WO2025126033A1

WO2025126033A1 - Digitally controlled device for the preparation and titration of chlorinated solutions and associated method

Info

Publication number: WO2025126033A1
Application number: PCT/IB2024/062429
Authority: WO
Inventors: Massimo Pinna
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2023-12-11
Filing date: 2024-12-10
Publication date: 2025-06-19
Anticipated expiration: 2026-06-11
Also published as: IT202300026331A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a digitally controlled device for the preparation and titration of chlorinated solutions, usable for sanitizing environments. It comprises a Graphical User Interface (GUI), a central processor and three tanks intended to contain water, sodium hypochlorite and the mixed solution. The processor manages the proportions of the mixed solutions and monitors the quality by means of a chlorine probe, adjusting the mixing to obtain the exact desired titration. It includes a microchip reading/writing system for recording information about the user and the prepared solution and an optical sensor to identify the color of the container, associated with specific permitted uses. The device can be monitored and programmed remotely.

Description

“Digitally controlled device for the preparation and titration of chlorinated solutions and associated method”

Description

Field of the invention

The present invention pertains to the field of technology of devices for mixing and titrating chemical solutions, more specifically it refers to a digitally controlled device designed to prepare chlorinated solutions that allows accurately controlling the proportions between water and sodium hypochlorite, as well as monitoring and tracking the preparation and expiration of the obtained solution.

Prior art

The importance of sanitizing tools and environments has been unequivocally highlighted by the recent pandemic that affected the entire world, underlining the critical need to keep places such as hospitals and healthcare facilities sterile. Sanitization is a cornerstone in preventing infection, and chlorine-based solutions are currently among the most widely adopted methods, given their proven effectiveness against a broad spectrum of microorganisms. However, the mainly manual preparation of such solutions is not free from critical issues. The process of manually mixing sodium hypochlorite and water can generate errors in dosages, producing excessively diluted and thus ineffective solutions, or excessively concentrated, with possible risks to human health and with corrosive effects on surfaces. The handling of chlorine, an intrinsically dangerous chemical, requires caution and specific knowledge, both in the preparation of solutions and in the disposal of waste. Another significant drawback is the loss of chlorine concentration, or decay, in commercial solutions, which occurs in particular once the packages have been opened and exposed to air. This phenomenon often makes it useless or impractical to purchase pre-packaged solutions, which do not maintain their effectiveness over time and which require immediate use in large quantities. This issue highlights the importance of systems capable of producing chlorinated solutions on site, in the right proportions and quantities needed, eliminating waste and ensuring the effectiveness of the sanitization process. The variety of problems encountered with the traditional sanitization methods clearly demonstrates the need for innovative, safe and accurate solutions.

In terms of industrial patents, the patent which most approaches the present invention is JP6141190B2, which describes a method and device for storing an aqueous solution of chlorine dioxide. The process includes the supply and combination of chlorite and peroxodisulfate in an aqueous system, with a molar ratio between the two substances greater than 1, thus forming a chlorine dioxide solution which is then filled in a container which can be stored or transported. This aqueous chlorine dioxide solution has a chlorine concentration between 0.3% and 4.5% by mass, requires no additional buffering agents or catalysts, and has a pH value between 2.5 and 3. The combination of peroxodisulfate and chlorite is carried out at a temperature between 0 and 25 degrees Celsius and the resulting solution is stored at a pressure between 0.01 and 10 bar, possibly under an inert gas atmosphere. The described device is provided with separate storage containers for chlorite and peroxodi sulfate, a mixing container, a storage container for the chlorine dioxide solution, and dosing devices for adjusting the amount of chemicals fed into the mixing container. This apparatus can be mounted as a compact device in homes or apartments, or as a large-scale device for industry, and is designed to be transportable for use in buildings.

However, this machinery has some critical issues: first of all, it is designed to produce chlorine dioxide in an aqueous system starting from chlorite and peroxodi sulfate with a specific molar ratio. Chlorine dioxide is an oxidizing agent used for water disinfection, odor control and sanitization in the food and beverage industry, and the choice of this solution or the chlorinated solution we propose could depend on the specific needs and application conditions, each having unique advantages and disadvantages. The chlorine dioxide solution may be preferred in situations where effective sanitization is required without the formation of by-products, while the chlorinated solution is suitable for applications where a more stable solution is required and pH control is less critical.

