Device to alternately supply a fluid to an analyzer
AssigneeIonics Instrument Business Group
InventorsRichard D. GODEC, Frank J. SILVESTER, Blaine R. BATEMAN
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Abstract of the Disclosure Apparatus and methods for supplying a portion of a fluid stream and, alternately, a fluid of known composition and concentration to an analyzer are provided. The fluid stream is directed through a series of connected chambers formed in an integral housing. A sampling needle has an inlet in one of the chambers and an outlet in fluid communication with the analyzer. When desired, a tube or vial containing a known fluid may be inserted into a chamber containing the sampling needle, so that the known fluid will be supplied to the analyzer. A second needle provides ventilation to the vial to prevent the formation of a vacuum as the known fluid is drained from the vial.
Claims44
A method of sampling a fluid stream, comprising:
- flowing said stream into a first chamber having an upper portion in communication with an overflow channel to allow the fluid stream to flow out of the first chamber and a lower portion at a level lower than the upper portion;
- allowing the stream to flow from the first chamber into the overflow channel to produce continuous flow of the fluid stream through the first chamber and overflow channels;
- and drawing a sample of the fluid stream from said lower portion by a conduit having an opening submerged in said fluid stream in said lower portion.
A method of introducing a sample fluid in a container into a detector, the container including a mouth with a frangible seal therein, the method comprising:
- piercing the frangible seal with a first hollow needle having an opening therein;
- immersing said first hollow needle opening into the sample fluid;
- drawing the sample fluid through the first hollow needle and into a conduit in fluid communication with the first hollow needle;
- drawing the sample fluid through the conduit and into the detector;
- and removing the fluid from the detector.
A method of alternatively sampling a fluid stream and introducing a sample fluid into a detector comprising:
- (a) flowing said fluid stream into a first chamber having an upper portion in communication with an overflow channel to allow the fluid stream to flow out of the first chamber and a lower portion at a level lower than the upper portion;
- allowing the fluid stream to flow from the first chamber into the overflow channel to produce continuous flow of the fluid stream through the first chamber and overflow channel;
- drawing a portion of the fluid stream from said lower portion through a first hollow needle positioned in the first chamber with an opening in said lower portion;
- and
- (b) inserting a container, containing said sample fluid and having a mouth with a frangible seal thereon, into the first chamber whereby the first hollow needle pierces the frangible seal to position the first hollow needle opening inside the container within the sample fluid;
- drawing sample fluid from the container through the first hollow needle;
- and flowing said sample fluid to the detector;
- and
- (c) alternating steps (a) and (b) as desired.
A method of operating a detector comprising:
- (a) flowing a fluid stream into a first chamber having an upper portion and a lower portion at a level lower than the upper portion;
- drawing a portion of the fluid stream from said lower portion through a first hollow needle positioned in the first chamber with an opening in said lower portion;
- and flowing said portion into the detector;
- and
- (b) inserting a containing, containing a known sample fluid and having a mouth with a frangible seal thereon, into the first chamber whereby the first hollow needle pierces the frangible seal to position the first hollow needle opening inside the container within the known sample fluid;
- flowing the known sample fluid to the detector.
An apparatus for sampling a fluid stream, comprising:
- a housing having a first chamber with an upper portion, a lower portion at a level lower than the upper portion, and a fluid stream inlet;
- a first hollow needle positioned in the first chamber, the first hollow needle having a fluid stream opening positioned in said lower portion.
An apparatus comprising:
- a sample housing having a first chamber with an upper portion, a lower portion at a level lower than the upper portion, and a fluid stream inlet;
- a first hollow needle positioned in the first chamber, the first hollow needle having a fluid stream opening positioned in said lower portion;
- and a detector, the first hollow needle being in fluid communication with the detector, whereby the first hollow needle diverts a portion of a fluid stream from the first chamber to the detector.
An apparatus comprising:
- a sampler housing having a first chamber with an upper portion, a lower portion at a level lower than the upper portion, and a fluid stream inlet in communication with the first chamber, to introduce a fluid stream to the sampler housing a first hollow needle positioned in the first chamber, the first hollow needle having a fluid stream opening positioned in said lower portion;
- a detector, the first hollow needle being in communication with the detector;
- the first chamber having a top with an opening to receive a container with a mouth having a frangible seal piercable by the first hollow needle to introduce a stationary fluid to the sampler housing.
