1. A method of controlling addition of a treating agent into a fluid comprising:
measuring at a measurement site a process value of a process parameter of the fluid;
generating a first control signal based on a control function and the process value;
introducing an amount of the treating agent based on the first control signal into the fluid;
measuring at least one operating parameter of a source of the treating agent; and
generating an expected operating value of the source of the treating agent based at least partially on the first control signal.
2. The method of claim 1, further comprising measuring a plurality of process values of the process parameter.
3. The method of claim 2, further comprising generating a plurality of control signals based on the control function and the plurality of process values.
4. The method of claim 3, further comprising generating a plurality of expected operating values of the source of the treating agent based at least partially on the plurality of control signals.
5. The method of claim 4, further comprising generating an alarm condition when a magnitude of a difference between at least one expected operating value and at least one measured operating parameter of the source of the treating agent exceeds a predetermined tolerance value.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein the control function comprises a plurality of demand values.
7. The method of claim 6, further comprising modifying at least one demand value of the control function.
8. The method of claim 7, further comprising generating an alternative control signal based at least partially on the modified demand value and a second measured process value of the process parameter.
9. The method of claim 1, wherein the process parameter is representative of a concentration of an odorous species in the fluid.
10. The method of claim 1, wherein the treating agent comprises at least one of a nitrate species and an alkaline.
11. A chemical feed system comprising:
a sensor disposed to measure a first parameter of a fluid and to transmit a first measurement signal corresponding to the first parameter;
a source of a treating agent disposed to introduce at least one treating agent into the fluid; and
a controller in communication with the sensor and the source of the treating agent, the controller configured to receive the first measurement signal from the sensor and a second measurement signal corresponding to a measured parameter of the source of treating agent, and further configured to transmit to the source of the treating agent at least one control signal based at least in part on a control function and the first measurement signal.
12. The system of claim 11, wherein the control function comprises an array of demand values.
13. The system of claim 12, wherein the measured first parameter is representative of a concentration of an odorous species in the fluid.
14. The system of claim 13, wherein the controller is further configured to receive the second measurement signal and generate a measured characteristic value of at least one operating parameter of the source of the treating agent.
15. The system of claim 14, wherein the controller is further configured to generate an expected characteristic value of the source of the treating agent based at least in part on at least one control signal.
16. The system of claim 15, wherein the controller is further configured to determine a relative characteristic value based on the difference between the measured characteristic value and the expected characteristic value.
17. The system of claim 16, further comprising at least one output device in communication with the controller.
18. The system of claim 17, wherein the controller is configured to generate an output signal based on the relative characteristic value and transmit the output signal to the at least one output device.
19. The system of claim 18, further comprising a flow sensor disposed to measure a flow rate of at least one phase of the fluid and transmit a corresponding measured flow value.
20. The system of claim 19, wherein the controller is further configured to generate a composite average flow curve based on the measured flow value.
21. The system of claim 20, wherein the controller is further configured to identify a triggering condition based on the composite average flow curve and a currently measured flow value.
22. The system of claim 21, wherein the triggering condition is realized when a difference between the composite average flow curve and the current measured liquid flow value exceeds a predetermined tolerance value.
23. The system of claim 22, wherein the controller is further configured adjust the control signal based on the triggering condition.
24. The system of claim 11, wherein the control signal comprises at least one active component and at least one dormant component.
25. The system of claim 24, wherein the magnitude of the active component is proportionally based on the difference between the first measured parameter and a corresponding demand value.
26. The system of claim 11, wherein the control signal is at least partially based on the difference between the first measured parameter and a corresponding demand value.
27. The system of claim 11, wherein the control signal is at least partially defined as an active component of duty cycle period.
28. The system of claim 12, further comprising at least one input device in communication with the controller and configured to receive at least one demand value.
29. The system of claim 11, wherein the sensor is remotely disposed from a point of introduction of the treating agent into the fluid.
30. A computer-readable medium having computer-readable signals stored thereon that define instructions that, as a result of being executed by a controller, instruct the controller to perform a method of controlling addition of a treating agent into a fluid comprising acts of:
generating a plurality of control signals based on a plurality of measured process values of a process parameter of a fluid and a plurality of demand values;
transmitting a plurality of control signals to at least one source of the treating agent disposed to introduce the treating agent into the fluid; and
generating at least one expected operating value of a source of the treating agent based at least partially on at least one of the plurality of control signals.
31. The computer-readable medium of claim 30, further comprising computer-readable signals that define instructions of generating an array of expected operating values of the source of the treating agent based at least partially on the plurality of control signals.
32. The computer-readable medium of claim 31, further comprising computer-readable signals that define instructions of storing a plurality of alternate demand values.
33. The computer-readable medium of claim 32, further comprising computer-readable signals that define instructions of generating an alternate set of control signals.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A method for treating the atmosphere comprising passing ambient air to be treated into operative contact with a stationary substrate having at least one ambient air contacting surface with a pollutant treating composition thereon.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein the pollutant treating composition is at least one composition selected from the group consisting of a catalyst composition and an adsorption composition.
3. The method of claim 2 wherein the pollutant treating composition is a catalytic composition for converting ozone to oxygen.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein the stationary substrate is part of a motor vehicle at rest with the engine off.
5. The method of claim 4 wherein the non-moving motor vehicle is selected from the group consisting of automobiles, trucks, trains, aircraft, boats, ships and motorcycles.
6. The method of claim 1 comprising drawing or forcing ambient air into operative contact with the substrate under conditions in which a pollutant in the ambient air undergoes a reaction with the pollutant treating composition.
