Abstract
A kit has a separating device and a particle sensor. The separating device is arranged upstream of the particle sensor and is set up to leave only respirable particles in the fluid stream, so that only those particles which have a particle diameter in a range from 0 to 10 μm reach the particle sensor and are analyzed by it. As a result, the particle sensor can be effectively protected from undesired contamination and its measuring accuracy can be increased considerably by reducing the number of particles to be analyzed that enter its measuring region. In a second aspect, the invention relates to the use of the proposed kit in a dust device. In further aspects, the invention relates to a dust device which includes a proposed kit, as well as a method for controlling a dust device in dependence on the measurement data determined with the kit.
Claims
1-11. (canceled)
12. A kit comprising: a separator and a particle sensor, the particle sensor set up to analyze particles in a fluid stream, the separator being arranged upstream of the particle sensor and set up to leave only respirable particles in the fluid stream, so that only the respirable particles reach the particle sensor and are analyzed by the particle sensor.
13. The kit as recited in claim 12 wherein the separator is a centrifugal separator, deflection chamber or as a cyclone.
14. The kit as recited in claim 12 wherein the separator is a selectively operating separator.
15. The kit as recited in claim 12 wherein the particle sensor is an optical particle sensor.
16. A method for using the kit as recited in claim 12 comprising operating the kit in a dust device.
17. The method as recited in claim 16 wherein the dust device is controlled in dependence on measurement data collected with the kit.
18. The method as recited in claim 16 wherein the dust device is an air cleaner, a vacuuming device or a dust detection device.
19. A dust device comprising the kit as recited in claim 12.
20. A method for controlling the dust device recited in claim 19, the method comprising: determining measurement data relating to the particles in the fluid stream, the measurement data being determined with the particle sensor; and controlling the dust device in dependence on the measurement data.
21. The method as recited in claim 20 wherein the kit is an external dust detection module external to the dust device.
22. The method as recited in claim 20 wherein the kit is an internal dust detection module in the dust device.
23. The method as recited in claim 20 further comprising a communication link between the kit and the dust device.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0035] Further advantages will become apparent from the following description of the figures. The figures, the description and the claims contain numerous features in combination. A person skilled in the art will expediently also consider the features individually and combine them to form useful further combinations.
[0036] In the figures, identical and similar components are denoted by the same reference signs. In the figures:
[0037] FIG. 1 shows a schematic representation of a preferred embodiment of the kit
[0038] FIG. 2 shows a schematic representation of a preferred embodiment of the dust device which interacts with a preferred embodiment of the kit as an external dust detection module
[0039] FIG. 3 shows a schematic representation of a preferred embodiment of the dust device which interacts with a preferred embodiment of the kit as an integrated dust detection module
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0040] FIG. 1 shows a preferred embodiment of the proposed kit (1). In particular, FIG. 1 shows the components of the kit (1), i.e. the separating device (2) and the particle sensor (3). The particle sensor (3) is set up to analyze particles in a fluid stream (4). For this purpose, the fluid stream (4) is sent through the separating device (2) and the particle sensor (3). According to the invention, it is provided that the separating device (2) is set up to filter those particles which have a diameter of greater than 10 μm out of the fluid stream (4). This filtering or size selection may take place for example by means of a cyclone, a centrifugal separator or a deflection chamber. The particles with a diameter of greater than 10 μm are removed from the fluid stream (4) by the separating device (2). The fluid stream (4) and the particles remaining in the fluid stream (4) downstream of the separating device (2) in the direction of flow are passed on in the direction of the particle sensor (3). There they pass the measuring path (5), which preferably includes a measuring region of the particle sensor (3). Preferably only those particles which have a diameter of less than 10 μm or the diameter of which is in a range from 0 to 10 μm reach the measuring path (5). These particles are particularly health-relevant particles because they pass the walls of the alveoli and can thus get into the interior of the human organism. They are preferably referred to in the context of the invention as “respirable” or as “fine dust”. It is preferred in the context of the invention that the particles in the fluid stream (4) or in the measuring path (5) are examined by the particle sensor (3) using optical analysis methods. These may be for example methods based on the scattering of laser light.