An apparatus for supplying a portion of fluid from a primary fluid stream to an inlet of a chemical analyzer and, when desired, for supplying fluid of known chemical composition in a controlled condition to the inlet of the analyzer, said apparatus comprising:
- a fluid inlet connectable with a source of the fluid to be analyzed;
- a fluid outlet;
- a path of fluid flow extending between the fluid inlet and the fluid outlet to provide a flow of said fluid in said path;
- an analyzer conduit having an inlet in fluid communication with said path of fluid flow and an outlet connectable with an analyzer to supply a sample of fluid from said path to the analyzer for analysis;
- a conduit assembly including a conduit assembly inlet end configured for accessing the fluid of known chemical composition within a sealed vial and a conduit assembly outlet end connecting with the analyzer conduit to supply a known fluid sample from said vial to the analyzer, wherein at least a portion of the conduit assembly is positioned in the path of fluid flow;
- and,
- further wherein the apparatus operates in a first mode to supply the sample of fluid from said path to the analyzer and, alternately, when desired, operates in a second mode to supply the known fluid sample to the analyzer, such that when operating in said first and second modes, the sample of fluid from said path and the known fluid sample are provided to the analyzer, respectively, without inviting contamination into the sample of fluid from said path or into the known fluid sample.
An apparatus for supplying a portion of water from a primary water stream to an inlet of a chemical analysis instrument comprising a TOC analyzer for measuring TOC in water and, when desired, for supplying fluid of known chemical composition in a controlled condition to the inlet of the instrument, said apparatus comprising:
- an inlet connectable with a source of water to be analyzed;
- an outlet;
- a path of fluid flow extending between the inlet and the outlet to provide a flow of water from said source of water in said path;
- an analyzer conduit assembly including an analyzer conduit assembly inlet in fluid communication with said path of fluid flow and an analyzer conduit assembly outlet connectable with said TOC analyzer wherein a sample of water flowing in said path of fluid flow may be supplied via the analyzer conduit assembly to the TOC analyzer for measurement of its TOC concentration;
- said analyzer conduit assembly further comprising a portion configured for penetrating a sealed vial containing a fluid of known chemical composition to provide a standardized fluid sample of known chemical composition to the analyzer without inviting contamination for use in testing or calibrating the analyzer, wherein at least a part of the analyzer conduit assembly is positioned in said path of fluid flow to avoid contamination that could distort analysis;
- and,
- further wherein said analyzer conduit assembly connects with the TOC analyzer such that when said portion configured for penetrating a sealed vial is positioned inside the sealed vial, the standardized fluid sample of known chemical composition is supplied to the TOC analyzer through the analyzer conduit assembly, so that when the apparatus is operated to supply a sample of water from the path of fluid flow to the TOC analyzer or, alternately, to supply the sample of known chemical composition to the TOC analyzer, the apparatus operates without inviting contamination that could distort analysis.
A method for supplying a portion of fluid to be tested for the presence of one or more compounds selected from the group consisting of sulfur, nitrogen, and organic and inorganic carbon compounds, from a primary fluid stream to an inlet of a chemical analyzer and, when desired, for supplying fluid of known chemical composition in a controlled condition without inviting contamination to the inlet of the analyzer, said method comprising the steps of:
- defining a fluid flow path extending from an inlet connectable to a source of fluid that is to be analyzed to an outlet so as to supply a flow of the fluid in said flow path;
- providing an analyzer fluid line having an inlet at said path of fluid flow and communicating with an analyzer to provide a portion of fluid to be tested to the analyzer;
- providing a needle assembly including a vent portion and a sampling portion wherein the sampling portion of the needle assembly has a needle inlet end configured for accessing a vial of the fluid of known chemical composition, when desired, and has a needle outlet end connected to the analyzer fluid line thereby to periodically provide a standardized fluid sample to the analyzer for calibration of the analyzer, and
- connecting the inlet such that the analyzer is connected on-line to the source of fluid, wherein said fluid flow path is configured to receive said vial of the fluid of known chemical composition, when desired, such that the needle assembly may supply the standardized fluid sample to the analyzer without inviting contamination while the inlet remains connected on-line to the source of fluid.