But the most relevant difference is given by the mixing and titration mechanism: while the prior art envisages the sole use of precision pumps for dosing solvents, ignoring the possible decay of the solutes, the present device also envisages an additional high precision control carried out inside the mixing tank, carried out by means of a chlorine probe capable of measuring the ppm present in the solution obtained, before the final dispensing. Thereby, if the solution obtained is not optimal, for example due to the presence of impurities in the water or a decay of chlorine in the solute, the mixture is corrected or poured out and the operation repeated, until the optimal solution is reached. And only then is it dispensed to the user who can use it in compliance with regulations and in complete safety. This not only allows a precision which is not currently available from competing machinery, but also the exact titration of the product dispensed on site.

In this context, the subject matter of the present patent is an advanced sanitization machine characterized by a Graphical User Interface (GUI) for entering the desired parameters, and designed to mix water and sodium hypochlorite in precise proportions, providing an optimal chlorinated solution for sanitization. A central processor coordinates and controls the entire system, adjusting the mixing based on the data provided by the chlorine probe in the mixing tank. The system not only allows the on-site creation of effective chlorinated solutions, but also their safe packaging, thanks to the sensors and bottle tracking described below, which avoids any risk and ensures the creation of always precise solutions and in the quantities strictly necessary.

Description of the invention

With the present patent application for an industrial invention, it is intended to describe and claim a device provided with at least a new and alternative solution to the solutions known so far, with associated method, and/or to satisfy one or more needs perceived in the art and in particular deduced from what has been reported above. To achieve this aim, the inventors have developed an advanced machine for the production and titration of chlorinated solutions, designed to mix and dose water and sodium hypochlorite in precise proportions, so as to obtain a titrated and guaranteed chlorinated solution, usable for the sanitization of environments. The device comprises at least:

- a Graphical User Interface (GUI), preferably consisting of a touch-sensitive screen, through which users can interact with the system and enter the required specifications and desired parameters;

- a central processor, which carries out the role of coordination and control of all the components of the system, processing the information received and sending appropriate commands to the various modules of the machine as described below; said processor comprising at least a wi-fi module for connection to a remote control unit which programs and monitors the operation of the device;

- a first water tank, which is fed by a water supply network and which acts as a primary water storage; said device having a first outlet line controlled by a pump, in turn controlled by said central processor;

- a second sodium hypochlorite tank, which collects and stores the sanitizer needed to prepare the solution; said tank having a second outlet line controlled by a pump, in turn controlled by said central processor;

- a third mixing tank, receiving water and sodium hypochlorite from the two said outlet lines controlled by the two said pumps; said mixing tank having a third outlet line controlled by a titrated chlorine pump, in turn controlled by said central processor; with said third tank also having a discharge channel for discharging the failed solution;

- a chlorine probe, immersed inside said third mixing tank, suitable for measuring the parts per million (ppm) obtained from mixing said solvent and solute; said chlorine probe being connected to said central processor;

- an external housing for an empty container, comprising at least a load sensor, a microchip reading/writing system and an optical sensor for detecting the presence and color of said container; said container being adapted to receive the solution obtained through said third outlet line controlled by said titrated chlorine pump, coming from said third mixing tank;

- an empty, colored container, suitable for receiving the titrated and guaranteed chlorinated solution, comprising a microchip.

When users use the device, they access the Graphical Interface, preferably consisting of a touch screen, identify themselves and insert the empty container into the external housing; since the final purpose of the device is to provide a titrated solution containing a certain guaranteed number of ppm, the first control is performed on the container itself to verify that it is actually empty. In fact, a residue of the previous solution, mixed with the new solution being requested, could nullify the titration itself. As a result, the load sensor comes into action and controls the weight of the empty container, which is known. If the weight does not match, the central processor requests, through the user interface, to completely empty the container before proceeding. The second control carried out on the empty container is that of its color: in fact, the central processor is programmed so that a certain user is allowed certain uses of the device, associated with the colors of the container itself. The color of the container is therefore detected by the optical sensor present inside the external housing. If the color of the container corresponds to the use permitted to the identified user, the procedure for preparing and titrating the chlorine solution begins. The central processor then moves the first water pump and the second sodium hypochlorite pump, which extract solvent and solute from the two respective tanks and channel them toward the third mixing tank according to the proportions established by a system administrator who programmed the central processor itself.

