WO2022064012A1 - Operation monitoring of in-situ fluidic analytical systems - Google Patents

Operation monitoring of in-situ fluidic analytical systems Download PDF

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WO2022064012A1
WO2022064012A1 PCT/EP2021/076413 EP2021076413W WO2022064012A1 WO 2022064012 A1 WO2022064012 A1 WO 2022064012A1 EP 2021076413 W EP2021076413 W EP 2021076413W WO 2022064012 A1 WO2022064012 A1 WO 2022064012A1
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fluid analysis
fluid
analysis apparatus
component
monitoring system
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French (fr)
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Patrick Roche
Eoin MURRAY
Colm CRAVEN
Peter SUNJKA
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Aquamonitrix Limited
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    • G—PHYSICS
    • G05—CONTROLLING; REGULATING
    • G05B—CONTROL OR REGULATING SYSTEMS IN GENERAL; FUNCTIONAL ELEMENTS OF SUCH SYSTEMS; MONITORING OR TESTING ARRANGEMENTS FOR SUCH SYSTEMS OR ELEMENTS
    • G05B23/00—Testing or monitoring of control systems or parts thereof
    • G05B23/02—Electric testing or monitoring
    • G05B23/0205—Electric testing or monitoring by means of a monitoring system capable of detecting and responding to faults
    • G05B23/0259—Electric testing or monitoring by means of a monitoring system capable of detecting and responding to faults characterized by the response to fault detection
    • G05B23/0283—Predictive maintenance, e.g. involving the monitoring of a system and, based on the monitoring results, taking decisions on the maintenance schedule of the monitored system; Estimating remaining useful life [RUL]
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
    • G06Q—INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
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    • G06Q10/20—Administration of product repair or maintenance
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
    • G06Q—INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
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    • G06Q10/087—Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
    • G07C—TIME OR ATTENDANCE REGISTERS; REGISTERING OR INDICATING THE WORKING OF MACHINES; GENERATING RANDOM NUMBERS; VOTING OR LOTTERY APPARATUS; ARRANGEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS FOR CHECKING NOT PROVIDED FOR ELSEWHERE
    • G07C3/00—Registering or indicating the condition or the working of machines or other apparatus, other than vehicles
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G05—CONTROLLING; REGULATING
    • G05B—CONTROL OR REGULATING SYSTEMS IN GENERAL; FUNCTIONAL ELEMENTS OF SUCH SYSTEMS; MONITORING OR TESTING ARRANGEMENTS FOR SUCH SYSTEMS OR ELEMENTS
    • G05B2219/00—Program-control systems
    • G05B2219/30—Nc systems
    • G05B2219/32—Operator till task planning
    • G05B2219/32287—Medical, chemical, biological laboratory
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G05—CONTROLLING; REGULATING
    • G05B—CONTROL OR REGULATING SYSTEMS IN GENERAL; FUNCTIONAL ELEMENTS OF SUCH SYSTEMS; MONITORING OR TESTING ARRANGEMENTS FOR SUCH SYSTEMS OR ELEMENTS
    • G05B2219/00—Program-control systems
    • G05B2219/30—Nc systems
    • G05B2219/34—Director, elements to supervisory
    • G05B2219/34477—Fault prediction, analyzing signal trends
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G05—CONTROLLING; REGULATING
    • G05B—CONTROL OR REGULATING SYSTEMS IN GENERAL; FUNCTIONAL ELEMENTS OF SUCH SYSTEMS; MONITORING OR TESTING ARRANGEMENTS FOR SUCH SYSTEMS OR ELEMENTS
    • G05B2219/00—Program-control systems
    • G05B2219/30—Nc systems
    • G05B2219/37—Measurements
    • G05B2219/37252—Life of tool, service life, decay, wear estimation
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G05—CONTROLLING; REGULATING
    • G05B—CONTROL OR REGULATING SYSTEMS IN GENERAL; FUNCTIONAL ELEMENTS OF SUCH SYSTEMS; MONITORING OR TESTING ARRANGEMENTS FOR SUCH SYSTEMS OR ELEMENTS
    • G05B2219/00—Program-control systems
    • G05B2219/30—Nc systems
    • G05B2219/45—Nc applications
    • G05B2219/45169—Medical, rontgen, x ray

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Abstract

The present invention relates to a system and a method for dynamically scheduling maintenance operations based on real time performance data collected from individual components of an in-situ fluid analysis system. Furthermore, the monitoring system of the present invention is configured to dynamically adjust the operation of components of the fluid analysis apparatus in order to prolong the usability/lifespan of the corresponding components or deployment time of the fluid analysis apparatus in the field, based on the real-time performance data. The monitoring system of the present invention comprises a processing unit which is configured to receive and process data generated from an operation monitoring unit and a sensor unit within the fluidic analyser. Data is generated from a set of monitored components of the fluid analysis apparatus which is used to determine corresponding operational performance values. The processing unit, by means of a prognostic module, is configured to determine a remaining number of operational cycles for each monitored component for the corresponding fluid analysis apparatus; which is communicated to at least one or more remote electronic devices.

Description

Title
Operation monitoring of in-situ fluidic analytical systems
Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to systems and methods for monitoring the operation of one or more fluid analysis apparatuses. More specifically, the present invention relates to a system and a method for dynamically scheduling maintenance operations based on real time performance data collected from individual components of an in-situ fluid analysis system.
Background
Currently, detection of analytes in a fluid, such as water, predominantly takes place on a manual basis. Fluid samples are collected and transported to centralised facilities for analysis, in a process referred to as grab sampling. Grab sampling in combination with the standard chemical analysis provided with standard bench-top analytical instruments is expensive, time-consuming and yields poor spatial and temporal data. To overcome these problems, deployable sensors and in-situ analysers capable of providing continuous or semi-continuous observations of analytes in fluid samples and achieving high frequency and spatial data have been developed.
