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EP-4327072-B1 - HOUSING FOR A MEASURING ARRANGEMENT FOR THE OPTICAL DETERMINATION OF A PARAMETER OF A MEDIUM

EP4327072B1EP 4327072 B1EP4327072 B1EP 4327072B1EP-4327072-B1

Inventors

  • MANNHARDT, JOACHIM

Dates

Publication Date
20260513
Application Date
20220414

Claims (11)

  1. Housing (20) for receiving components (81, 82, 83, 84) of a measuring arrangement (80) for optical determination of at least one characteristic of a medium, wherein the housing (20) comprises a component carrier (38) for the fastening of the components (81, 82, 83, 84) and at least one inlet/outlet region (40) for the entry and/or exit of optical radiation, wherein the housing (20) has a mechanical interface (50) for the positionally precise and releasable fastening of the housing (20) at a place of use, in particular on an outer wall (81) of a process space (80), characterized in that the housing (20) is designed in at least two parts and comprises an upper shell (22) and a lower shell (23), and a seal (29) is provided between the upper shell (22) and the lower shell (23), the seal (29) being secured against loss by means of locking screws (102).
  2. Housing (20) according to Claim 1, characterized in that the mechanical interface (50) comprises fastening means (51, 52), of which at least one (51) is fastened in a connection region (50') of the housing (20).
  3. Housing (20) according to Claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the mechanical interface (50) is formed by a bayonet lock.
  4. Housing (20) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the connection region (50') and the inlet/outlet region (40) for optical radiation spatially overlap.
  5. Housing (20) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the component carrier (38) is fastened in a closed interior (21) of the housing (20).
  6. Housing (20) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the seal (29) is secured against slipping by means of locking pins (101).
  7. Housing (20) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the housing (20) comprises a cooling device (60).
  8. Housing (20) according to Claim 7, characterized in that the cooling device (60) is arranged in a cavity (62) in the interior (21) of the housing (20), the cavity being formed between the component carrier (38) and a base plate (27) of the housing (20).
  9. Housing (20) according to Claim 7 or 8, characterized in that the cooling device (60) comprises a cooling line (61) through which a cooling medium can flow.
  10. Housing (20) according to one of Claims 7 to 9, characterized in that the cooling device (60) is designed in such a way that a cooling medium first reaches at least one of the components (81, 82, 83, 84) and subsequently reaches the inlet/outlet region for the entry/exit of optical radiation.
  11. Housing (20) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the component carrier (38) has a coding (39) for the positionally and/or angularly precise positioning of components (81, 82, 83, 84) that are to be arranged thereon.

Description

The invention relates to a housing for receiving components of a measuring arrangement for the optical determination of a characteristic value of a medium. Optical measurement methods are used in many areas of the manufacturing and processing industries to assess the condition or quality of a product or intermediate product. In the following, the term "optical measurement method" refers to a measurement method using electromagnetic radiation, specifically electromagnetic radiation in a spectral range between infrared and ultraviolet. "Optical measurement" therefore includes, in particular, measurements in the far-infrared (FIR), mid-infrared (MIR), near-infrared (NIR), visible, and ultraviolet spectral ranges. In the chemical and pharmaceutical industries, as well as in food production, optical, and especially spectroscopic, analysis systems are used. These systems enable the continuous measurement of optically detectable parameters of a medium within a production environment, using a probe or measuring cell. For example, a submersible probe can be used, which is immersed in the medium within a reaction vessel or pipe. A measuring beam emitted from a radiation source is guided through the medium by the probe along a measuring path and then directed onto a detector. The detector analyzes the intensity, spectrum, and other properties of the radiation as it is affected by the medium. The results provide information about the state variables (e.g., concentration, density, etc.) of the medium. The medium can be, in particular, This could involve a fluid, but also a bulk material such as a powder or a gas. A suitable measuring setup for such measurements comprises a radiation source, a detector, and a controller, all housed together in a single enclosure. If the optical analysis system is to be used in a process environment, the enclosure surrounding the measuring setup must be robust to protect it from temperature fluctuations, dirt, dust, vibrations, etc. A measuring setup with such an enclosure is available from the DE 10 2012 019 433 A1 The housing contains a sensor device and a spatially separate electronic device. A cooling device is provided to stabilize the temperature of the optical and electronic components located inside the housing. A comparable measuring setup is described in the US patent. US 10 753 727 B2 A portable terahertz (THz) measuring device for measuring the layer thickness of test objects, especially extruded plastic pipes, is known from the aforementioned publication. Such systems utilize THz radiation in the frequency range from 10 GHz to 10 THz to perform time-of-flight measurements by reflection at interfaces of materials with different refractive indices and to determine the layer thickness from these measurements. Furthermore, the US patent application states US 2012/0119101 A1 An optical sensor is known which comprises a one-way flow cell with a cell body, an inlet tube, and an outlet tube. These form a flow channel that extends through the cell body between the inlet tube and the outlet tube. A light source and a detector are arranged on opposite sides of the cell body, such that an optical beam path runs through the cell body along an axis between the light source and the detector. In the international patent application WO 96/07886 A1 A gas analyzer for outputting a signal indicating the concentration of a specific gas in a sample is disclosed. The sample is placed in a cuvette and irradiated with infrared radiation. the radiation is directed back onto a detector by means of a mirror after passing through the cuvette. To ensure high measurement accuracy and reproducibility of the optical analysis system, regular validation using standards must be performed; such validation typically takes place in a laboratory environment using a calibration device. If the optical analysis setup is integrated into a process environment during operation (i.e., permanently connected to the process), such validation is very complex because the optical analysis system must be removed from the process environment and then reinstalled in the correct orientation after validation is complete. According to the invention, a housing for an optical analysis device is to be provided that can be used as a universal housing for a wide range of different measuring arrangements and measuring environments. In particular, the housing is intended to ensure reliable mounting of various measuring arrangements tailored to the respective measuring or testing task, as well as good temperature stability. This problem is solved by a housing having the features of independent claim 1. The dependent claims relate to advantageous further developments and variants of the invention. The corresponding optical analysis device comprises an optical measuring arrangement with several optical, electronic, electro-optical, and/or electromechanical components, all arranged together within a housing. The housing includes an inlet/outl