EP-4739995-A1 - COLLOIDAL PARTICLE INJECTION

Abstract

The disclosed subject-matter discloses systems and methods to calibrate or compare particle monitors. In one example, the disclosed subject-matter includes a sample-fluid source to provide test particles to at least one particle instrument under test. A mixing component is coupled upstream of the at least one particle instrument under test. Aa junction component, having a first-inlet port to be coupled to a first- fluid supply, and a second-inlet port to receive test particles from the sample-fluid source. The junction component mixes a fluid received from the first-fluid supply and the test particles received from the sample-fluid source prior to transporting through the outlet to the mixed fluid to mixing coil. Other apparatuses and methods are disclosed.

Inventors

• HAN, HEE-SIEW
• BIRKELAND, Nathan T.
• FARMER II, KENNETH R.

Assignees

• TSI Incorporated

Dates

Publication Date

20260513

Application Date

20240703

Claims (20)

1. 1. A test-particle injection system, the system comprising: a sample-fluid source to provide test particles to at least one particle instrument under test, the sample-fluid source selected from at least one source comprising a sample fluid-delivery device and a sample-fluid reservoir; a mixing component to be coupled upstream of the at least one particle instrument under test; and a junction component having a first-inlet port, a second-inlet port, and an outlet, the first-inlet port is to be coupled to a first-fluid supply, the second-inlet port is to receive test particles from the sample-fluid source, the junction component is further to mix a fluid received from the first-fluid supply and the test particles received from the sample-fluid source prior to transporting the mixed fluid through the outlet to the mixing coil.
2. 2. The test-particle injection system of claim 1, wherein the fluid from the first-fluid supply is a supply of ultra-pure water.
3. 3. The test-particle injection system of claim 1, wherein the test particles comprise a diluted suspension of colloidal particles in a fluid.
4. 4. The test-particle injection system of claim 1, further comprising an injection valve.
5. 5. The test-particle injection system of claim 1, further comprising an injection pump coupled upstream from the junction component, the injection pump to control at least one parameter of parameters selected from a pressure of fluid delivered to the junction component and a flow rate of the fluid delivered to the junction component.
6. 6. The test-particle injection system of claim 5, wherein the injection pump can be modulated to be powered on or powered off to control a flow of the fluid.
7. 7. The test-particle injection system of claim 1, further comprising an injection valve, the injection valve comprising a sample loop to hold a supply of the test particles from the sample-fluid source, the injection valve being configured to select a mode of operation including a load mode, in which the test particles are to be loaded into the sample loop, and an inject mode, in which the test particles are to be transferred from the sample loop to the second-inlet port of the junction component.
8. 8. The test-particle injection system of claim 1, wherein the first-inlet port and the outlet are configured to receive an axial flow of fluid along a longitudinal axis of the junction component, the second-inlet port is disposed at a radial position relative to the longitudinal axis.
9. 9. The test-particle injection system of claim 1, wherein the sample-fluid source is a syringe pump.
10. 10. The test-particle injection system of claim 1, wherein the mixing component is configured to impart a circular flow to the mixed fluid.
11. 11. The test-particle injection system of claim 1, wherein an outlet is coupled downstream of the at least one particle instrument under test, the outlet is configured to be coupled to a drain to accommodate a predetermined excess volume of mixed fluid.
12. 12. A method for testing particle instruments, the method comprising: receiving a sample fluid by at least one particle instrument under test from an outlet of a junction component; loading a sample loop with the sample fluid by controlling an injection valve; directing a first fluid from a first supply to a primary inlet of the junction component; directing the sample fluid from the sample loop to a secondary inlet on the junction component; and directing a mixture of the first fluid and the sample fluid to the at least one particle instrument under test.
13. 13. The method of claim 12, wherein the first fluid is ultra-pure water.
14. 14. The method of claim 12, wherein the sample fluid includes test particles.
15. 15. The method of claim 14, wherein the test particles comprise a diluted suspension of colloidal particles in a fluid.
16. 16. The method of claim 12, further comprising imparting a circular flow in the mixture of the first fluid and the sample fluid prior to directing the mixture to the at least one particle instrument under test.
17. 17. A computer-readable medium containing instructions that, when executed by a machine, cause the machine to perform operations for testing particle instruments, the operations comprising: receiving a sample fluid by at least one particle instrument under test from an outlet of a junction component; loading a sample loop with the sample fluid by controlling an injection valve; directing a first fluid from a first supply to a primary inlet of the junction component; directing the sample fluid from the sample loop to a secondary inlet on the junction component; and directing a mixture of the first fluid and the sample fluid to the at least one particle instrument under test.
18. 18. The computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the sample fluid includes test particles.
19. 19. The computer-readable medium of claim 18, wherein the test particles comprise a diluted suspension of colloidal particles in a fluid.
20. 20. The computer-readable medium of claim 17, further comprising imparting a circular flow in the mixture of the first fluid and the sample fluid prior to directing the mixture to the at least one particle instrument under test.