For example, WO2019228686 describes a portable system for performing in-situ analysis of fluid samples.
To ensure the continuous operation of deployable sensors and in-situ analysers, such as the one discussed in WO2019228688, scheduled maintenance is performed periodically to recondition or replace system components. This periodic maintenance is usually dictated by the lifespan of the components, which is determined under test conditions in a lab and/or by the manufacturer of the components. For example, each component may be associated with a maximum number of operational cycles before their performance starts drifting below their specified parameters. Current maintenance approaches are based on a preventative model, where components are reconditioned or replaced well before they reach the maximum number of cycles. However, following the preventative maintenance model components may often be replaced prematurely before they reach their corresponding operational thresholds. Similarly, the preventative maintenance model cannot account for components that may fail prematurely leading to poor analytical performance or unscheduled downtime.
The existing scheduled maintenance model for the in-situ analyser is not optimal as often these systems are in very remote locations and in varying environments. Maintenance is either performed too early or too late which in turn increases costs to the user and to the system manufacturer.
Therefore, there is a need for providing a solution that is capable of dynamically scheduling maintenance operations based on real time performance data collected from the individual components of an in-situ fluid analysis equipment.
Summary
The aim of the present invention is to provide a system and method monitoring the operation of components of an in-situ fluid analysis apparatus to facilitate the dynamic scheduling of maintenance operations.
Another aim of the present invention is to provide a diagnostic network to enable registered users to remotely monitor the operation of in-situ fluidic analysers and accordingly take appropriate actions.
According to a first aspect of the present invention, a monitoring system is provided for monitoring the operation and performance of one or more fluid analysis apparatuses, each configured for analysing fluid samples for the detection and measurement of chemical analytes. The monitoring system comprising an operation monitoring unit configured to monitor the operation of each fluid analysis apparatus, and accordingly maintain a record indicating a number of completed operating cycles over a period of time, each completed operating cycle being associated with the successful analysis of a fluid sample; a sensor unit configured to monitor a set of parameters associated with a set of components of each fluid analysis apparatus; and a processing unit configured to control the operation of each fluid analysis apparatus so that the fluid sample analysis is performed at desired time frames; wherein for each fluid analysis apparatus, the processing unit is configured to receive and process the data generated from the operation monitoring unit and the sensor unit to determine for each of the corresponding monitored components an operational performance value, the processing unit comprising a prognostic module configured to compare the operational performance values of the monitored components with corresponding threshold values, and accordingly determine a remaining number of operational cycles for each monitored component for the corresponding fluid analysis apparatus; and wherein the processing unit is configured to communicate the remaining operational cycles determined for each component to at least one or more remote electronic devices.
As such, with the monitoring device of the present invention real-time data associated with the operation and performance of components of a fluid analysis apparatus may be provided to enhance the scheduling of maintenance operations. Contrary to the existing solution, the monitoring device offers a means for early detection of problems and changes to the performance of individual components. Accordingly, a set of actions may be initiated to ensure the continuous operation of the in-situ fluid analyser. Therefore, with the monitoring device of the present invention an array of data may be collected from the fluid analysis apparatus that can facilitate the dynamic scheduling of maintenance operations. For example, the monitoring device may be provided with a prognostic module, which is configured to determine the remaining life span of a component e.g. in terms of remaining number of operational cycles. The remaining life of each component may trigger a number of actions to facilitate the correct operation of the fluid analysis apparatus. For example, if the remaining life of a component is within a value range from a threshold level, the operation of the corresponding fluid apparatus may be adapted accordingly e.g. longer time frames between successive measurements, suspend operation, and the like.
According to embodiments of the present invention, when the operational performance value of a component is within a predetermined value range from the corresponding threshold value, the processing unit is configured to issue a maintenance notification to the one or more electronic devices.
The monitoring device is configured to issue alerts when the operational performance value of a component is within a range value from a corresponding threshold. For example, when the operational performance of a component is near the threshold value, an alert may be issued to an electronic device of a user. As such, actions may be initiated for the maintenance of the component before failure occurs and thus enhancing the operation of the fluid analysis apparatus. The actions may be initiated automatically, based on the remaining life of a component, and/or by the user
According to embodiments of the present invention, the processing unit is configured, based on the issuance of the maintenance notification, to adjust the operation of the corresponding fluid apparatus by extending the time frame between successive analyses of fluid samples.
According to embodiments of the present invention, the processing unit is configured, based on the issuance of the maintenance notification, to adjust the operation of one or more components of the corresponding fluid analysis apparatus so as to prolong the deployment time of the fluid analysis apparatus between maintenance intervals.
As such, the monitoring unit of the present invention is capable of adjusting the operation of the in-situ fluid analysis apparatus to extend its operation. For example, based on the number of remaining operational cycles determined for the monitoring components of a fluid analysis apparatus, the monitoring unit may adjust the time frame between successive analyses of fluid samples. Other measures may also be taken, such as switching the operation of a back-up component. For example, in the case that the eluent used in the analysis of the fluid sample becomes low, the processing unit may decide to switch to a back-up source of eluent thereby extending the operation of the fluid analysis apparatus. Similarly, in the case of a battery- operated fluid analysis apparatus, the processing unit may switch to a back-up battery device when the performance of the main battery reaches a predetermined level. Similar procedures may be adopted for the remaining components of the fluid analysis apparatus. Furthermore, the monitoring system would have the ability to make alterations in the operation of components of a fluid analysis apparatus in order to prolong the usability/lifespan of the corresponding components or deployment time of the fluid analysis apparatus in the field. For example, in the case that back pressure increases over time, the monitoring system at a certain point may send a control command to the corresponding fluid analysis apparatus to adjust the operation of the component by reducing flow rate to allow for eluent pumps to last longer. In another example, if ambient temperature reaches a predetermined threshold point the pump flow rate may be decreased to account for higher column back pressures.
