MULTI EXCITATION-MULTI EMISSION FLUOROMETER FOR MULTIPARAMETER WATER QUALITY MONITORING

Abstract

A fluorometer is provided for monitoring the quality of water, featuring an array of excitation sources, an array of multiple emission detectors and a signal processor. In the array of excitation sources, each excitation source provides respective excitation source optical signaling at a respective illuminating wavelength. The array of multiple emission detectors detects multiple emission wavelengths emitted from water containing information about multiple coexisting fluorescent species present in the water that emit optical radiation at at least two different wavelengths when illuminated by the respective illuminating wavelength provided from the array of excitation sources, and provide multiple emission detector signaling containing information about the multiple coexisting fluorescent species. The signal processor receives the multiple emission detector signaling, and determines corresponding signaling containing information about an identification of the multiple coexisting fluorescent species present in the water using a near-simultaneous identification technique, based upon the multiple emission detector signaling received.

Claims

1-49. (canceled)

50. A fluorometer for monitoring the quality of water, comprising: excitation sources, each excitation source configured to provide respective excitation source optical signaling at a respective illuminating wavelength; optics configured to receive optical radiation in a range or distribution of emission wavelengths, and provide collected or captured fluorescence optical signaling containing information about multiple, independent or coexisting fluorescent species in water that emit the optical radiation in the range or distribution of the emission wavelengths when illuminated by the excitation sources; and a spectrum analyzer configured to receive the collected or captured fluorescence optical signaling, spectrally discriminate the collected or captured fluorescence optical signaling received to determine information about the multiple, independent or coexisting fluorescent species in the water, and provide spectrum analyzer signaling containing information about sewage impacted water determined by a wastewater identification based upon the multiple, independent or coexisting fluorescent species detected in the water.

51. A fluorometer according to claim 50, wherein the excitation sources comprise a plurality of excitation LEDs configured to provide respective LED excitation source optical signaling at a corresponding plurality of respective illuminating wavelengths.

52. A fluorometer according to claim 51, wherein the plurality of excitation LEDs are configured or arranged circumferentially about the optics and the spectrum analyzer.

53. A fluorometer according to claim 50, wherein the optics comprise a focusing lens that provides the collected or captured fluorescence optical signaling in the form of focusing lens signaling onto the spectrum analyzer.

54. A fluorometer according to claim 50, wherein the optics comprise one or more fiber optic waveguides that provides the collected or captured fluorescence optical signaling in the form of fiber optic waveguide signaling onto the spectrum analyzer.

55. A fluorometer according to claim 50, wherein the spectrum analyzer is selectively enabled or scanned to produce any combination of excitation wavelengths or detected fluorescence emission.

56. A fluorometer according to claim 50, wherein the fluorometer comprises an opto-mechanical head that contains the excitation sources, the optics and the spectrum analyzer.

57. A fluorometer according to claim 50, wherein the optics comprises photodiodes with associated bandpass filters spectrally centered about fluorescence emission wavelengths of interest.

58. A fluorometer according to claim 50, wherein the fluorometer is configured in, or forms part of, a single sensor body.

59. A fluorometer according to claim 58, wherein the single sensor body comprises a sonde having a water tight housing that encloses the fluorometer.

60. A fluorometer according to claim 59, wherein the sonde comprises a port; and the fluorometer comprises an electrical connector configured to plug into the port of the sonde.

61. A fluorometer according to claim 60, wherein the electrical connector is configured to attach to a printed circuit board containing sensor electronics.

62. A fluorometer according to claim 61, wherein the sensor electronics include the signal processor or processing module.

63. A fluorometer according to claim 62, wherein the sonde comprises a tight housing having a window configured to allow optical transmission/interaction between the multiple, independent or coexisting fluorescent species to be detected and the electro-opto-mechanical components, including where the window is made of Sapphire.

