Technical Presentation

pH Measurement
 pH: Application
2

Application pH Range Instrument / Sensor

General Water Treatment

After mixed bed 7 pH SI or FL sensor
After cation exchanger 1–7 pH standard sensor
Drinking water, pools 6–8 pH standard sensor
Waste water 6–9 pH with AY Sensor

Power Boiler, Phosphate 8 - 10 pH standard sensor

Steam, Boiler AVT 8 - 10 Deltacon pH
Make up 8 – 10 Deltacon pH
Condensate Polishing 7 pH with FL sensor

Semiconductor 7 pH with FL sensor

CO2 removal 9 - 10 pH standard sensor

Pharmaceutical 6.5 – 7.5 pH with SI sensor or

pH standard sensor
 pH: What is pH?
3

 p(otential of) H(ydrogen)

 the negative common logarithm of the hydrogen-ion
concentration.
Example:
Concentration is 10-4mol/l -> common logarithm is -4 ->
negative value is 4. ==> The pH of the solution is 4

 used as a measure of the acidity or alkalinity of a

solution on a scale of 0-14
 Potentiometry: Principle
4

High Impedance Differential Amplifier

 Measure electrical potential
developed by an electrode
in an electrolyte solution at Signal out
zero current flow.

 Produces a voltage.
Reference Electrode
 The difference of two pH Electrode with with KCl Inner
Inner Electrolyte Electrolyte
potentials (working and
reference electrodes) being
Ag/AgCl Electrode
measured. Ag/AgCl Electrode

Neutral/ Ground Glass

 Ion-sensitive electrodes for
Ceramic or Slit
pH (H+) ions. H+ Selective
Liquid Junction
Glass Membrane
 pH: Measurement Principle
5

 pH glass is sensitive to H+ ions

 This interaction results in different sensing half cell
potentials, e.g. different mV values on the pH meter

pH-Glas

Surface

+ other
H
Ions
 pH: Slope
6
The slope of a sensor expresses how the sensor reacts to
changes of the activity of a given ion in the solution. An
ideal pH electrode has a mV change of 59 mV per decade
at 25 °C.
EMF; (mV)
400
Slope = ΔmV/ decade
300 Theoretical value: 59mV/ Decade at 25oC
200

100

0
0.01 0.0001 0.000001 1E-08 1E-10 1E-12 1E-14 [H+]; Mole/
-100 L
4 7 9 12 pH
-200

-300

-400

-500
 Temperature Compensation
7

Available Compensation Model:

1. Temperature compensation according to Nernst

equation.

2. Temperature compensation for high purity water

(Nernst plus non-linear).

3. Temperature compensation with coefficient.

 Temperature Compensation
8

9.5

8.5

25 ppb Ammonia
pH

7.5

Pure Water

6.5
36 ppb HCl

5.5
0 20 40 60 80 100
 Different pH Monitors
9
AMI pH / Redox QV-Flow AMI pH / Redox M-Flow AMI Pool
AMI pH / mV: pH/mV

Application: Pool Water

Application: Pure & High Purity Water

Application: Cooling water, potable water,
effluents
 Appropriate pH and ORP sensors
10

Choose pH and ORP standard for

Potable and pool water
Surface Water
Conductivity >150µS/cm

Choose pH and ORP AY for

Effluents
Waste water
Industrial processes
 Appropriate pH and ORP sensors
11

Choose pH and ORP SI (liquid electrolyte) / FL

(separated pH and Reference Electrode) for
Pure Water and Ultrapure Water
Conductivity <150µS/cm

Not available for Dual Channel Measurement

: pH FL and ORP FL
FL electrode requires external reference electrode
which cannot be connected to the AMI pH/mV:pH/mV
 AMI pH / Redox: Startup
12
AMI pH specials
13

 All electrodes
 Always store in wet conditions, for longer shutdown use
black cap filled with electrolyte.

 SI and FL electrodes (liquid KCL type)

 Remove air bubbles and crystals from the tube
 Cut bottle tip, connect to tube and puncture KCL bottle
 Observe KCl consumption (approx 0.5ml/day)
 AMI pH / Redox: Maintenance
14
15
Longer Stop of Operation
 pH: Calibration
16

 Buffer solutions with a known pH (i.e. NIST

standard buffer solutions) are used to calibrate pH
systems for offset and slope.

 Buffer values will change with temperature. They

are normally expressed at 25° C.

 Temperature probe must be immersed in the buffer

solution during calibration.

 Check diagnostic values after calibration

 Slope (59mV/pH +/- 3)
 Offset (0mV +/- 30)
 pH: Two Points Calibration Procedure
17

 First value, set the offset

 Second value, set the slope.
mV
Cal point pH 7

Cal point pH 9

pH
7 9

Slope = ΔmV / ΔpH

Theoretical value: 59 mV/pH
 Quality Assurance
18

 AMI Inspector pH
Portable, battery powered instrument for QA of
process analyzers

 The best quality assurance

for an on-line instrument is
done with a certified
analyzer connected to the
same sample line!

 Battery pack for 24 hrs.

 Most Common problems
19
 Customer cannot calibrate the pH sensor therefore they said the
pH measurement is not reliable.
 Please proceed with the steps below:
I. Remove the sensor
II. Check if the sensor cap is closed
III. Check if KCl electrolyte bottle has electrolyte available. If yes,
check if there are bubbles in the tubing or in the sensor. If
there are bubbles, fill it with electrolyte. Then rinse the
electrode tip thoroughly with clean water. Refer to the below
attached instructions.
 Most Common problems
20

Continue from previous slides…

IV. Check also the pH standard solutions 7 and 9, whether is still

new and clean.
V. Then, proceeds with the normal calibration under
maintenance menu of the transmitter.
VI. If the calibration value; offset and slope are within the
acceptance range (as stated below) then the pH sensors are
working in good condition.
Offset: 0mV ±30
Slope: 58mV±3
 Errors List
21
 Questions?
22

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