Flowcell device, flowcell control system and method

1 . A flow-cell device for sensing electrochemical process parameters, comprising:

a cell housing comprising a pipe adapted to receive liquid;

a sensor housing configured for receiving an electrochemical sensor for sensing an ion concentration of liquid in the pipe, the sensor being disposed at a side of the cell housing and protruding into the cell housing; and

a motor arrangement disposed on the cell housing and configured for stirring liquid present within the cell housing in the pipe when the flow-cell device is in operation wherein the motor arrangement comprises:

a motor housing;

a first portion disposed inside the motor housing such that the first portion does not contact the liquid,

a second portion disposed outside the motor housing and protruding into the cell housing, and

a motor configured to drive the first portion of the motor arrangement;

wherein the first portion is configured to drive the second portion of the motor arrangement;

wherein the second portion is configured to stir the liquid in the pipe;

an inlet and an outlet, wherein the pipe is configured to receive the liquid from the inlet of the flow-cell device and to direct the liquid to the outlet of the flow-cell device;

the electrochemical sensor including a membrane disposed on a side of the electrochemical sensor facing the motor arrangement;

wherein the electrochemical sensor is configured to sense the ion concentration of a chemical substance solved in the liquid inside the pipe within the cell housing by the membrane to consume a part of the chemical substance, and the second portion of the motor arrangement is configured to stir the liquid in the pipe comprising the chemical substance;

wherein the sensor protrudes sufficiently from the sensor housing into the pipe toward the motor arrangement to leave only a gap between a magnetically effective stirrer bar and the membrane.

2 . The flow-cell device according to claim 1 , wherein the first portion of the motor arrangement comprises magnets, and the second portion of the motor arrangement comprises the magnetically effective stirrer bar, and wherein the motor is configured to rotate the magnets, and the magnets are configured to rotate the magnetic stirrer bar.

3 . The flow-cell device according to claim 1 , wherein the first and the second portions of the motor arrangement are water-tightly separated from each other.

4 . The flow-cell device according to claim 1 , wherein the flow-cell device further comprises a transmitter, and wherein the sensor and the motor are powered from the transmitter.

5 . The flow-cell device according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a flow control unit configured to determine a flow rate of the liquid running through the cell housing of the flow-cell device; and

a motor controller configured to control the motor according to a determined flow rate of the liquid.

6 . The flow-cell device according to claim 5 , wherein the motor controller activates the motor in time intervals.

7 . The flow-cell device according to claim 1 , wherein the motor and the first portion are a modular unit attachable to the cell housing of the flow-cell device.

8 . A flow-cell control system for a flow-cell device, the flow-cell device comprising:

a cell housing;

a sensor housing configured for receiving a sensor, the sensor being disposed at a side of the cell housing and protruding into the cell housing;

a motor arrangement disposed on the cell housing and configured for stirring liquid present within the cell housing when the flow-cell device is in operation;

a flow control unit configured to control a flow rate of a liquid in the flow-cell device and to send a flow rate value of the flow rate to a motor controller, wherein the flow rate comprises a continuous range of values including and between a minimum value and a maximum value;

wherein the motor controller is configured to receive the flow rate value and to control the motor arrangement for stirring the liquid, the motor arrangement including a motor configured to be controlled by the motor controller.

9 . The flow-cell control system according to claim 8 , further comprising a sensor circuit configured to detect an electrochemical process parameter sensed by a sensor of the flow-cell device; wherein the sensor circuit is configured to send an electrochemical process parameter value to the motor controller; and wherein the motor controller is configured to control the motor using the electrochemical process parameter value.

10 . A method for sensing electrochemical process parameters in a flow-cell device, comprising:

controlling by a flow control unit a flow rate of a liquid in the flow-cell device, wherein the flow rate comprises a continuous range of values including and between a minimum value and a maximum value;

sending a flow rate value of the flow rate to a motor controller;

receiving by the motor controller the flow rate value; and

controlling a motor using the motor controller, the motor operating to stir the liquid in dependence on the flow rate value.

11 . The method according to claim 10 , wherein the controlling the motor for stirring the liquid in dependence on the flow rate comprises comparing the flow rate value with a pre-defined threshold, switching on the motor when the threshold is exceeded; and switching off the motor when the flow rate falls below the threshold.