Sampling and testing process fluids from a lithium recovery system and associating process data and test data of the process fluid samples

A method comprising:

• dispensing by a plurality of sample dispensers a plurality of process fluid samples of a plurality of process fluids from a plurality of process fluid sources of a lithium recovery system into a plurality of sample containers, wherein each instance of the process fluid sources is associated with a corresponding instance of the sample dispensers, and wherein each instance of the sample containers carries a corresponding identification tag;
• reading by each instance of a plurality of dispenser identification tag readers an instance of the identification tags carried by a corresponding instance of the sample containers, wherein each instance of the dispenser identification tag readers is associated with a corresponding instance of the sample dispensers and thus associated with a corresponding instance of the process fluid sources;
• outputting by each instance of the dispenser identification tag readers dispenser identification tag data indicative of the identification tag being read by that instance of the dispenser identification tag readers;
• testing by a sample tester each instance of the process fluid samples to determine a property of each instance of the process fluid samples;
• outputting by the sample tester a sample test data indicative of the property of each instance of the process fluid samples;
• reading by a tester identification tag reader each identification tag;
• outputting by the tester identification tag reader a tester identification tag data indicative of each identification tag;
• outputting by each of a plurality of sensors a sensor data indicative of a property of an instance of the process fluids, wherein each instance of the sensors is associated with a corresponding instance of the process fluid sources;
• associating by a processing device each instance of the sensor data with a corresponding instance of the dispenser identification tag data, wherein the instance of the sensors outputting the instance of the sensor data and the instance of the dispenser identification tag readers outputting the corresponding instance of the dispenser identification tag data are associated with the same instance of the process fluid sources;
• comparing by the processing device each instance of the tester identification tag data output by the tester identification tag reader to each instance of the dispenser identification tag data output by each instance of the dispenser identification tag readers;
• and
• for each instance of the tester identification tag data and each instance of the dispenser identification tag data that match, associating by the processing device each instance of the sample test data with a corresponding instance of the sensor data.

A system comprising:

• a fluid sampling system comprising:
• a fluid nozzle;
• a fluid path configured to transfer a process fluid sample of a process fluid from a process fluid source of a lithium recovery system to the fluid nozzle;
• a fluid control device along the fluid path, wherein the fluid control device is operable between a closed position in which the fluid control device prevents transfer of the process fluid sample through the fluid path to the fluid nozzle and an open position in which the fluid control device permits transfer of the process fluid sample through the fluid path to the fluid nozzle and into a sample container disposed in association with the fluid nozzle;
• an identification tag reader operable to:
• read an identification tag associated with the sample container disposed in association with the fluid nozzle;
• and
• output dispenser identification tag data indicative of the identification tag;
• a processing device operable to:
• receive process sensor data indicative of properties of the process fluid at the process fluid source of the lithium recovery system;
• receive the dispenser identification tag data output by the dispenser identification tag reader;
• and
• associate the dispenser identification tag data with the process sensor data.

A system comprising:

• a fluid sampling system comprising:
• a first fluid path fluidly connected to a process fluid source of a lithium recovery system and configured to transfer a process fluid from the process fluid source;
• a second fluid path fluidly connected with the first fluid path;
• a third fluid path fluidly connected with the first fluid path and the second fluid path and configured to transfer the process fluid into a sample container disposed in association with an end of the third fluid path;
• a first fluid control valve along the first fluid path and operable between a closed position in which the first fluid control valve prevents flow of the process fluid through the first fluid path and an open position in which the first fluid control valve permits flow of the process fluid through the first fluid path;
• a second fluid control valve along the second fluid path and operable between a closed position in which the second fluid control valve prevents flow of the process fluid through the second fluid path and an open position in which the second fluid control valve permits flow of the process fluid through the second fluid path;
• and
• a third fluid control valve along the third fluid path and operable between a closed position in which the third fluid control valve prevents flow of the process fluid through the third fluid path and an open position in which the third fluid control valve permits flow of the process fluid through the third fluid path, wherein:
• a portion of the second fluid path and/or third fluid path extending between the second fluid control valve and the third fluid control valve defines a fluid chamber having a predetermined volume for containing a process fluid sample of the process fluid;
• when the first fluid control valve and the second fluid control valve are in the open positions and the third fluid control valve is in the closed position, the process fluid is permitted to flow through the first fluid path and the second fluid path to fill the fluid chamber with the process fluid sample and the process fluid is prevented from flowing through the third path into the sample container;
• and
• when the first fluid control valve and the second fluid control valve are in the closed positions and the third fluid control valve is in the open position, the process fluid is prevented from flowing through the first fluid path and the process fluid sample is permitted to flow from the fluid chamber through the third path into the sample container.