The Eyetech Laser Probe and the Eyetech Video Probe together unlock the complete morphological composition of particle systems for ultimate process control.

Ankersmid offers particle size and shape analysis solutions for the monitoring of grinding, crystalization, polymerization and homogenizing processes; in-line,

in-situ, in pilot plants, in reactors, in bio-reactors and in the laboratory.

Measurement Benefits

-In-situ drop and particle size measurement, and migration in dispersed-phase systems, monitoring of undiluted particles in their actual process state

-24h online measurement and trend monitoring with alarm relay

-Probe design prevents the destruction of the product from shear stress

Measurement principle

The Eyetech Laser Probe containing the laser and detector is inserted at a 45 degree angle into the process flow in direct contact with the sample. The laser beam leaves the optical fiber (shown as a sollid line in the diagram) and passes through the coupling lens and the focusing lens. The beam rejoins at the focal point where it scans the sample in an elliptical orbit. When the light of the laser beam hits a particle or droplet in the focal point, the particle will start to backscatter until the focused beam has reached the particles opposite edge.

The time period of backscatter is precisely registered. When the time period (T) is multiplied by the scan speed (V=Velocity), the distance of the scattering (D) is given. The distance corresponds with the particles chord length (D = VT). The Eyetech Laser Probe typically measures thousands of chords a second, resulting in an accurate number-by-chord-length distribution. The backscatter is sent back to the optical fiber following the exact same path as the laser beam. Particles outside the laser beams focal point (particle A and B in the diagram), reflect the light in paths that miss the optical fiber (shown as the dotted line in Diagram 1), and therefor escape detection. The mechanism ensures the accuracy of the proticle data collected.

As a static focus point limits the particle size range that can be measured, the EYetech Laser Probe operates with a dynamic focus that travels back and forth through the medium at a speed of 2 m/s. The focal point trajectory is divided in 1024 digetal units, all with a know corresponding particle size, enabling the analysis of particles as fine as 500 nanometer at the start of the trajectory, up to particles of 3000 microns at the end of the trajectory where the focal point has widened toits maximum