Description

COLLOIDAL PARTICLE INJECTION CLAIM OF PRIORITY [0000] This application claims the priority benefit to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 63/524,729, filed on 3 July 2023, and entitled “COLLOIDAL PARTICLE INJECTION,” which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. TECHNICAL FIELD [0001] The subject matter disclosed herein relates generally, but not by way of limitation, to testing particle instruments using colloidal particles or other particles. BACKGROUND [0002] In order to maintain measurement accuracy and performance specifications, liquid-borne particle instruments and counters frequently need to be verified and calibrated with standard size particles. One type of standard-sized particles are referred to as colloidal particles. Colloidal particles are small particles with a dimension scale ranging from nanometers to micrometers and are suspended as a colloidal solution in liquid. Commercially available and commonly used colloidal particles are polystyrene latex beads, metal particles (such as gold), and silica particles. These size-specific colloidal solutions are often highly concentrated so some sample preparation procedures are normally required before they can be used for instrument testing and calibration. [0003] Currently, there is no standardized method to inject colloidal particle samples into a liquid stream. Systems for injecting colloidal particle samples into a liquid stream are expensive and difficult to use. [0004] The information described in this section is provided to offer a person of ordinary skill in the art a context for the following disclosed subject-matter and should not be considered as admitted-prior art. SUMMARY [0005] Various embodiments of the disclosed subject-matter include, for example, a colloidal-particle injection system. In various embodiments, the injection system can include an injection pump, an injection valve, a junction component (e.g., a mixing tee), and a mixing component (e.g., a mixing coil). [0006] In one exemplary embodiment, the disclosed subject-matter describes a system to test particle instruments using colloidal particles or other particles. The system of this embodiment includes a sample-fluid source to provide test particles to at least one particle instrument under test. The sample-fluid source is selected from at least one source comprising a sample fluid-delivery device and a sample-fluid reservoir. A mixing component is coupled upstream of the at least one particle instrument under test. The embodiment also includes a junction component having a first-inlet port, a second-inlet port, and an outlet. The first-inlet port is to be coupled to a first-fluid supply, the second-inlet port is to receive test particles from the sample-fluid source. The junction component is further to mix a fluid received from the first-fluid supply and the test particles received from the sample-fluid source prior to transporting the mixed fluid through the outlet to the mixing component. [0007] In one exemplary embodiment, the disclosed subject-matter is a method for testing particle instruments using colloidal particles or other particles. The method of this embodiment includes receiving a sample fluid by at least one particle instrument under test from an outlet of a junction component; loading a sample loop with the sample fluid by controlling an injection valve; directing a first fluid from a first supply to a primary inlet of the junction component; directing the sample fluid from the sample loop to a secondary inlet on the junction component; and directing a mixture of the first fluid and the sample fluid to the at least one particle instrument under test. [0008] In one exemplary embodiment, the disclosed subject-matter is a computer-readable medium containing instructions that, when executed by a machine, cause the machine to perform operations for testing particle instruments using colloidal particles or other particles. The operations of this embodiment include receiving a sample fluid by at least one particle instrument under test from an outlet of a junction component; loading a sample loop with the sample fluid by controlling an injection valve; directing a first fluid from a first supply to a primary inlet of the junction component; directing the sample fluid from the sample loop to a secondary inlet on the junction component; and directing a mixture of the first fluid and the sample fluid to the at least one particle instrument under test. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0009] Various ones of the appended drawings merely illustrate examples of various implementations of the disclosed subject-matter and should not be considered as limiting its scope. [0010] In the drawings, which are not necessarily drawn to scale, like numerals may describe similar components in different views. Like numerals having different letter suffixes may represent different instances of similar components. The drawings illustrate generally, by way of