Device for the exposure of sample bodies in a fluid

Inventors

Petersen, Jördis • Pröfrock, Daniel • Langhans, Volker • Prange, Andreas

Assignees

Helmholtz Zentrum Hereon GmbH

Abstract

A device for exposing sample bodies to a fluid. The sample bodies have an active surface section that defines a measuring plane. The device includes a container, a sample body holder, and an agitating element. The container, which extends along a longitudinal axis, has an inlet, an outlet, a closed side wall, which extends along the longitudinal axis, and first and second end faces that extend transverse to the longitudinal axis. The sample body holder extends transverse to the longitudinal axis and holds at least one sample body so that its measuring plane extends perpendicular to the longitudinal axis in a first sample plane its active surface section faces away from the first end face. The agitating element driven in a rotating manner in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis and is arranged on the side facing away from the first end face of the first sample plane.

Core Innovation

The invention relates to a device for the continuous exposure of one or more sample bodies in a fluid. Each sample body includes an active surface section that defines a sampling plane, and the sampling plane extends perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of a container. The active surface section of the sample body faces away from an end face of the container, while the container has a closed side wall and first and second end faces transverse to the longitudinal axis, with an inlet and an outlet for the fluid.

A first sample body holder extends transverse to the longitudinal axis and supports one or more sample bodies such that their sampling planes are defined as a first sample plane. The device further includes an agitating element coupled to the container for rotation in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, disposed on the side facing away from the first end face. The agitating element rotates and comprises blades that extend radially outwards from a drive shaft extending parallel to the longitudinal axis through one of the end faces.

The first sample body holder is configured to hold a plurality of the sample bodies so that their center points parallel to the first sample plane have a uniform distance to the longitudinal axis, enabling a circular or radial arrangement of multiple sampling locations. The disclosed arrangement continuously moves and circulates the fluid over the active surfaces to keep flow conditions constant and reduce fouling and contamination, including vegetation build-up and floating particle deposition. The inlet and outlet can be connected to a flow sensor arrangement to measure volumetric flow rate and total processed volume, and detachable components are described for sampler replacement, with notes on applicability to salt water via material selection.

Claims Coverage

The independent claim is clm-00001. The claims coverage centers on a continuous-exposure container system with three inventive features: sampling plane orientation, a rotatable blade agitating element, and a plurality of sample bodies held at a uniform radial distance.

Across the provided independent claim, the core coverage is a continuously operating passive-sampler exposure device that defines sampling planes perpendicular to the container longitudinal axis, positions active surfaces facing away from an end face, and uses a radially extending blade agitating element driven by a longitudinally oriented shaft to rotate in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, while holding multiple sample bodies at a uniform radial distance (d).

Stated Advantages

Documented Applications