An instrument consisting of an analysis device for detection and measurement of sulfur, nitrogen, and organic and/or inorganic carbon compounds in a sample of water, said device comprising a chemical analyzer, and a fluid sampling apparatus for directing the sample of water to the analyzer and, alternatively, supplying a standardized fluid sample of known chemical composition to the analyzer, wherein the fluid sampling apparatus comprises:
- an inlet connection to a source of the water and an outlet connection, the inlet and outlet connections arranged to provide a flow of said water in a path of fluid flow between the inlet connection and the outlet connection wherein said flow of said water has a concentration of the compound(s) to be detected and measured that is representative of the water at said source of water;
- an analyzer conduit having an analyzer conduit inlet in fluid communication with said path of fluid flow and communicating with the analyzer to supply a sample of said flow of said water to the analyzer for detection and measurement of concentration of the compound(s);
- and,
- a needle assembly positioned in said path of fluid flow configured for accessing the standardized fluid sample of known chemical composition contained a sealed vial, the needle assembly connecting with the analyzer conduit to provide the standardized fluid sample to the analyzer via the analyzer conduit;
- wherein the instrument may be connected on-line with the source of the water to supply the flow of water from which a sample of the water is supplied to the analyzer and, alternately, without the use of special tools and without changing the connections leading to the analyzer or the path of fluid flow, may be utilized to supply the standardized fluid sample to said analyzer without inviting contamination that could distort the analysis.
A method of monitoring a source of water by analyzing samples of the water with an analyzer and alternately providing a sample of known chemical composition to the analyzer to test or calibrate the analyzer, wherein the analyzer is coupled to a sampling apparatus that is connected on-line to the source of water to provide a sample of said water to the analyzer and is also adapted to provide said sample of known chemical composition to the analyzer for analysis, such method being characterized by:
- providing the sampling apparatus including an inlet connectable on-line to the source of water and an outlet to provide a flow path of said water from the inlet to the outlet, and further including a needle assembly comprised of a venting needle and a sampling needle positioned in said flow path, wherein the sampling needle is configured for drawing in a sample of fluid and passing the sample of fluid to the analyzer;
- when alternately providing the sample of known chemical composition to the analyzer to test or calibrate the analyzer, providing said sample by providing a fluid of said known chemical composition in a sealed standards vial having a seal, said sealed vial being configured for fitting to said sampling apparatus in said flow path;
- and,
- fitting the vial to the sampling apparatus in said flow path about said needle assembly such that at least a portion of the needle assembly penetrates the seal to provide the sample of said fluid of known chemical composition to the analyzer without introducing contamination that might distort the analysis.
A method of monitoring a source of water by analyzing samples of the water with an analyzer and alternately providing a sample of a fluid of known chemical composition to the analyzer to test or calibrate the analyzer, wherein the analyzer is connected on-line to the source of water and includes a sampling conduit positioned in a path of flow of said water and said method is characterized by providing a fluid of known chemical composition in a sealed vial that is configured for fitting in the path of flow and being pierced by the sampling conduit to provide said sample of a fluid of known chemical composition to the analyzer.
An apparatus for supplying a portion of fluid from a primary fluid stream to an inlet of a chemical analyzer and, when desired, for supplying fluid of known chemical composition in a controlled condition to the inlet of the analyzer, said apparatus comprising:
- a fluid flow path including a fluid inlet and a discharge outlet for flowing said primary fluid stream;
- a communication path comprising a hollow conduit between the inlet of the analyzer and the fluid flow path, for supplying a portion of fluid from the primary fluid stream to the inlet of the analyzer;
- and
- a communication path comprising a hollow conduit between a vial of the fluid of known chemical composition and the inlet of the analyzer, said hollow conduit having an inlet end positioned in said vial of fluid of known chemical composition when desired for supplying said fluid of known chemical composition to the inlet of the analyzer without inviting contamination, wherein at least a portion of the communication path between the vial of the fluid of known chemical composition and the inlet of the analyzer comprises at least a portion of the communication path between the inlet of the analyzer and the fluid flow path.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.