At this point, the chlorine probe comes into operation and detects the parts per million actually obtained. The number of ppm actually present in the solution can vary both due to impurities in the water and due to the decay of the solute after initial exposure to air. To prevent the sodium hypochlorite from decaying, the device uses a dedicated double valve cap which limits the entry of air into the second tank, thus slowing down the decay process as much as possible; however, the solute is still subject to decay and the chlorine probe, detecting the actual ppm present in the solution obtained, sends the information to the central processor. This can, taking into account a preferable tolerated deviation of ±0.5%, establish whether it is necessary to add more solute or more water, until the guaranteed titration is achieved. Once the solution has been perfected, the central processor activates the third titrated chlorine pump which withdraws the solution from the third mixing tank and sends it to the empty container present in said external housing. If the ppm detected by the probe do not correspond to the request, and if it is not possible to correct the solution, the procedure could be aborted and the solution poured out through said discharge channel present in the third mixing container.

Once the correct solution has been dispensed and titrated, said microchip reading/writing system present in the external housing overwrites the data on the microchip present in the external container, updating at least:

- the identification of the user who requested the solution;

- the precise time of the operation;

- the exact ppm of the solution dispensed;

- the expiration date of the solution provided;

- the department and shift to which the user belongs.

This information, written on the microchip, can subsequently be read by any remote device, such as a common mobile phone through NFC protocol, after installing a dedicated application.

It should be noted that said central processor, provided with a wireless Internet connection, can be programmed and/or monitored from a remote control unit; through said remote connection it is possible to at least:

- update the firmware, software and/or parameters relating to the titration of the product to be dispensed;

- monitor the operation of the pumps, the probe and the various components of the system;

- monitor the exhaustion of the solute in the various stations;

- monitor the type of use and operating time;

- monitor authorized and/or unauthorized access by users. The advantages offered by the present invention are evident in the light of the description presented thus far and will be even clearer thanks to the attached figures and the related detailed description.

Description of the figures

The previous advantages, as well as other advantages and characteristics of the present invention, will be illustrated by referring to the attached figures, which are to be considered purely illustrative and not limiting or binding for the purposes of the present patent application, in which:

- FIGURE 1 shows a possible operating diagram of the device in question, where the various parts of the system are visible, in particular the first tank 10 for containing the water, with the outlet line connected to the first water pump 15; the second tank 20 for containing the sodium hypochlorite, with the second outlet line connected to the second hypochlorite pump 25; the third mixing tank 30, which receives the two said outlet lines from the first and second tanks 10 and 20, with its own outlet line connected to the third pump of the titrated chlorine 35; said chlorine probe 40, immersed in the third mixing tank 30; and the empty container 50, positioned in an external housing;

- FIGURE 2 illustrates the operating method of the device in question, comprising steps (A) to (K) as described below.

Detailed description of the invention

It will be immediately obvious that countless variations and modifications can be made to what has been described (for example relating to shape, dimensions, arrangements and parts with equivalent functionality) without departing from the scope of protection of the invention as appears in the attached claims.

The present invention will now be illustrated, purely by way of non-limiting and non-binding example, with respect to the present inventive concept, following Fig. 1 showing a Graphical User Interface (GUI) 100 connected to a central processor 500, which in turn is connected to the various parts of the system. In particular, it is possible to see a first water tank 10, which receives and stores water from a water network 12 and sends it through a first output line controlled by a first water pump 15, in turn connected with said central processor 500; a second tank 20, suitable for containing sodium hypochlorite, which sends the solute through a second outlet line controlled by a second sodium hypochlorite pump 25, in turn connected to said processor 500; and a third mixing tank 30, receiving solvent and solute from the two said output lines and equipped with its own third outlet line, controlled by a third titrated chlorine pump 35 and directed towards a container 50, positioned inside an external housing; said third tank 30 comprising a discharge line 32 suitable for discharging the failed solution; and a chlorine probe 40, suitable for detecting the parts per million (ppm) actually obtained in the solution, being immersed in the solution inside said third mixing tank 30, and being connected to said central processor 500. As can still be seen from Fig. 1, said container 50, equipped with a particular color and comprising a microchip 55, is placed on top of a weight sensor 60 comprising a microchip reading/writing system 65 and is detected by an optical sensor 70; both said weight sensor 60 comprising said microchip reading/writing system and said optical sensor 70 being positioned in a dedicated housing which faces the outside of the machine, so that it can be used by the user who requests the chlorinated solution.