64. A fluorometer according to claim 62, wherein the spectrum analyzer comprises a signal processor or processing module configured to receive the collected or captured fluorescence optical signaling, spectrally discriminate the collected or captured fluorescence optical signaling received to determine information about the multiple, independent or coexisting fluorescent species in the water, and provide spectrum analyzer signaling containing information about sewage impacted water determined by a wastewater identification based upon the multiple, independent or coexisting fluorescent species detected in the water.

65. A method for monitoring the quality of water with a fluorometer, comprising: configuring the fluorometer with excitation sources, and providing from each excitation source respective excitation source optical signaling at a respective illuminating wavelength; configuring the fluorometer with optics, receiving with the optics optical radiation in a range or distribution of emission wavelengths, and providing from the optics collected or captured fluorescence optical signaling containing information about multiple, independent or coexisting fluorescent species in water that the emit optical radiation in the range or distribution of the emission wavelengths when illuminated by the excitation sources; and configuring the fluorometer with a spectrum analyzer, receiving with the spectrum analyzer the collected or captured fluorescence optical signaling, spectrally discriminating with the spectrum analyzer the collected or captured fluorescence optical signaling received to determine information about the multiple, independent or coexisting fluorescent species in the water, and provide spectrum analyzer signaling containing information about sewage impacted water determined by a wastewater identification based upon the multiple, independent or coexisting fluorescent species detected in the water.

66. A method according to claim 65, wherein the method comprises configuring the excitation sources with a plurality of excitation LEDs that provide respective LED excitation source optical signaling at a corresponding plurality of respective illuminating wavelengths.

67. A method according to claim 66, wherein the method comprises arranging circumferentially the plurality of excitation LEDs about the optics and the spectrum analyzer.

68. A method according to claim 65, wherein the method comprises configuring the optics with a focusing lens that provides the collected or captured fluorescence optical signaling in the form of focusing lens signaling onto the spectrum analyzer.

69. A method according to claim 65, wherein the method comprises configuring the optics with one or more fiber optic waveguides that provides the collected or captured fluorescence optical signaling in the form of fiber optic waveguide signaling onto the spectrum analyzer.

70. A method according to claim 65, wherein the method comprises selectively enabling or scanning the spectrum analyzer to produce any combination of excitation wavelengths or detected fluorescence emission.

71. A method according to claim 65, wherein the method comprises configuring the spectrum analyzer with a signal processor or processing module that receives the collected or captured fluorescence optical signaling, spectrally discriminates the collected or captured fluorescence optical signaling received to determine information about the multiple, independent or coexisting fluorescent species in the water, and provide spectrum analyzer signaling containing information about sewage impacted water determined by a wastewater identification based upon the multiple, independent or coexisting fluorescent species detected in the water.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

[0034] The drawing includes FIGS. 1-4, which are not necessarily drawn to scale, as follows:

[0035] FIG. 1 shows a diagram of apparatus in the form of a sensor body, according to some embodiments of the present invention.

[0036] FIG. 2 includes FIGS. 2A and 2B, where FIG. 2A is a front view of an opto-mechanical head that may form part of the sensor body in FIG. 1, and where FIG. 2B is a cross-sectional (or cutaway) view of the opto-mechanical head in FIG. 2A, according to some embodiments of the present invention.

[0037] FIG. 3 includes FIGS. 3A and 3B, where FIG. 3A is a front view of an opto-mechanical head for multiple parameter sensing that may form part of the sensor body in FIG. 1, and where FIG. 3B is a cross-sectional view of the opto-mechanical head in FIG. 3A, according to some embodiments of the present invention.

[0038] FIG. 4 shows a block diagram of apparatus, e.g., having a signal processor or signal processing module for implementing signal processing functionality, according to some embodiments of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF BEST MODE OF THE INVENTION

The Underlying Technique in General

[0039] In its first incarnation, a fluorometer generally indicated as 20 according to the present invention may be configured to measure fluorescence of peak T-tryptophan-like (.sub.ex/em=280/340 nm) and peak A humic/fulvic-like (.sub.ex/em=280/450 nm), e.g., using a single excitation source/dual emission detection as means of identifying sewage impacted water in general. The affirmative confirmation of sewage impacted water is complicated in that it may be more accurately determined through near-simultaneous identification of multiple fluorescence species. For the particular case at hand, and according to some embodiments of the present invention, one may seek to near-simultaneously identify two species requiring two detected fluorescence emission wavelengths within a single sensing body. It is the combined information of multiple fluorescence that serves to address the single issue of wastewater identification. The inventors have come to understand that a single emission wavelength alone cannot unambiguously determine the presence wastewater, and provide new and unique techniques disclosed herein to solve this single emission wavelength problem in the art.

