System for monitoring and controlling a process for treatment of a treatable fluid

Abstract

The present invention relates to a means of monitoring and controlling a process step, or steps for a treatable fluid being processed, whereby a sampled volume of the treated fluid is delivered to a vessel, within which the sampled treated fluid emulates the expected reaction or reactions of the treatable fluid being processed within the process step. The sampled volume of the treated fluid is detained, monitored, recorded and analyzed by the present invention. The resulting data is translated into commands that are conveyed to process control devices which control the processing of the treatable fluid. Sampling and analyzing of the treatable fluid is automatically repeated on a cyclical basis.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for monitoring at least one characteristic of a fluid flowing in a main fluid stream, and for controlling the at least one monitored characteristic of the fluid flowing in the main fluid stream to a desired level by treatment of the fluid flowing in the main fluid stream with at least one treatment fluid added to the fluid flowing in the main fluid stream, the system comprising:
 at least one main reactor/clarification vessel;   a main conduit defining the main fluid stream;   a treatment fluid supply device coupled to the main conduit for adding the at least one treatment fluid to the fluid flowing in the main fluid stream;   the main conduit continuing downstream of the treatment fluid supply device, and delivering the fluid flowing in the main fluid stream and the at least one added treatment fluid to the main reactor/clarification vessel wherein treatment of the fluid flowing in the main fluid stream by the at least one treatment fluid is accomplished such that the at least one monitored characteristic reaches the desired level;   a diverting conduit coupled to the main conduit downstream of the treatment fluid supply device, and diverting a sample fluid stream from the at least one treatment fluid added fluid flowing in the main fluid stream at a diversion point downstream of the treatment fluid supply device and upstream of the main reactor/clarification vessel which treats the fluid flowing in the main fluid stream with the at least one added treatment fluid,
 wherein the diverted sample fluid stream is volumetrically smaller than the at least one treatment fluid added fluid flowing in the main fluid stream, and the reaction conditions of the diverted sample fluid stream emulate the reaction conditions of the at least one treatment fluid added fluid flowing in the main fluid stream; 
   a holding device coupled to the diverting conduit for detaining the diverted sample fluid stream for a predetermined detainment period of time, the holding device defining a detainment area separate from and independent of the main reactor/clarification vessel so as to allow the diverted fluid to react in the detainment area,
 wherein the detainment period of time of the diverted sample fluid stream is set to be such that reaction conditions at a given time based on the volume of the detained sample fluid stream correspond to reaction conditions at a future time based on the larger volume in the main reactor/clarification vessel; 
   an analyzer coupled to the holding device for analyzing at least a portion of the detained sample fluid stream in the detainment area to determine whether said at least one characteristic of the analyzed portion of the detained sample fluid stream is at the desired level; and   a controller for controlling a rate of adding the at least one treatment fluid added to the fluid flowing in the main fluid stream, based on the results of the analysis of the at least a portion of the detained sample fluid stream in the detainment area, such that said rate of adding causes the at least one monitored characteristic of the fluid in the main reactor/clarification vessel to be at the desired level at least one predetermined time.   
     
     
         2 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein, the adding point of the at least one treatment fluid to the fluid flowing in the main fluid stream and the downstream diversion point of the sample fluid stream are spaced apart to allow mixing of the fluid flowing in the main fluid stream and the at least one treatment fluid, such that the diverted sample fluid stream comprises mixed fluids. 
     
     
         3 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the analyzer analyzes the at least a portion of the detained sample fluid stream for the at least one monitored characteristic during the predetermined detainment period. 
     
     
         4 . The system according to  claim 3 , wherein the analyzer analyzes the at least one monitored characteristic of the detained sample fluid to determine whether the at least one monitored characteristic corresponds to a desired level. 
     
     
         5 . The system according to  claim 1 , further comprising a throttle coupled to the main conduit upstream of the treatment fluid supply device and controlling a rate of flow of the fluid flowing in a main fluid stream, wherein the throttle is at least partially controlled by the analyzer. 
     
     
         6 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the controller comprises at least one Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) and receives at least one input signal and sends at least one output signal. 
     
     
         7 . The system according to  claim 6 , wherein the at least one input signal received by the at least one PLC is a result of the analysis by the analyzer of the at least one monitored characteristic of the detained sample fluid in the detainment area. 
     
     
         8 . The system according to  claim 6 , wherein the at least one output signal sent by the at least one PLC controls the rate of adding the at least one treatment fluid added to the fluid flowing in the main fluid stream.