According to embodiments of the present invention, the prognostic module is configured to determine the remaining operational cycles for each component by associating the performance value of each component with a corresponding number of completed operational cycles, and subtracting the number of the determined completed operational cycles from a maximum number of operational cycles associated with each component. For example, the number of completed operational cycles may be determined based on a look-up table.
The prognostic module may be part of the processing unit or may be in the form of separate component that may be coupled to the processing unit. The prognostic module may determine based on the parameter values monitored by the sensor unit, a performance value for each component and accordingly associate the performance value with a number of completed operational cycles. For example, an association look-up table may be created for each component containing for different performance values the corresponding operational cycles. The association look-up- table may be built based on data collected during testing the equipment prior to deployment. The look-up table may be calibrated periodically, based on data collected during operation e.g. from the parameters monitored by the sensor module.
According to embodiments of the present invention, the value of at least one of the parameters monitored by the sensor unit is derived from features extracted from a chromatogram generated from a fluid analysis apparatus during analysis of a fluid sample.
According to embodiments of the present invention, the chromatogram features are associated with the performance of one or more components.
According to embodiments, the chromatogram features extracted by the sensor unit are selected from a group comprising peak retention times, injection peak height, retention time, baseline drift and elution time.
The sensor unit of the monitoring device may be configured to monitor a range of parameters associated with one or more components. For example, the sensor unit may comprise a range for sensors that are configured to measure specific parameters associated with one or more components and/or the operating environment e.g. syringe pressure, eluent volume, temperature, humidity, operating current for the cell detection, and the like. Furthermore, the sensor unit may be configured to derive a set of parameters from the chromatograph generated during the analysis of a fluid sample. For example, the sensor unit may extract a set of features from the chromatographs such as peak retention times, injection peak height, retention time, and baseline drift. Furthermore, the sensor unit may monitor changes in the relationship between the extracted features, which may indicate wear or reduced efficiency of components. The extracted features may be associated with one or more components. For example, the injection peak amplitude, or injection peak area, may indicate if sample is being drawn into the sample loop. As such, a decreasing injection peak area may indicate a reduction in the amount of sample being introduced. The extraction of features from the chromatograph greatly increases the number of parameters that may be monitored and further improves the accuracy of determining the remaining lifespan for each component. For example, the number of remaining operation cycles determined by the prognosis module for each component may be the result of a combination of different values derived from different sets of data. For example, the prognostic module may be configured to generate for each component a number of estimations of the remaining operational cycles, which are processed to generate the final number of remaining operational cycles. For example, each of the estimation of the remaining operational cycles may be based on different set of data, which may be obtained from the sensor unit e.g. the set of parameters, and/or the operational monitoring unit.
According to embodiments of the present invention, the processing unit comprises a diagnostic module configured to periodically test the operation of each monitored component by performing a series of diagnostic tests.
The diagnostic module is configured to test the operation of each monitored component, and as such it is possible to detect at an early stage problems or changes in the performance of the components. For example, the diagnostic module may be configured to test the device at predetermines time interval e.g. time intervals set by a user, or at predetermined moments e.g. during initialisation of the fluid analysis apparatus. The diagnostic module may provide information on the state of each component based on information collected from the sensor unit e.g. based on the values of the set of parameters monitored by the sensor unit.
According to embodiments of the present invention, the processing unit is configured to issue notifications to the one or more communicatively coupled electronic devices indicating the operational state of each component based on the operational performance value derived for each component during the diagnostic tests.
As such the state of each component may be monitored to ensure the correct operation of the fluid analysis apparatus. The operational state of each component may be communicated to one or more electronic devices associated with one or more users. As such, the user is regularly informed on the status of each monitored fluid analysis apparatus.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, diagnostic network for monitoring the operation of one or more communicatively coupled fluid analysis apparatuses, the diagnostic network comprising: at least one monitoring system according to embodiments of the first aspect; one or more fluid analysis apparatuses, each configured to analyse a fluid sample at a specified geographical location, each fluid analysis apparatus being configured to transmit data at least associated with the analysis of the fluid sample and/or the component; and one or more user electronic devices wherein the monitoring system comprises a diagnostic computer application configured to display, in a predetermined format, via a Graphic User Interface, GUI, the data transmitted by each fluid analysis apparatus and corresponding component data transmitted from the monitoring device.
According to embodiments of the present invention, the diagnostic computer application is configured to display on the GUI a set of user-selectable options for initiating one or more actions in response to a notification received from a monitoring device.
According to embodiments of the present invention, the selectable options comprise the issuance of a maintenance notification to a component maintenance server for initiating a predetermined maintenance procedure for a fluid apparatus. According to embodiments of the present invention, the selectable options comprise the issuance of an operation adjustment notification to the one of fluid analysis apparatuses for adjusting their operation so as to extend the time frame between successive analyses of fluid sample.
According to embodiments of the present invention, each fluid analysis apparatus is configured, upon receiving an operation adjustment notification, to adjust their corresponding operation based on the time frame indicated in the notification.
According to embodiments of the present invention, the GUI is configured to display a graphical representation of the status of each fluid analysis apparatus and corresponding components.
According to embodiments of the present invention, the diagnostic computer application is configured to issue alerts to registered users indicating the failure or imminent failure of a component, the notification being issued based on the remaining operational cycles of the component being within a range value from a predetermined threshold value.