[0041] FIG. 2 shows a schematic representation of a preferred embodiment of the kit (1), the kit (1), as an external dust detection module (7), interacting with a dust device (6). The dust device (6) may be an air cleaner, a vacuuming device or a (personal) dust detection device, without being restricted thereto. It is preferred in the context of the invention that the kit (1) with its components, the separating device (2) and the particle sensor (3), takes the form of a self-contained unit outside the dust device (6). There may preferably be a communication link (9) between the dust device (6) and the kit (1). In other words, the kit (1) and the dust device (6) can communicate with each other using a communication link (9). This communication may for example consist in the exchange of data, measurement results and/or control commands, without being restricted thereto. The communication connection (9) preferably exists in particular between the particle sensor (3) of the kit (1) and the dust device (6). For the purpose of establishing the communication link (9), the kit (1) may comprise a communication device, such as a transmitter (not shown). To obtain the data from the kit (1), the dust device (6) may comprise a communication device (not shown) designed as a receiver. The communication link (9) between the kit (1) and the dust device (6) is preferably bidirectional, so that for example the kit (1) or its particle sensor (3) may also be set up for receiving data and the dust device (6) may be set up for sending data. The dust device (6) may also comprise a control unit (not shown) in which for example the data obtained from the particle sensor (3) of the kit (1) can be evaluated and converted into control commands for the dust device (6). It is particularly preferred in the context of the invention that the dust device (6) can be controlled in dependence on the measurement results that are determined with the kit (1) or its particle sensor (3).
[0042] The kit (1) can preferably be used to examine the air or its load with particles of different sizes in the vicinity of the dust device (6). The dust device (6) is preferably a device through which a fluid stream (4) flows. This fluid stream (4) contains particles of which the properties are to be examined with the kit (1) or the particle sensor (3) of the kit (1). For this purpose, a bypass fluid stream (4), which is sent through the kit (1) instead of through the dust device (6), may be formed for example. The bypass fluid stream (4) or the particles contained therein preferably have essentially the same properties as the fluid stream (4) that flows through the dust device (6). This ensures that the measurement results that are determined with the kit (1) also apply to the dust device (6) and can be used to control it. Even when the proposed kit (1) is used as an external dust detection module (7), the separating device (2) is arranged upstream of the particle sensor (3) within the kit (1). As a result, the non-respirable particles can be filtered out of the fluid stream (4) with the separating device (2) before they reach the measuring path (5) or the particle sensor (3).
[0043] FIG. 3 shows a schematic representation of a preferred embodiment of the dust device (6), the dust device (6) interacting with a preferred embodiment of the kit (1) as an integrated dust detection module (8). In the preferred embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 3, the proposed kit (1) takes the form of an internal dust detection module (8) and may for example be integrated in the dust device (6). In other words, the proposed kit (1) may be designed as an internal dust detection module (8). It may for example represent a self-contained unit that is present for example in the interior of the dust device (6). In an alternative embodiment of the invention, it may be preferred that the internal dust detection module (8) is arranged on an outer side or outer wall of the dust device (6). Preferably, the kit (1) designed as an internal dust detection module (8) can be easily removed from the dust device (6) and exchanged. The internal dust detection module (8) may for example be connected to the dust device (6) by means of data or power supply lines (not shown). The internal dust detection module (8) may preferably be supplied with energy via the energy supply lines, while communication in the sense of an exchange of data, measurement results and/or control commands may take place via the data lines. It is particularly preferred in the context of the invention that the dust device (6) can be controlled with measurement results that are determined by the kit (1) or the particle sensor (3) of the kit (1). For this purpose, the measurement results of the internal dust detection module (8) may be transmitted to the dust device (6) or a control unit (not shown) of the dust device (6). In a first preferred embodiment of the invention, it may be preferred that the measurement results are evaluated in the kit (1) itself and control commands for the dust device (6) are derived from the measurement results, in this embodiment of the invention in particular the control commands being transmitted to the dust device (6). In an alternative embodiment of the invention, the evaluation of the measurement results may take place in the dust device (6) or in the control unit of the dust device (6). In this case, in particular the raw or essentially raw measurement data or measurement results are transmitted from the internal dust detection module (8) to the dust device (6).
LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS
[0044] 1 Kit
[0045] 2 Separating device
[0046] 3 Particle sensor
[0047] 4 Fluid stream
[0048] 5 Measuring path
[0049] 6 Dust device
[0050] 7 External dust detection module
[0051] 8 Internal or integrated dust detection module
[0052] 9 Communication link
