What is pH sensor & How does it work?

What is pH sensor?

pH sensor is one of the most important tools for measuring pH and is commonly used in water quality monitoring. This type of sensor is capable of measuring alkalinity and acidity in water and other solutions. When used properly, pH sensors can ensure the safety and quality of products and processes that occur in wastewater or manufacturing plants.

In most cases, the standard pH range is represented by a value in the range of 0-14. When a substance has a pH value of 7, this is considered neutral. pH values above 7 represent higher alkalinity, while substances with pH values below 7 are considered more acidic. For example, toothpaste usually has a pH of 8-9. On the other hand, stomach acid has a pH of 2.

The distinction between alkaline and acidic substances is important for any company that uses cooling towers, boilers, manufacturing processes, pool control and various environmental monitoring. The standard pH of the human body is 7.4, which is essential for the body to function effectively. If the body’s composition becomes too acidic or too alkaline, it will appear to revert to a neutral state.

4 Types of pH sensor

Regardless of the application you use it for, the pH sensor allows you to maintain the pH level at the most appropriate level for the process. This could be anywhere from a strong acid to a caustic base. There are many different types of pH sensors you can get for your application during liquid measurement; these may include combination pH sensors, laboratory pH sensors, process pH sensors, and differential pH sensors.

1. Combination pH sensors use a reference electrode and a measurement electrode. The reference electrode is used to provide a stable signal, while the measurement electrode is designed to detect any changes that occur with the pH value.
2. Differential sensors consist of three different electrodes, the third of which is a metal ground electrode. These sensors are unique in that they prevent reference contamination.
3. Laboratory sensors can be made from a combination sensor contained in a plastic body and 12 mm glass. These sensors are designed for lighter applications, such as pool monitoring and environmental sampling.
4. Process pH sensors are made from combination sensors but are built into a large, durable body that contains process connections for continuous pH monitoring.

Different pH sensors are suitable for different applications, and more than 25% of the quality-related measurements in process control are pH measurements. This is why reliable pH sensors and transmitters are extremely important for plant optimization and process safety. We offer a broad portfolio of products such as stable processes, rapidly changing media composition, viscous media, hazardous areas or water treatment applications. Click the buttons below to learn about our plastic and glass pH sensors, transmitters, meters, calibration and system solutions.

How to choose pH electrode?

pH sensors and transmitters are used in many industries, such as chemicals, water and wastewater, food and beverage, pharmaceutical, power plants, primary and oil and gas. The choice of sensor depends on the application. Select the diaphragm and reference system of the glass sensor according to your needs. Use ISFET sensors where glass breakage cannot be tolerated or where the medium contains large amounts of organic solvents. Apply enamel sensors when long-term stability and minimum maintenance requirements are required.

Benefits

The quality of the water you use in various industrial processes is critical to the quality of the services and goods you provide, which means your return on investment can be directly affected by poor water quality. Managing water quality through different systems is also a key aspect of compliance with stringent environmental, industry and safety standards.

When specializing in water pretreatment for manufacturing purposes, this type of water quality management allows you to remove impurities from influent water before using it for a variety of different manufacturing processes. With the removal of these impurities, operating efficiency will be improved, heating and cooling efficiency will be higher, and you will be able to maintain compliance with the necessary water quality standards more effectively. If you have a good monitoring system, the benefits can be numerous and may include:

• Reduce water waste
• Energy saving
• Meet supply chain sustainability requirements
• Preventing downtime
• Maintain a healthy workplace for your employees
• Reduce the use of hazardous chemicals

For everyday consumers, poor water quality can cause health problems, dull hair, rough clothing and dry and itchy skin. PH sensors play a very important role in water quality and water treatment. When the pH of a water treatment plant becomes too high or too low, the water can be harmful.

Keep in mind that pH fluctuations are also costly to fix. Additional quantities of chemicals need to be used to remove waste, resulting in excessive downtime and higher costs. In standard wastewater treatment facilities, a pH of 6.5 to 8.5 is considered to be in the neutral range.

Keeping water at this level and constantly monitoring pH should help keep costs down. However, it is important to use different pH sensors to get the best water quality. For example, the use of a third electrode in a differential sensor makes the sensor ideal for a variety of industrial applications, such as wet scrubbers.

Advantages of our pH measuring instruments

• Our pH sensors and transmitters meet all requirements from basic functionality to multi-channel and multi-parameter measurements.
• We offer pH buffers, pH solutions and pH standards for the highest precision pH calibration. They are produced in our calibration laboratory.
• The different types of electrodes cover all types of diaphragms and reference systems, from fouling-resistant PTFE joints on highly sensitive ceramic diaphragms to anti-clogging orifices.
• We offer pH assemblies for several applications: fixed mount assemblies, submerged assemblies, flow-through assemblies and retractable assemblies.
• Automated systems for calibration, adjustment and cleaning ensure optimal performance of pH sensors and transmitters in chemical processes, pharmaceutical production or sanitary applications.

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