[0040] Moreover, the spirit of the present invention is not intended to be restricted to the identification of only two fluorescence species, but rather is intended to encompass the possibility of near-simultaneous detection of multiple fluorescence species, e.g., including three or more fluorescence species. According to some embodiments, this notion can be extended to include multiple excitation sources and multiple emission wavelength detection to near-simultaneously detect multiple fluorescence species within a single sensing body. For water quality monitoring, it is often the case that the presence of multiple fluorescence species tends to obscure or interfere with any particular desired measurand. The near-simultaneous identification of the multiple species disclosed or presented herein serves to isolate and more singly describe/identify the water quality parameter of interest.

FIGS. 1-3

[0041] FIGS. 1 and 2 shows a first embodiment, based upon one seeking to near-simultaneously identify two species requiring two detected fluorescence emission wavelengths within a single sensing body, e.g., which may take the form of apparatus 10 generally shown in FIG. 1 having a fluorometer 20 with an opto-mechanical head 26 shown in detail in FIG. 2. This notion can be extended to include multiple excitation sources and multiple emission wavelength detection to near-simultaneously detect multiple fluorescence species within a single sensing body using an opto-mechanical head 40, e.g. consistent with that disclosed in relation to FIG. 3.

[0042] The implementations of the sensors or sensing bodies 10 and the fluorometers 20 differ primarily in the details concerning the opto-mechanical heads 26 and 40 shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. The sensors or sensor bodies 10 disclosed in this patent application have at least the following in common: The sensor body 10 generally includes, or consists of, a water tight housing 15a (FIG. 1) that encloses the fluorometer 20 and has at least part of an electrical connector 22 that plugs into a port 15b on the main sensor body 10. The sensors or sensing bodies 10 may include, or take the form of, a Sonde structure. The fluorometer 20 may be configured with a printed circuit board (PCB) generally indicated as 24, and the electrical connector 22 may also be attached to the printed circuit board (PCB) 24 containing the sensor electronics, e.g., which may include a signal processor or processing module like element 100 (FIG. 4), e.g., for implementing signal processing functionality consistent with that disclosed herein. The fluorometer 20 may be configured with the opto-mechanical head like elements 26 or 40, which may be attached to the PCB 24. The opto-mechanical head like elements 26 or 40 may contain the electro-opto-mechanical components, e.g., including light emitting diodes (LEDs) like element 30 and emission detectors like elements 32, 34 having photodetectors (PDs) like elements 32a, 34a and optical bandpass filters 32b, 34b. One end/side of the water tight housing 15a may also contain a window 15c (FIG. 1) that may be configured to allow optical transmission/interaction between the fluorophore (i.e., fluorescent species to be measured) and the optical sensing components like elements 30, 32 and 34 in relation to the embodiment in FIG. 2, or elements 42 or 44 in relation to the embodiment in FIG. 3. By way of example, the window may be made of Sapphire, although the scope of the invention is not intended to be limited to the same. Embodiments are envisioned using other types or kind of window material either now known or later developed in the art, e.g., as one skilled in the art would be appreciate.