The diagnostic network enables the remote monitoring and controlling of connected fluid analysis apparatuses. The monitoring system may be running on a cloud computing environment and is configured to communicate with fluid analysis apparatus deployed at different location over a communication network. The fluid analysis apparatuses are configured to transmit data to the monitoring system, where the transmitted data is processed by a diagnostic computer application running on a processing unit. The diagnostic computer application is configured to display the processed data received from each fluid analysis apparatus to a GUI. The GUI is configured to arrange the data in accordance with a predetermined format. As such, the user may quickly access the operational performance data of each fluid analysis apparatus, and results from the analysis of fluid samples. The user may further initiate a set of actions by selected one or more options from a selectable menu. For example, a user may issue a maintenance notification for one or more components to a maintenance server that may be configured for scheduling the maintenance of the components. Furthermore, the user may select to adjust the operation of the fluid analysis apparatuses so as to extend their operation between maintenance. For example, the user may adjust the time frame between successive measurements or bring into operation back-up components. For example, the user may bring into service a back-up battery or a back-up supply of eluent to support the operation of the fluid analysis apparatus. The diagnostic computer application may be programmed so that certain actions are trigger automatically and without the user assistance. The GUI may further provide a graphical representation of different parameters of each fluid analysis apparatus, such as the geographical location, the status of each component over time, and the like. The monitoring system may further be configured to issue alert notifications to a user electronic device, indicating the failure or imminent failure of a component. For example, the user may be running on an electronic device e.g. phone, a software application via which the user may receive and respond to the alert notifications received from the monitoring system. Furthermore, the alert notification may be communicated to the user via other means, such as text, email, call, and the like.
According to a third aspect of the present invention, a method is provided for monitoring the operation of one or more fluid analysis apparatuses, each configured for analysing fluid samples for the detection and measurement of analytes. The method comprising: monitoring the operation of each fluid analysis apparatus to determine the number of completed operating cycles performed by each fluid analysis apparatus over a period of time, each operating cycle being associated with the successful analysis of a fluid sample; monitoring a set of parameters associated with a set of components of each fluid analysis apparatus; and receiving and processing the data generated from the operation monitoring unit and the sensor unit to determine for each of the corresponding monitored components an operational performance value, the processing module being configured for controlling the operation of a fluid analysis apparatus; comparing the operational performance values of the monitored components with corresponding threshold values to determine a remaining number of operational cycles for each monitored component for the corresponding fluid analysis apparatus; and communicating the remaining operational cycles determined for each component to at least one or more remote electronic devices.
List of Figures
Preferred embodiment of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
Figure 1 shows an exemplified diagnostic network for the monitoring of fluid apparatuses according to embodiments of the present invention.
Figure 2 shows an exemplified configuration of the fluid analysis apparatus according to embodiments of the present invention.
Figure 3 shows an exemplified configuration of a monitoring system according to embodiments of the present invention.
Figure 4 shows an exemplified method for monitoring the operation of a fluid analysis apparatus according to embodiments of the present invention.
Figures 5 to 10 show examples of the steps taken during the diagnostic processing according to embodiments of the present invention.
Figure 11 show an example of the steps taken during the prognostic processing according to embodiments of the present invention.
In the drawings like parts are denoted by like reference numerals.
Detailed Description
The present invention will be illustrated using the exemplified embodiments shown in figures 1 to 11 which will be described in more detail below. It should be noted that any references made to dimensions are only indicative and do not restrict the invention in any way. While this invention has been shown and described with reference to certain illustrated embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the scope of the invention encompassed by the appended claims. Furthermore, while the invention has been described with references to a particular system for monitoring the operation of fluid analysis apparatuses and to a corresponding diagnostic network, it should be understood by those skilled in the art that changes in the form and details may be made to facilitate other types of performance monitoring system without departing from the scope of the invention encompassed by the appended claims.
Figure 1 shows an example of a diagnostic network 500 according to embodiments of the present invention. As shown the diagnostic network 500 may be provided with a monitoring system 200, which is configured to monitor the operation of a plurality of fluid analysis apparatus 100. A plurality of registered users 300 may connect to the monitoring 200 to access performance information relating to fluid analysis apparatuses 100. For example, each registered user 300 may connect via their electronic device to the monitoring system 200 to monitor the operation of fluid analysis apparatuses 100 assigned to their corresponding user account.
Figure 2 shows an example of the configuration of a portable fluid analysis apparatus 100 as presented in WO2019228686. Each fluid analysis apparatus 100 connected to the monitoring system 200 may be configured for in-situ analysis of fluid samples from an aquatic environment e.g. rivers, lakes, sea, water reservoirs, and the like. The fluid analysis apparatuses 100 may be configured to analyse a fluid sample at user configurable time frames e.g. 2 times a week, to determine whether the analytes in the fluid samples are within the prescribed limits and accordingly transmit the results to the monitoring system 200 for processing. As shown in figure 2, each fluid analysis apparatus 100 may be provided with at least one pump module 130 coupled to an LED-based optical detection cell 160. The at least one pump module 130 is configured for delivering a fluid sample to an optical detection path of the LED-based optical detection cell 160, which is exposed to the light emitted from a LED of the optical detection cell 100 e.g. a UV-LED emitting light at 235nm wavelength. The light passing through the exposed fluid sample is collected by a light detector of the optical detection cell 160. A sample intake module 120 may be provided for collecting a fluid sample of a predetermined volume from an aquatic environment, e.g. lake, wastewater plants, rivers, and the like. A processing unit 150 may be provided for processing the at least one signal generated by the light detector, e.g. a UV-photodiode, so as to compute the levels of inorganic analytes in the fluid sample. The system 200 may be provided with a power source 240, e.g. a battery, solar panel operated battery and the like configured to provide the necessary power to each module of the fluid analysis apparatus 100. The sample intake system 120 may be provided with automated low-pressure syringes for pumping and fluid sample intake. For example, the pump module 130 may be provided with a pump configured for delivering eluent from an eluent source to a microinjection valve , the micro-injection valve being configured for supplying the fluid sample and the eluent to a guard column configured for separating the compounds in the fluid sample delivered to the optical detection cell 160. The guard column may be an anion exchange guard column (AG15) used for anion separation. The processing unit 150 may be provided for controlling the operation of the modules in the fluid analysis apparatus. Furthermore, a range of sensors may be deployed to determine different environmental and system parameters such as syringe back-pressure, eluent volume, leakage, current, temperature, humidity, and the like. The processing unit 150 is configured to process and transmit the data collected from the sensors and the optical detection cell 160 to the monitoring system 200 for further processing. For example, the portable fluid analysis apparatuses may be connected to the monitoring system via a mobile communication network for the transmission of data.
