US 12,320,786 B2Granted

Gas sample selector

AssigneeAgilent Technologies, Inc.

InventorsKaike Zhu, Chenxi Chen, Wei-Jun Yao

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Abstract

A gas analyzer system (100, 200, 300) and methods of reducing sample carryover in a gas sample selector (102, 202, 302), The gas analyzer system (100, 200, 300) includes a gas chromatograph (104, 204, 304) and a gas sample selector (102, 202, 302). The gas sample selector (102, 202, 302) includes a multi-position selector valve (130, 230, 330), a flush valve (140, 240, 340), and a purge valve (150, 250, 350), as well as conduits providing flowpaths between them. When switching the flush valve (140, 240, 340) to connect the flush valve (140, 240, 340) vent and flush valve (140, 240, 340) outlet and flowing purge gas through the purge valve (150, 250, 350) port, the purge gas will flow to the selector (102, 202, 302) exit and to the flush valve (140, 240, 340) vent to remove sample gas from the flowpaths.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A gas sample selector configured for selecting from multiple gas samples, the gas sample selector comprising:

a plurality of selector entrances configured for receiving gas samples;
a multi-position selector valve comprising a plurality of selector valve inlets and at least one selector valve outlet, and in different valve positions, a different selector valve inlet is fluidically connected to the at least one selector valve outlet;
a flush valve having at least two flush valve positions, and in one flush valve position, the flush valve provides a flowpath between a flush valve inlet and a flush valve outlet, and in another flush valve position, the flush valve provides a flowpath between a flush valve vent port and the flush valve inlet and/or the flush valve outlet;
wherein at least one selector valve outlet is fluidically connected to the flush valve inlet;
a purge valve having at least two purge valve positions, and in one purge valve position, the purge valve allows flow of purge gas to a purge valve inlet and a purge valve outlet, and in another purge valve position, the purge valve prevents a flow of purge gas to the purge valve inlet or the purge valve outlet;
wherein the flush valve outlet is fluidically connected to the purge valve inlet;
and
a selector exit configured for providing a gas sample to an analyzer;
wherein the selector exit is fluidically connected to the purge valve outlet.

6 more elements

A gas sample selector configured for selecting from multiple gas samples, the gas sample selector comprising:

a plurality of selector entrances configured for receiving gas samples;
a multi-position selector valve comprising a plurality of selector valve inlets and at least one selector valve outlet, where in different valve positions, a different selector valve inlet is fluidically connected to the at least one selector valve outlet;
a multi-port valve comprising a plurality of valve ports, wherein at least one of the valve ports is fluidically connected to the at least one selector valve outlet;
a pump fluidically connected to one of the valve ports;
a flow restrictor fluidically connected to one or more of the valve ports;
and
wherein the multi-port valve has at least two valve positions, and in one valve position, the multi-port valve creates a fluidic connection between the multi-position selector valve and the pump and in another valve position, the multi-port valve creates a fluidic connection between the multi-position selector valve and the flow restrictor.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.