The device described above is associated with a method of use comprising at least the following steps:

(A) Programming said central processor 500 by a remote operations center, through the Internet, or manually, through the graphical user interface (GUI), by a system administrator user who establishes the operating parameters system operation;

(B) Identification of the user requesting the chlorinated solution, together with the precise time, shift and department to which he or she belongs;

(C) Weighing of the container 50 by the weight sensor 60;

(Cl) If the weight of the container 50 is greater than the known weight of the empty container, the graphic interface 100 requests its emptying;

(D) Control of the color of the container 50 by the optical sensor 70;

(DI) If the color of the container 50 is different from the color assigned to the user, the graphic interface 100 requests its replacement;

(E) Identification of the solution associated with the color of the container 50 and the requesting user;

(F) Movement of said pumps 15 and 25 for the extraction of solvent and solute from the respective tanks 10 and 20; said substances being directed by the two respective outlet lines towards the third mixing tank 30;

(G) Activation of said chlorine probe 40 for ppm counting; the information being sent to the central processor 500 for evaluation;

(H) If the detected ppm concentration does not fall within a tolerance of ±0.5% compared to the expected value, the central processor 500 commands an adjustment of the solution by adding water from the tank 10 through the first pump 15, of sodium hypochlorite through the second pump 25, or both;

(I) If it is not possible to adjust the solution from the calculations carried out, it is entirely poured through the discharge channel 32 present in the said mixing tank 30 and a new cycle, starting from passage (E), is started;

(J) When the correct solution is obtained, with the ppm count falling within the preferable tolerance of ±0.5% of the desired value, the titrated chlorine pump 35 is moved and the solution is transferred from the mixing tank 30 to the container 50 placed in the external housing;

(K) The microchip reading/writing system 65 writes at least the following data on the chip 55, present on the container 50:

- the identification of the user who requested the solution;

- the precise time of the operation;

- the exact ppm of the solution dispensed;

- the expiration date of the solution provided;

- the department and shift to which the user belongs.

It is clear that modifications, additions or variations that are obvious to a person skilled in the art can be made to the invention described so far, without thereby departing from the scope of protection provided by the attached claims.

Claims

1. Digitally controlled device for the preparation and titration of chlorinated solutions characterized in that it comprises at least: a Graphical User Interface (100), in the preferable form of a touch-sensitive screen, connected to a central processor (500) comprising at least a wi-fi connection module; a first water tank (10), which receives and stores the water from a water network (12) and sends it through a first outlet line controlled by a first water pump (15), in turn connected with the said central processor (500); a second tank (20), suitable for containing the sodium hypochlorite, which sends the solute through a second output line controlled by a second sodium hypochlorite pump (25), in turn connected to said processor (500); and a third mixing tank (30), receiving solvent and solute from the two said outlet lines and equipped with its own third outlet line, controlled by a third titrated chlorine pump (35) and directed towards a container (50), positioned inside an external housing; said third tank (30) comprising a discharge channel (32) suitable for discharging the failed solution; and a chlorine probe (40), suitable for detecting the parts per million actually obtained in the solution, being immersed in the solution inside said third mixing tank (30), and being connected to said central processor (500); said central processor (500) being able in particular to receive information on the concentration of chlorine detected by said chlorine probe (40) and consequently being able to control the modification of the solution through said pumps (15 and 25) of water and sodium hypochlorite, its spillage or delivery towards a container (50) by means of said titrated chlorine pump (35), with a preferable tolerance of ±0.5% compared to the expected value; said system as a whole being suitable for the preparation of a titrated, traceable and guaranteed chlorinated solution.