Figure 3 shows an exemplified configuration for the monitoring system 200 according to embodiments of the present invention. The monitoring system 200 may be running on a plurality of cloud servers, so that it is remotely accessible from the registered users. The monitoring system 200 may be provided with a monitoring system 210 for monitoring the operation of a plurality of fluid analysis apparatuses 100, an account management module 220 for managing user accounts and information associated with the fluid analysis apparatuses linked to each user account, one or more databases 230 for storing a data received and generated from different sources e.g. fluid analysis apparatuses, monitoring system 210, account management, a Graphic User Interface 240 (GUI) for interacting with the user e.g. by displaying information on fluid analysis apparatus, display notifications, receiving user input, and the like, and a diagnostic processing unit 250 for processing data transmitted by the fluid analysis apparatuses and controlling their operation. In general, the monitoring system 200 may be in the form of a distributed system run on different servers. The monitoring system 200 may be configured to control the operation of each of the connected fluid apparatus. For example, the diagnostic processing unit 250 may be configured to issue control operations to the processing unit 150 of each of the fluid analysis apparatuses. The control operations may be triggered automatically based on the operational performance of the components of each fluid analysis apparatus e.g. based on the remaining life of each components, and/or initiated based on user inputs via the GUI interface. The diagnostic processing unit 250 may be configured to analyse the data transmitted from the fluid analysis apparatuses 100. For example, the diagnostic processing unit 250 may be configured to generate chromatograph data for each fluid analysis performed by a fluid analysis apparatus 100. The chromatograph data for each fluid analysis apparatus 100, along with other information, may be stored in the database module 230. A computer application running on the diagnostic processing unit 250 may be configured to access the information stored in the database for display via the GUI 240 to the user 100. The GUI 240 may be configured to display the information associated with each fluid analysis apparatus in a predetermined format. The GUI 240 may be part of the computer application or may be running as a standalone module. For example, for each fluid analysis apparatus 100, the GUI 240 may display chromatographs generated over a period of time, values for the monitored analytes, any notification received with regards to the operation of the components, scheduled maintained, and the like. The user may access the monitoring system 200 via an electronic device. For example, the user 300 may access the diagnostic platform 200 via the internet e.g. using a log-in page of the monitoring system 200. The user may provide the necessary credential, which are checked by the account management module 220, to grant access to the user to his/her account. The user account may be linked with an array of information stored in the database module 230 e.g. information associated with the linked fluid analysis apparatuses 100, maintenance scheduling, and the like. The user 100 may further access his/her user account by running a mobile software application on the user’s electronic device e.g. phone, tablet, and the like. For example, via the mobile software application the user may be view the state of each fluid analysis apparatus 100, review the chromatographs generated, receive notification from the monitoring unit 210, and initiate actions.
The monitoring system 210 may be provided with an operation monitoring unit 211 configured to monitor the operation of each fluid analysis apparatus, and accordingly maintain a record indicating the number of successful analysis performed by the fluid analysis apparatus 200 over a period of time. For example, the processing unit 150 of each fluid analysis apparatus 100 may be configured to transmit an operation signal to the monitoring system 210 indicative of the fluid analysis apparatus 100 being operated for the analysis of a fluid sample. The operation signal may be processed by the operating monitoring unit 211 , which may be configured to count the number of times a successful analysis of a fluid sample was performed over a period of time. Each successful analysis being considered as full operating cycle. Each fluid analysis apparatus 200 may be associated with a maximum number of operating cycles, which may be determined based on a number of parameters such as the lifespan of the components, the volume of eluent, the battery capacity, and the like. The operating monitoring unit 211 may be configured to store to the database 230 the number of operating cycles performed by each fluid analysis apparatus 100. The monitoring unit may further be provided with a sensor unit 212 which is configured to monitor a set of parameters associated with a set of components of each fluid analysis apparatus 100. For example, each fluid analysis apparatus 100 may be provided with a number of sensors, each configured to monitor one or more parameters e.g. component specific parameters and/or environmental parameters. For example, the sensors deployed in a fluid analysis apparatus 100 may be configured to measure the volume of eluent, the volume of fluid injected by the syringes of the sample intake system 120, the current provided by the light source e.g. LED, of the optical detection cell 160, the back-pressure of the syringes, the voltage level of the battery, the temperature, the humidity, and the like. The processing unit 150 may be configured for collecting the data obtained from each sensor and accordingly transmit, via a communication network, to the monitoring unit 210, where it is processed by the sensor unit 212 to determine the values of each parameter in the set. The sensor unit 212 may be configured to process the chromatograph data generated from the diagnostic processing unit 250 to extract certain parameters such as peak retention times, injection peak height, retention time, baseline drift, and other parameters. The parameters extracted from the chromatograph may be indicative the performance of each associated component. For example, the extracted parameter may indicate wear or reduced efficiency of components.