7. The method of claim 6 further comprising selectively drawing or forcing the ambient air into operative contact with the substrate when the pollutants contained within the ambient air are at elevated concentrations.
8. The method of claim 7 comprising sensing the concentration of pollutants within the ambient air and selectively drawing or forcing air into operative contact with the substrate when the concentration of pollutants exceeds a predetermined level of said pollutants.
9. The method of claim 8 comprising generating a first signal corresponding to the concentration of pollutants in the ambient air, comparing the first signal to a second signal corresponding to a predetermined concentration of pollutants, and if the first signal exceeds the second signal, the transmitting a third signal to the power source to activate a device for drawing or forcing the ambient air into contact with the substrate.
10. The method of claim 1 comprising sensing the temperature of the ambient air, comparing the temperature of the ambient air with a predetermined temperature indicative of a minimum concentration of pollutants in the ambient air and drawing or forcing the ambient air into operative contact with the substrate when the sensed temperature equals or exceeds the predetermined temperature.
11. The method of claim 10 comprising generating a first signal corresponding to the temperature of the ambient air, comparing the first signal to a second signal corresponding to a predetermined temperature, and if the first signal exceeds the second signal, transmitting a third signal to the power source to activate a device for drawing or forcing the ambient air into contact with the substrate.
12. The method of claim 7 further comprising selecting a predetermined time period and drawing or forcing the ambient air into contact with the substrate only during said preselected time period.
13. The method of claim 6 further comprising discontinuing the step of selectively drawing or forcing the ambient air into operative contact with the substrate when the power necessary to perform said step is below a predetermined level.
14. The method of claim 13 comprising generating a first signal corresponding to the power level of the power source, comparing the first signal to a second signal corresponding to a predetermined power level, and if the second signal exceeds the first signal, transmitting a third signal to the power source to deactivate a device for drawing or forcing the ambient air into contact with the substrate.
15. The method of claim 8 further comprising discontinuing the step of selectively drawing or forcing the ambient air into operative contact with the substrate when the power necessary to perform said step is below a predetermined level.
16. The method of claim 10 further comprising discontinuing the step of selectively drawing the ambient air into operative contact with the substrate when the power necessary to perform said step is below a predetermined level.
17. The method of claim 10 further comprising selecting a predetermined time period and drawing the ambient air into contact with the substrate only during said preselected time period.
18. The method of claim 1 comprising generating a first signal from a location remote from the substrate, receiving the first signal at a location proximate to the substrate, said first signal for activating a device for drawing the ambient air into contact with the substrate.
19. The method of claim 18 wherein the first signal is a radiofrequency signal.
20. The method of claim 18 further comprising discontinuing the step of selectively drawing the ambient air into operative contact with the substrate when the power necessary to perform said step is below a predetermined level.
21. The method of claim 1 further comprising increasing the temperature of the ambient air before passing the ambient air over the ambient air contacting surface.
22. Apparatus for treating the atmosphere comprising:
(a) a stationary substrate having at least one ambient air contacting surface;
(b) a pollutant treating composition affixed to the ambient air contacting surface; and
(c) ambient air passing means for passing ambient air into operative contact with the pollutant treating composition of the stationary substrate.
23. The apparatus of claim 22 further comprising a power source operatively connected to the ambient air passing means.
24. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein the stationary substrate comprises a motor vehicle at rest with the engine off.
25. The apparatus of claim 24 wherein the ambient air contact surface is at least one surface selected from surfaces of a radiator, condenser and fan.
26. The apparatus of claim 22 further comprising heating means for raising the temperature of the ambient air.
27. The apparatus of claim 22 comprising sensing means for sensing elevated concentrations of at least one pollutant in the ambient air and response means for selectively drawing or forcing the ambient air into operative contact with the substrate when the sensing means senses an elevated concentration of said pollutant.
28. The apparatus of claim 27 comprising first signal generating means for generating a signal corresponding to the concentration of the pollutant in the ambient air, comparing means for comparing the first signal to a second signal corresponding to a predetermined concentration of the pollutant, and transmitting means for transmitting a third signal to a power source to activate the ambient air passing means to enable the ambient air to contact the pollutant treating composition when the first signal exceeds the second signal.
29. The apparatus of claim 22 further comprising temperature sensing means for sensing the temperature of the ambient air, comparing means for comparing the temperature of the ambient air with a predetermined temperature indicative of a minimum concentration of pollutants in the ambient air and response means for selectively drawing or forcing the ambient air into operative contact with the substrate when the temperature of the ambient air exceeds the predetermined temperature.
30. The apparatus of claim 29 comprising first signal generating means for generating a signal corresponding to the temperature of the ambient air, comparing means for comparing the first signal to a second signal corresponding to a predetermined temperature, and transmitting means for transmitting a third signal to a power source to activate the response means.
31. The apparatus of claim 22 further comprising timing means for preselecting a time period and response means for operating the ambient air passing means only during said preselected time period.
32. The apparatus of claim 23 further comprising means for sensing the power level in said power source, comparing means for comparing the power level in the power source with a predetermined level of power and response means for selectively drawing or forcing the ambient air into operative contact with the substrate when the power level exceeds the predetermined power level.
33. The apparatus of claim 32 comprising first signal generating means for generating a signal corresponding to the power level of the power source, comparing means for comparing the first signal to a second signal corresponding to a predetermined power level and transmitting means for transmitting a third signal the power source to activate the response means.
34. The apparatus of claim 22 comprising first signal generator means positioned at a location remote from the substrate for generating a first signal for activating the ambient air passing means, receiving means positioned at a location proximate to the substrate for receiving the first signal and for activating the ambient air passing means.
35. The apparatus of claim 23 wherein the power source is a solar cell.