2. Digitally controlled device for the preparation and titration of chlorinated solutions according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the said container (50) is equipped with colours, each associated with a specific programmed chlorinated solution, and includes a chip (55) suitable for recording the data of each individual dispensing operation.

3. Digitally controlled device for the preparation and titration of chlorinated solutions according to the preceding claims, characterized in that the said external housing, where the said container (50) is placed before dispensing, includes at least a sensor (60) suitable for detecting the exact weight of the container itself; this information being used by said central processor (500) at least to determine whether said container (50) is empty before the new titrated solution is dispensed into it.

4. Digitally controlled device for the preparation and titration of chlorinated solutions according to the preceding claims, characterized in that the said external housing, where the said container (50) is placed before dispensing, includes at least an optical sensor (70) suitable for detecting the presence and colour of the container itself; this information being used by said central processor (500) at least to determine whether said container (50) is present in the external housing and whether it is of the correct colour, according to the association between user and requested solution present in memory.

5. Digitally controlled device for the preparation and titration of chlorinated solutions according to the preceding claim 3, characterized in that the said weight sensor (60) includes a chip reading/ writing system (65) suitable for writing the information relating to the operation carried out on said chip (55) present on said container (50).

6. Digitally controlled device for the preparation and titration of chlorinated solutions according to the preceding claims, characterized in that the data written on the said chip (55) present on the said container (50) can be read by any remote device, such as a common mobile phone via NFC protocol, after installing a dedicated application.

7. Digitally controlled device for the preparation and titration of chlorinated solutions according to the preceding claims, characterized in that the said central processor (500), equipped with a wireless Internet connection, can be programmed and/or monitored by a central remote; through said remote connection being able at least:

- monitor the exhaustion of the solute in the various stations;

- monitor the type of use and operating time;

- monitor authorized and/or unauthorized access by users.

8. Digitally controlled device for the preparation and titration of chlorinated solutions according to the preceding claims, characterized in that the said outlet line present on the said sodium hypochlorite tank (20) is sealed by a particular dedicated double valve cap, designed to limit the entry of air to the narrow quantity necessary for said hypochlorite pump (25) to carry out the movement of the solute; said dedicated cap being aimed at limiting the decay of the chlorine-based sanitizing solution contained in the second tank (20), which decays in contact with the air.

9. Method associated with the operation of the digitally controlled device for the preparation and titration of chlorinated solutions in question, characterized in that it comprises at least the following steps:

(A) Programming of said central processor (500) by a remote operations centre, through the Internet, or manually, through the graphical user interface (GUI), by a system administrator user who establishes the operating parameters system operation;

(C) Weighing of the container (50) by the weight sensor (60);

(Cl) If the weight of the container (50) is greater than the known weight of the empty container, the graphic interface (100) requests its emptying;

(D) Control of the colour of the container (50) by the optical sensor (70);

(DI) If the colour of the container (50) is different from the colour assigned to the user, the graphic interface (100) requests its replacement;

(E) Identification of the solution associated with the colour of the container (50) and the requesting user;

(F) Movement of the said pumps (15 and 25) for the extraction of solvent and solute from the respective tanks (10 and 20); said substances being directed by the two respective exit lines towards the third mixing tank (30);

(G) Activation of said chlorine probe (40) for ppm counting; the information being sent to the central processor (500) for evaluation;

(H) If the detected ppm concentration does not fall within a tolerance of ±0.5% compared to the expected value, the central processor (500) commands an adjustment of the solution by adding water from the tank (10) through the first pump (15), of sodium hypochlorite through the second pump (25), or both;

(I) If it is not possible to adjust the solution from the calculations carried out, it is entirely poured through the discharge channel (32) present in the said mixing tank (30) and a new cycle, starting from passage (E), is started;

(J) When the correct solution is obtained, with the ppm count falling within the preferable tolerance of ±0.5% of the desired value, the titrated chlorine pump (35) is moved and the solution is transferred from the mixing tank (30) to the container (50) placed in the external housing; (K) The microchip reading/writing system (65) writes at least the following data on the chip (55), present on the container (50):

- identification of the user who requested the solution;

- the precise time of the operation; - the exact ppm of the solution dispensed;

- the expiry date of the solution provided;

- the department and shift the user belongs to.