Looking for high-resolution 0.1 nephelometric turbidity unit (NTU) turbidimeters or probes for checking the level of water transparency in private house swimming pools

Summary

A French company specialises in equipment for swimming pool for individuals. In order to reduce electricity consumption for cleaning water by filtration system, the SME needs to measure online small turbidity variations to inform the energy management unit to start or to stop the filtration. The SME seeks high-resolution turbidimeters or probes (0.1 NTU). A commercial agreement with technical assistance or a technical cooperation is sought with a long-term partner manufacturing such instruments.

Description

The French company aims to optimise the operating time of the filtration pump in order to reduce energy consumption to keep private swimming pools water clear. Indeed, to keep the water transparent the filtering systems are energy consuming by working many hours per day, perhaps longer than it is useful.

The final goal is to measure online with a turbidimeter or a probe the variations of turbidity and transmit them to the management unit to control the filtration pump of swimming pool. Depending on the quality of the water, if the water is clear enough the filtration stops and if the quality decreases the filtration system is restarted. This can both ensure that the water is always clear and in the same time not run the pump more than necessary, resulting in energy savings.

Hydraulic connection of turbidimeter:
-the flow in the main pipe of the swimming pool hydraulic circuit varies between 5m3/h and 50m3/h. This main pipe is made of rigid PVC and can have an external diameter between 50mm and 110mm.
-the online turbidimeter must be installed as a bypass of the hydraulic circuit of the swimming pool, into a smaller pipe.
-the insertion of turbidimeter in the circuit should be as simple as possible.
-the sample socket will be set up between the filtration pump and the filter. A sampling chamber may be required for turbidimeter ; in this case, the sample will return to the swimming pool's hydraulic circuit, downstream of the filter.

The main expected characteristics for the turbidimeters shoud be:
-Online turbidity measurement
-Measuring range: 0 - 5 NTU
-Resolution: 0.1 NTU
-Output signal: 4-20 mA
- Ambiant temperature: from -5°C up to 50°C
-Temperature of the sampled swimming pool water: 1°C to 40°C
-Maximum pressure of the sampled swimming pool water: 2 bars
-Environment potentially corrosive (possible presence of liquid chlorine and acid cans in the room where the turbidimeter will be installed)
-Sampled fluid: swimming pool water with pH between 6.5 and 8.0 routinely (between 5 and 8,5 occasionally) and Chlorine or bromine level between 1ppm and 3ppm in normal operation and which can rise uo to 12ppm during shock chlorinations or brominations (over a period of 24 to 48 hours maximum)
-Resistance to hydrogen peroxide up to 40 ppm

The French company is looking for a long-term partner manufacturer of high-resolution turbidimeters under a commercial agreement with technical assistance. Or the French company is interesting in finding a partnership with manufacturer solely of high-resolution probes that can measure online the variations turbidity water in a hydraulic circuit of family swimming pools. The probe will be integrated into a box to constitute an online turbidimeter under a technical cooperation agreement.

Expertise sought

-Estimated annual quantity>100 turbidimeters or probes
-Turbidimeters should be good value for money
-Turbidimeters or turbidity probres must have a high resolution (0.1 NTU), but not necessarily have a high precision of measure
-Online measurement is expected
-Ideally the turbidimeters shoud be equipped with an integrated sampling chamber

Stage of Development

Already on the market

Requested Partner

The partner could be manufacturer of water instrumentation: turbidimeters or turbidity probes.

Ideally, the SME looks for a commercial agreement with technical assistance:
>The partner should provide high-resolution turbidimeters ready to operate and provide assistance to set up them in the context of private swimming pool energy management.

It also could be a technical cooperation agreement :
>The partner should provide high-resolution turibity probes and also help for their intergration in the full system with the French company.