[0043] In particular, FIG. 1 shows or depicts the single sensor body 10 with the electrical connection 22 at its bottom, the PCB 24 (e.g., shown in FIG. 1 as an electrically populated circuit board in the main body of the sensor 10), and the opto-mechanical head like element 26 or 40 (as circled in FIG. 1), e.g., containing the LEDs like elements 30 (FIG. 2), PDs and optical bandpass filters like elements 32, 34 as disclosed in relation to FIG. 2. In FIG. 1, the sensor body 10 is shown by way of example as a representation of a typical sensor body and is not intended to be accurate in scale or engineering detail per se. One of the essential components which differentiates all of the disclosed embodiments herein is the opto-mechanical head 26 or 40 (as circled in FIG. 1). In view of this, and to that end, FIGS. 2A, 2B, 3A and 3B show only details associated with the opto-mechanical head 26 or 40.

FIG. 2: Example of Particular Embodiment

[0044] FIGS. 2A and 2B show a first embodiment of the opto-mechanical head 26 that can form part of a sensor like element 10 (FIG. 1), according to some embodiments of the present invention. By way of example, the opto-mechanical head 26 includes an opto-mechanical head body 26a that may contain a single LED like element 30 at an excitation wavelength of 280 nm, and two emission detectors like elements 32, 34. By way of example, the two emission detectors 32, 34 may include two Silicon or other suitable Photodetectors 32a, 34a with respective optical bandpass filters 32b, 34b spectrally centered at 340 nm and 450 nm. This opto-mechanical configuration is designed to detect two coexisting fluorescent species that emit optical radiation at 340 nm and 450 nm respectively when illuminated by the 280 nm optical source like element 30. By way of example, the photodiodes 32a, 34a and the LED 30 may be configured, or may employ, a ball lens configuration to maximize fluorescence collection, e.g., consistent with that shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B.

FIG. 3: Example of Generalized Embodiment

[0045] FIGS. 3A and 3B show a second, more generalized, embodiment having the opto-mechanical head 40 having an opto-mechanical head body 40a that can form part of the sensor like element 10 (FIG. 1), according to some embodiments of the present invention. By way of example, the opto-mechanical head 40 may contain an array 42 of many excitation LEDs. In FIG. 3A, the array 42 is shown having 16 excitation LEDs, although the scope of the invention is not intended to be limited to any particular number of excitation LEDs. The excitation wavelengths and number of LEDs can be chosen to suit the desired application. For example, depending on the particular application a different number of excitation LEDs may be used. In operation, each excitation LED is configured to provide respective excitation LED optical signaling at a respective illuminating wavelength, e.g., consistent with that set forth herein. Moreover, the opto-mechanical head 40 may include receiving optics 44, e.g., such as either an array of photodiodes with associated optical bandpass filters spectrally centered about fluorescence emission wavelengths of interest, or alternatively, such as an optical spectrum analyzer like element 46 as shown (FIG. 3B). Both of these receiving optics techniques serve as a means to spectrally discriminate the collected/captured fluorescence optical signaling generally indicated as Fc. The fluorescence can be captured either through a focusing lens like element 44 (FIG. 3B) that provides focusing lens optical signaling 44a onto a spectrum analyzer like element 46, or by using one or more fiber optic waveguides, e.g., including a bundle of optical fibers (also indicated by reference label 44). The opto-mechanical configuration 40 may be configured or designed to detect multiple, independent or coexisting fluorescent species that emit optical radiation in a range or distribution of emission wavelengths when illuminated by the LED array 42. The array of LEDs 42 and photodiodes (or like the spectrum analyzer 46) need not be near-simultaneously activated, but can be selectively enabled or scanned to produce any combination of excitation wavelengths or detected fluorescence emission.

[0046] In FIG. 4, the plurality of LED excitation sources 42 may be configured or arranged circumferentially about the array of multiple emission detectors 44.

FIG. 4: Implementation of Signal Processing Functionality

[0047] By way of further example, FIG. 4 shows the apparatus or sensor body 10 according to some embodiments of the present invention for implementing the associated signal processing functionality. The apparatus or sensor body 10 may include a signal processor or processing module 100 configured at least to: [0048] receive signaling containing information about excitation source signaling provided by an array of excitation sources, each excitation source configured to provide respective excitation source optical signaling at a respective illuminating wavelength, and multiple emission detector signaling provided by an array of multiple emission detectors configured to detect multiple emission wavelengths emitted from water containing information about multiple coexisting fluorescent species present in the water that emit optical radiation at at least two different wavelengths when illuminated by the respective illuminating wavelength provided from the array of excitation sources, the multiple emission detector signaling containing information about the multiple coexisting fluorescent species; and [0049] determine corresponding signaling containing information about an identification of the multiple coexisting fluorescent species present in the water using a near-simultaneous identification technique, based upon the signaling received.