Examples of other parameters that may be monitored may include:
- NO27NO3’ retention time ratios,
- Oscillation in chromatogram (detected by FFT) to indicate a z-cell blockage,
- Injection peak ratios vs NO2 /NO3’ ratios
- Average baseline amplitude to indicate LED / detector health. - Spikes, indicating bubbles or trapped air in the system
- Absence of injection peak indicating no sample or sample pump problems
Other metrics intended to be extracted and monitored based on chromatogram data may include:
- Total analysis run time
- Maximum pressure during an analytic run
- Average PWM during empty cycle (to support pressure and current consumption data)
The diagnostic processing unit 250 is configured to receive and process the data generated from the operation monitoring unit and the sensor unit to determine for each of the corresponding monitored components an operational performance value. The diagnostic processing unit 250, based on information received from the monitoring module 210. For example, the diagnostic processing unit 250 may assess the operational performance of a component by determining the difference between the expected performance, which is based on the number of completed cycles recorded by the operating monitoring unit 221 , and values of the parameters associated with the component. As such, the operational performance of each component may be accurately assessed, thus allowing component issues to be diagnosed quicker. The diagnostic processing unit 250 may be provided with a prognostic module 251 configured to compare the operational performance values of the monitored components with corresponding threshold values, and accordingly determine a remaining number of operational cycles for each monitored component for the corresponding fluid analysis apparatus. The diagnostic processing unit 250 is configured to communicate the remaining operational cycles determined for each component to at least one or more remote electronic devices e.g. a user electronic device. For example, the diagnostic processing unit 250, based on the determined performance value of each component may be configured for initiating a number of actions. For example, the diagnostic processing unit 250 may issuing maintenance notification when the operational performance is within a predetermine value range from the corresponding threshold value, which is communicated to the user and/or to a dedicated component maintenance server. Furthermore, the diagnostic processing unit 250 may adjust, based on the operational performance of a component, the operation of the corresponding fluid apparatus e.g. by extending the time frame between successive analyses of fluid samples, suspending operation, reducing the sample volume and/or eluent and the like. The prognostic module 251 may be configured to determine the remaining operational cycles for each component by applying different methodologies. For example, the prognostic module may associate the performance value of each component with a corresponding number of completed operational cycles and subtract the number of the determined completed operational cycles from a maximum number of operational cycles associated with each component. For example, the number of completed cycles may be determined using a Look-up-table (LUT) or by other means. For example, the prognostic module may apply and any one or a combination of the following methodologies to determine the remaining number of instrument cycles for consumable components and critical components : a) compiled test data, referred to as Lifetime Data, b) diagnostic data collected during normal operation of the instrument, referred to as Threshold Data, and c) the characteristics of generated chromatograms, referred to as Chromatogram Data. An example of consumable components includes but are not limited to syringes and separation columns. Critical components include but are not limited to sample intake pump and detection cell. A detailed description of each methodology is described below:
A) Lifetime Data: For each component, a base lifespan associated with the number of cycles may be defined through lab testing and data collated from deployments of a fluid apparatus 100 in ideal conditions. The base lifespan would be considered as the maximum number of cycles permitted for each component. Once a component reaches the maximum number of cycles, it must be replaced. This base lifespan number may be referred to as the estimated useful life of the component expressed in a number of cycles, whereby a cycle is associated with a sample analysis completed by the instrument. Aborted cycles may be count as a completed cycle, depending on the configuration. As such, the lifetime data may be determined by subtracting each cycle completed by a monitored component from the corresponding maximum number of cycles of the component. B) Threshold Data: for each monitored parameter, a threshold may be defined. Examples of parameters include but are not limited to column backpressure, ambient pressure or current draw. The threshold of interest from a prognostic perspective is the error threshold, indicative of an imminent failure of the component, which may require to suspend operation of the affected component and/or the complete fluid analysis apparatus. For example, the values of the monitored parameters may be averaged and plotted over a number of cycles e.g. a 6-cycle. As more data is collected from each cycle, the remaining useful life of the component in question will be extrapolated.
C) Chromatogram Data: Similar to the threshold data, useful features from chromatograms may be averaged, plotted and extrapolated to predict remaining useful life of components. These features may include, but are not limited to, peak retention times, injection peak height and retention time or baseline drift. Changes in relationships between these features may also indicate wear or reduced efficiency of components.
The diagnostic processing unit 250 may further be provided with a diagnostic module 252 that may be configured to periodically test the operation and performance of each monitored components by performing a series of diagnostic tests. For example, the diagnostic module 252 may generate control instructions, which are transmitted via the diagnostic processing module 250 to the fluid analysis apparatuses 100, whereby they are executed by the processing unit 150. The diagnostic processing unit 250 may be configured for communicating the state of each component to the user via the GUI 240, and further may be configured to issue alerts to the users when the operation of a component becomes critical e.g. component failure or imminent failure of a component.
Figure 4 shows an exemplified flow diagram 400 of the proposed solution, which may be executed at the monitoring system and/or at each fluid analysis apparatus 100 Following system start up at step 410, the system may check if there are any updates that need to be implemented e.g. operation of the fluid analysis apparatus needs to be adjusted, at step 420. If there are any updates, those are applied at step 430. A diagnostic operation may be executed at step 440 for the collecting diagnostic data of the components of a fluid analysis apparatus 100. The diagnostic operation may comprise three core sequences: Initialisation 451 , Operation 452 and Data Processing 453. As these three sequences are executed, diagnostic information is collected. This data is used to flag faults, stop the system if an error occurs and provide confidence levels associated with the analytical results. This diagnostic data also feeds into the prognostic processing step at 550. Outputs from prognostic processing are passed back to the fluid analysis apparatus 100 and system adjustments may take place to prolong deployment duration. In addition, estimates on component lifespans and system longevity are also communicated to the user. The diagnostic operation at step 450 may be performed periodically and/or initiated by the monitoring system 200 or a user. The prognostic operation may be performed either continuously or at internal. For example, in order to conserve battery, each fluid analysis apparatus 100 may communicate stored data to the monitoring system 200 at specific time frames. Although, data may be sent at specified time intervals, each fluid analysis apparatus may be configured to listen for control signals transmitted from the monitoring system 200. For example, the monitoring system 200 may issue control commands to the fluid analysis apparatuses e.g. wake-up, transmit data, adjust operation and the like.
