Methods and devices for evaluating the contents of materials
OwnerMichael Smithinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Methods for determining the hardness and/or ductility of a material by compression of the material are provided as a first aspect of the invention. Typically, compression is performed on multiple sides of a geologic material sample in a contemporaneous manner. Devices and systems for performing such methods also are provided. These methods, devices, and systems can be combined with additional methods, devices, and systems of the invention that provide for the analysis of compounds contained in such samples, which can indicate the presence of valuable materials, such as petroleum-associated hydrocarbons. Alternatively, these additional methods, devices, and systems can also stand independently of the methods, devices, and systems for analyzing ductility and/or hardness of materials.
Claims8
An analytical device for chemical analysis comprising (a) a sample container holder configured to hold a plurality of separate sample containers;
- (b) a flow path comprising one or more sections wherein each section comprises an interior that is configured to contain gas and an exterior that is impermeable to external gas;
- (c) a needle assembly comprising at least one moveable needle that is configured to selectively puncture the top end of the sample containers held in the container holder and transmitting gas contained in the sample containers into the flow path;
- (d) a cryogenic trap configured to be in gaseous communication with the flow path and capturing and concentrating volatile compounds that come in contact with the trap when the trap is cooled, (e) a cooling component configured to selectively cool the cryogenic trap, (f) a warming component that is configured to selectively warm the cryogenic trap to controllably release compounds from the trap, (g) an analytical device comprising a mass spectrometer system configured to receive gas released from the cryogenic trap through the flow path and analyze the chemical content of gasses;
- (h) a vacuum device configured to selectively exert vacuum pressure through the needle and into the sample container;
- (i) a selectively operable pump that promotes flow of gas through the flow path;
- and ( ) a crushing component for physically disrupting sample containers by crushing one or more sides of sample containers.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.