US 12,276,629 B2
Method, data set and sensored mixer to sense a property of a liquid
Benjamin Münstermann, Duisburg (DE); Knut Schumacher, Neuss (DE); Günter Zilligen, Grevenbroich (DE); Martin Stottmeister, Neuss (DE); Robert Bialluch, Willich (DE); Michael Bahners, Neuss (DE); Thomas Keller, Neuss (DE); Peter Orda, Remscheid (DE); Jörg Hahn, Bad Neuenahr-Ahrweiler (DE); Harald Westkamp, Hattingen (DE); Andreas Backes, Kaarst-Büttgen (DE); Waleri Wischnepolski, Neuss (DE); and David Rudek, Düsseldorf (DE)
Assigned to 3M Innovative Properties Company, St. Paul, MN (US)
Appl. No. 18/015,784
Filed by 3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANY, St. Paul, MN (US)
PCT Filed Jul. 14, 2021, PCT No. PCT/IB2021/056362
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Jan. 12, 2023,
PCT Pub. No. WO2022/013786, PCT Pub. Date Jan. 20, 2022.
Claims priority of application No. 20186305 (EP), filed on Jul. 16, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2023/0258590 A1, Aug. 17, 2023
Int. Cl. G01N 27/10 (2006.01); G01N 27/07 (2006.01); G01N 27/22 (2006.01)
CPC G01N 27/10 (2013.01) [G01N 27/07 (2013.01); G01N 27/226 (2013.01)] 14 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A sensored mixer comprising a mixing device (120) for mixing two or more components (A, B) to produce a mixed liquid (10) at a mixer output (170), and a property sensor (1) for determining a property value of a property of the mixed liquid (10), the property sensor comprising a) a channel (20) comprising a sensing zone (50) through which-in use-the mixed liquid flows; b) two electrodes (30, 40) for generating an electric field of one or more sensing frequencies in the sensing zone; c) a data storage device (230) comprising a pre-stored set of calibration data representing calibration impedance responses measured previously at the one or more sensing frequencies and at different property values of the property of an identical liquid; and d) a property value deriver (220), electrically connected to the electrodes (30, 40), and operable to repeatedly i) generate, while the mixed liquid (10) flows through the sensing zone (50), between the electrodes (30, 40) an electric field of the one or more sensing frequencies in the sensing zone; ii) sense between the electrodes (30, 40), at the one or more sensing frequencies, while the mixed liquid (10) flows through the sensing zone (50) and while the electric field is present, a response impedance; iii) derive from the response impedance a property value of the property of the mixed liquid (10), using the pre-stored set of calibration data representing calibration impedance responses, wherein the property sensor (1) is in fluid communication with the mixer output (170) such that the mixed liquid (10) can flow from the mixer output (170) through the sensing zone (50).