[0050] In operation, the signal processor or processing module 100 may be configured to provide the corresponding signaling containing information about the identification of the multiple coexisting fluorescent species present in the water using the near-simultaneous identification technique, e.g., for further processing, consistent with that set forth herein. The scope of the invention is not intended to be limited to any particular type, kind or manner of further processing, and may include further processing techniques either now known or later developed in the future.

[0051] The signal processor or processing module 100 may be configured in, or form part of, a sensor body, e.g., like a sonde.

[0052] By way of example, the functionality of the signal processor or processing module 100 may be implemented using hardware, software, firmware, or a combination thereof. In a typical software implementation, the signal processor or processing module 100 would include one or more microprocessor-based architectures having, e. g., at least one signal processor or microprocessor like element 100. One skilled in the art would be able to program with suitable program code such a microcontroller-based, or microprocessor-based, implementation to perform the signal processing functionality disclosed herein without undue experimentation. For example, the signal processor or processing module 100 may be configured, e.g., by one skilled in the art without undue experimentation, to receive the signaling containing information about excitation source signaling provided by an array of excitation sources, each excitation source configured to provide respective excitation source optical signaling at a respective illuminating wavelength, and multiple emission detector signaling provided by multiple emission detectors configured to detect multiple emission wavelengths emitted from water containing information about multiple coexisting fluorescent species present in the water that emit optical radiation at at least two different wavelengths when illuminated by the respective illuminating wavelength provided from the array of excitation sources, the multiple emission detector signaling containing information about the multiple coexisting fluorescent species, consistent with that disclosed herein.

[0053] Moreover, the signal processor or processing module 100 may be configured, e.g., by one skilled in the art without undue experimentation, to determine the corresponding signaling containing information about an identification of the multiple coexisting fluorescent species present in the water using a near-simultaneous identification technique, consistent with that disclosed herein. By way of example, the scope of the invention is not intended to be limited to any particular type or kind of signal processing implementation and/or technique for the near-simultaneous identification of the multiple coexisting fluorescent species present in the water. The scope of the invention is intended to include signal processing implementations and/or techniques for the near-simultaneous identification of the multiple coexisting fluorescent species present in the water that are both now known or later developed in the future, as would be understood and appreciate by one skilled in the art.

[0054] The scope of the invention is not intended to be limited to any particular implementation using technology either now known or later developed in the future. The scope of the invention is intended to include implementing the functionality of the signal processor(s) 100 as stand-alone processor, signal processor, or signal processor module, as well as separate processor or processor modules, as well as some combination thereof.

[0055] The signal processor or processing module 10 may also include, e.g., other signal processor circuits or components 102, including random access memory or memory module (RAM) and/or read only memory (ROM), input/output devices and control, and data and address buses connecting the same, and/or at least one input processor and at least one output processor, e.g., which would be appreciate by one skilled in the art.

The Optical Components

[0056] By way of example, and as one skilled in the art would appreciate, optical components like LEDs, photodiodes, optical bandpass filters, optical fiber or fibers, LED arrays, focusing lens, optical spectrum analyzers are all known in the art, and the scope of the invention is not intended to be limited to any particular type or kind thereof that may be used herein. The scope of the invention is intended to include using such optical components that may be now known in the art or later developed in the future.

The Scope of the Invention

[0057] While the invention has been described with reference to an exemplary embodiment, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the scope of the invention. In addition, may modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the invention without departing from the essential scope thereof. Therefore, it is intended that the invention not be limited to the particular embodiment(s) disclosed herein as the best mode contemplated for carrying out this invention.