US 12,247,936 B2
Atmospheric distillation apparatus and method
Martial Lépinay, Mouen (FR); and Bruno Galliot, Seulline (FR)
Assigned to AD SYSTEMS S.A.S., Saint André sur Orne (FR)
Filed by AD Systems S.A.S., Saint André sur Orne (FR)
Filed on Nov. 4, 2022, as Appl. No. 18/052,630.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/247,445, filed on Sep. 23, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2023/0100425 A1, Mar. 30, 2023
Int. Cl. B01D 3/42 (2006.01); B01D 1/00 (2006.01); B01L 3/00 (2006.01); G01N 25/14 (2006.01); G06T 7/00 (2017.01); H04N 23/90 (2023.01)
CPC G01N 25/14 (2013.01) [B01D 1/0082 (2013.01); B01D 3/42 (2013.01); G01N 25/145 (2013.01); G06T 7/0002 (2013.01); H04N 23/90 (2023.01); B01L 3/569 (2013.01)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A testing apparatus for distillation of a liquid sample at atmospheric pressure, the testing apparatus comprising:
a glass flask having a round bottom, a neck portion and a top opening;
a stopper for covering the top opening of the glass flask;
a heating element in thermal communication with the flaskround bottom for heating the glass flask;
a temperature sensor traversing the stopper;
a condenser connected to the flask at one end of the condenser;
a cooling source surrounding the condenser;
a receiver in communication with the condenser for receiving distillate from the condenser;
a sensor for monitoring of a level and/or amount of the distillate collected in the receiver during a distillation test,
a digital camera positioned to monitor behavior of the liquid sample within the glass flask in visible spectrum to obtain successive images of the liquid sample and vapors emitted from the liquid sample, during the distillation test,
a backlight panel located behind the glass flask and opposite the camera;
and
an image analyzer to automatically control the heating element based on analysis of the successive images fed by the digital camera.