Figures 5 to 10 show an exemplified process flow for the steps of the diagnostic operation 450. Although the process flow is shown in the form of linear decision tree, it will be appreciated that certain elements may be executed in parallel, or in combination with other steps, or in different order. Each check is performed based on information obtained directly from a sensor, a component output, or derived from other information. As shown, there are two main states into which the outcome of a check may fall into: fault and error. If the check outcome falls outside of the desired but within a defined fault range, a fault state may be indicated. If the outcome exceeds the defined fault range, an error may be indicated. If a fault occurs, the system may continue to operate and move to the next check. If the system enters an error state, the system may stop operating. If the outcome of the check is within the desired range, the next check is executed.
For example, as shown in figures 5 and 6 an example of a series of checks that may be executed during the initialisation step 451 of the diagnostic process flow 450. Figures 7 and 8 show an example of a series of checks that may be executed during the operation step 452 of the diagnostic operation 450. Figure 9 shows a n example of a process flow for controlling the analysis process 4521 during the operation step. As shown, the analysis process 4521 continues in a loop until a parameter is activated e.g. the syringe empty limit switches are activated. Figure 10 shows an example of a series of checks that may be executed for performing a chromatograph assessment during the data processing step 453 of the diagnostic operation 450. It should be noted that the number of checks may vary depending on the configuration of the fluid analysis apparatus.
Figure 11 shows an example of the prognostic operation 460 according to embodiments of the present invention. In the example shown, the prognostic module 251 may combine different approaches for determining the number of remaining operation cycles for each component. For example, the data generated from the three approaches of lifetime data, threshold data, and chromatograph data may be combined to give a robust method of predicting the remaining useful life, remaining number of cycles, for each monitored component. The combined analysis for calculating the remaining useful life of a component may give an overall remaining number of cycles for the instrument, which is independent of other parameters such the volume of eluent remaining in the fluid analysis reservoir. As shown, the prognostic module 251 during the prognostic operation 460 may be configured to determine at step 461 a first estimate of the remaining number of operating cycles for each component based on the lifetime data, which is combine with a second and third estimate of the number of remaining cycles determined from respectively the threshold data at step 462 and chromatograph data at step 463. a) Brief Examples of extracted performance information for a component Detector Unit - Baseline Noise
Through evaluation of the baseline noise of the chromatogram, damage or failure of the detection unit within the analyser can be identified. The detection unit may need to be replaced due to damage and/or failure. For example, If baseline noise exceeds 10 mAU, it may indicate that the detection unit needs to be replaced. b) Column Health
Save daily average backpressure values or average of set number of runs e.g. every 6 cycles and extrapolate to predict the remaining number of days. Monitor retention times. If peak 1 (nitrite) is moving closer to injection peak, calculate retention time drift rate and use to predict coelution of nitrite and injection peak.
Increasing back pressure (not in line with temperature changes) indicative of column inlet frit fouling.
The column health status may be defined as follows:
The maximum pressure during an analytic run may be monitored and combined with the ambient temperature to predict column health. The combination of maximum pressure with the ambient temperature may be further combined with the retention time ratios to further refine the column health status c) Syringe Health
Reduce the standard expected number of cycles based on a combination of pressure, temperature, system idle time.
Monitor detector response vs motor current, PWM to motor driver, encoder count. A reduction in flowrate through the column (or a reduction in backpressure), but the pump is working within tolerances may indicate leaking past the plunger. A drift between what is going into the column vs what is coming out, coupled with retention times and overall elution time could indicate mobile phase pump health. d) Sample Intake Health (Sample Intake Filter/Sample loop filter)
Monitor current draw during operation. An increase in current draw indicates fouled intake filter. Decreased current draw coupled with spikes in the chromatogram indicates air being drawn into system which suggests sample intake is not inserted into sample matrix.
An increase in current draw or PWM on the sample syringe when drawing sample through indicates increased fouling on the sample loop filter.
Monitor injection peak amplitude (or area) to indicate if sample is being drawn into the sample loop. A decreasing injection peak area may indicate a reduction in the amount of sample being introduced. Examples of how to determine the remaining number of operation cycles for a component
For example, the syringe lifespan may be determined as follows:
- Determine the number of completed cycles- suppose that the syringes have completed 10 cycles.
- Determine the maximum number of operation cycles- suppose syringes have a maximum of 600 cycles at ideal conditions of 20°C ambient, 10 bar backpressure, 120 mM KOH)
Using the lifespan data and considering the number of cycles completed:
Determine first estimate of No. of cycles: 600-10=590 cycles remaining
An increase in temperature say 30°C may increase interference between the glass and PTFE plunger (increasing wear), reducing the number of remaining cycles by a factor “x”. However, the increase in temperature may also decrease the backpressure of the column at the standard flowrate, reducing the pressure on the syringe, increasing the number of cycles by a factor “y”.
For x=15 cycles and y=2 cycles
Determine the second estimate of No. of cycles: 600-15 +2=587 cycles remaining
Finally, analysis of the chromatogram reveals the retention time for the Nitrate peak is drifting outwards. The extrapolated number of remaining cycles at the current rate is 500 cycles.
