toroidal core having a hole through it and wire turns around it, said core encompassing one said circular conduit portion; and a sensing transformer 15 comprising a second toroidal core having a hole through it and wire turns around it, said core encompassing the other said circular conduit portion; the plane of symmetry of said second toroidal core that is perpendicular to the axis of its hole being coplanar with the plane of symmetry of said first toroidal core that is perpendicular to the axis of its hole, to thereby reduce leakage coupling between said transformers, the outer diameter of each said circular 20 conduit portion being approximately equal to the inner diameter of a said core and said wire turns on it, said first length being approximately equal to the thickness of a said core and said wire turns on it, and said second length being approximately equal to the outer diameter of a said core and said wire turns on it.

2. A cell according to Claim 1, wherein said connecting portions define generally circular 25 cross-section fluid flow passages therein and have flat surfaces that face each other to restrain portions of said toroidal cores between them.

3. A cell according to Claims 1 or 2, wherein said fluid flow path means is made of two identical portions, each said portion having a said connecting portion and half of each of said circular conduit portions. 30 4. A cell according to any of Claims 1, 2 or 3, wherein there is a first extension in line with one said connecting portion and extending beyond an entrance to one said circular conduit to provide the coupling to the said inlet, and wherein there is a second extension in line with the other said connecting portion and extending in the other direction beyond an entrance to the other said circular conduit to provide the coupling to the said outlet, the fluid flow paths in said 35 connecting portions and respective extensions being uninterrupted so as to avoid trapping bubbles when mounted at an inclined angle with respect to the horizontal.