Combining the three values for the remaining useful life of the syringe:
(590+587+500) -3=559 cycles remaining
A percentage of confidence may be calculated from the extrapolated values. However, the maximum number of cycles remaining is defined by the lowest of either base component lifespan or remaining volume of eluent

Claims

Claims
1 . A monitoring system for monitoring the operation and performance of one or more fluid analysis apparatuses, each fluid apparatus being configured for analysing fluid samples for the detection and measurement of chemical analytes, the monitoring system comprising an operation monitoring unit configured to monitor the operation of each fluid analysis apparatus, and accordingly maintain a record indicating a number of completed operating cycles over a period of time, each completed operating cycle being associated with the successful analysis of a fluid sample; a sensor unit configured to monitor a set of parameters associated with a set of components of each fluid analysis apparatus; and a processing unit configured to control the operation of each fluid analysis apparatus so that the fluid sample analysis is performed at desired time frames; wherein for each fluid analysis apparatus, the processing unit is configured to receive and process the data generated from the operation monitoring unit and the sensor unit to determine for each of the corresponding monitored components an operational performance value, the processing unit comprising a prognostic module configured to compare the operational performance values of the monitored components with corresponding threshold values, and accordingly determine a remaining number of operational cycles for each monitored component for the corresponding fluid analysis apparatus; and wherein the processing unit is configured to communicate the remaining operational cycles determined for each component to at least one or more remote electronic devices.
2. A monitoring system according to claim 1 , wherein, when the operational performance value of a component is within a predetermine value range from the corresponding threshold value, the processing unit is configured to issue a maintenance notification to the one or more electronic devices.
3. A monitoring system according to claim 2, wherein the processing unit is configured, based on the issuance of the maintenance notification, to adjust the
22 operation of the corresponding fluid apparatus by extending the time frame between successive analyses of fluid samples.
4. A monitoring system according to claims 2 or 3, wherein the processing unit is configured, based on the issuance of the maintenance notification, to adjust the operation of one or more components of the corresponding fluid analysis apparatus so as to prolong the deployment time of the fluid analysis apparatus between maintenance intervals.
5. A monitoring system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the prognostic module is configured to determine the remaining operational cycles for each component by associating the performance value of each component with a corresponding number of completed operational cycles, and subtracting the number of the determined completed operational cycles from a maximum number of operational cycles associated with each component.
6. A monitoring system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the number of completed operational cycles is determined based on a look-up table
7. A monitoring system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the value of at least one of the parameters monitored by the sensor unit is derived from features extracted from a chromatogram generated from a fluid analysis apparatus during analysis of a fluid sample.
8. A monitoring system according to claim 7, wherein the chromatogram features are associated with the performance of one or more components.
9. A monitoring system according to claim 7 or 8, wherein the chromatogram features extracted by the sensor unit are selected from a group comprising peak retention times, injection peak height, retention time, and baseline drift.
10. A monitoring system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the processing unit comprises a diagnostic module configured to periodically test the operation of each monitored component by performing a series of diagnostic tests.
11 . A monitoring system of claim 10, wherein the processing unit is configured to issue notifications to the one or more communicatively coupled electronic devices indicating the operational state of each component based on the operational performance value derived for each component during the diagnostic tests.
12. A diagnostic network for monitoring the operation of one or more communicatively coupled fluid analysis apparatuses, the diagnostic network comprising: a monitoring system according to claims 1 to 11 ; one or more fluid analysis apparatuses communicatively coupled to the monitoring system, each configured to analyse a fluid sample at a specified geographical location, each fluid analysis apparatus being configured to transmit data at least associated with the analysis of the fluid sample and/or the component to the monitoring system; and one or more user electronic devices wherein the monitoring system comprises a diagnostic computer application configured to display, in a predetermined format, via a Graphic User Interface, GUI, the data transmitted by each fluid analysis apparatus and corresponding component data transmitted from the monitoring device.
13. The diagnostic network of claim 12, wherein the diagnostic computer application is configured to display on the GUI a set of user-selectable options for initiating one or more actions in response to a maintenance notification.
14. The diagnostic network of claim 13, wherein the selectable options comprise the issuance of a maintenance notification to a component maintenance server for initiating a predetermined maintenance procedure for a fluid apparatus.
15. The diagnostic network of claim 13 or 14, wherein the selectable options comprise the issuance of an operation adjustment notification to the one of fluid analysis apparatuses for adjusting their operation so as to extend the time frame between successive analyses of fluid sample.
16. The diagnostic network of claim 15, wherein each fluid analysis apparatus is configured, upon receiving an operation adjustment notification, to adjust their corresponding operation based on a time frame indicated in the notification.
17. The diagnostic network of claim 12 to 16, wherein the GUI is configured to display a graphical representation of the status of each fluid analysis apparatus and corresponding components.
18. The diagnostic network of claims 12 to 17, wherein the diagnostic computer application is configured to issue alerts, via the GUI, to electronic devices of the registered users indicating the failure or imminent failure of a component, the notification being issued based on the remaining operational cycles of the component being within a range value from a predetermined threshold value.
19. A method for monitoring the operation of one or more fluid analysis apparatuses, each configured for analysing fluid samples for the detection and measurement of analytes, the method comprising: monitoring the operation of each fluid analysis apparatus to determine the number of completed operating cycles performed by each fluid analysis apparatus over a period of time, each operating cycle being associated with the successful analysis of a fluid sample; monitoring a set of parameters associated with a set of components of each fluid analysis apparatus; and receiving and processing the data generated from the operation monitoring unit and the sensor unit to determine for each of the corresponding monitored components an operational performance value, the processing module being configured for controlling the operation of a fluid analysis apparatus; comparing the operational performance values of the monitored components with corresponding threshold values to determine a remaining number of operational cycles for each monitored component for the corresponding fluid analysis apparatus; and communicating the remaining operational cycles determined for each component to at least one or more remote electronic devices.
25
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