Apparatus and Method for Measuring a Condensable Component of a Gas Sample

An apparatus for measuring a condensation property of a condensable component of a pressurized gas sample, comprising:

• a measurement cell including a housing and a measurement member which define, at least in part, a pressurizable gas chamber configured to contain the pressurized gas sample, the measurement member having a surface configured to be exposed to the gas sample;
• a cooling device configured to cool the measurement member to cause at least some of the gas sample to condense on the measurement surface thereof for measurement, the cooling device being in contact with the measurement member;
• and
• a rigid mounting plate upon which the cooling device and the measurement cell are mounted,
• wherein the cooling device is directly mounted on the mounting plate, and the housing of the measurement cell is indirectly mounted on the mounting plate via a resilient member so as to be resiliently displaceable with respect to the mounting plate such that pressure forces generated in the gas chamber are substantially isolated from the cooling device, while substantially uniform thermal contact between the measurement member and the cooling device is maintained.

An apparatus for measuring a condensation property of a condensable component of a gas sample, comprising:

• a measurement surface configured to be exposed to the gas sample;
• a detector configured to detect the presence of condensate formed on the measurement surface from the gas sample;
• an analyzer coupled to the detector and configured to analyze the presence of condensate formed on the measurement surface according to a signal output by the detector;
• and
• a flameproof enclosure, wherein the measurement surface, the detector, and the analyzer are all contained within the flameproof enclosure.

An apparatus for measuring a condensation property of a condensable component of a gas sample, comprising:

• an enclosure including a gas inlet and a gas outlet;
• a gas flow path for transit of the gas sample between the gas inlet and the gas outlet;
• a measurement surface disposed on the gas flow path and configured to be exposed to the gas sample such that at least some of the gas sample condenses for measurement;
• a gas flow valve disposed on the gas flow path for selectively allowing or obstructing passage of gas along the gas flow path;
• and
• a controller configured to electrically control the gas flow valve to obstruct passage of gas along the gas flow path in a power-off condition, the gas flow value having a manual mechanical override to allow passage of gas along the gas flow path in the power-off condition to permit performing a gas purge operation of the gas flow path in the power-off condition.

An apparatus for measuring a condensation property of condensable components of a gas stream, comprising:

• an enclosure having first and second gas inlets and first and second gas outlets;
• a first gas flow path for transit of a first gas sample between the first gas inlet and the first gas outlet;
• a second gas flow path for transit of a second gas sample between the second gas inlet and the second gas outlet;
• a hydrocarbon dew point analyzer including a measurement surface configured to be exposed to the first gas flow path and upon which at least some of the first gas sample condenses for measurement;
• and
• a water dew point analyzer including a measurement surface exposed to the second gas flow path and upon which at least some of the second gas sample condenses for measurement.

An apparatus for measuring a condensation property of a condensable component of a pressurized gas sample, comprising:

• a measurement cell including a housing and a measurement member which define, at least in part, a pressurizable gas chamber configured to contain the pressurized gas sample, the measurement member including a surface configured to be exposed to the pressurized gas sample for measurement;
• and
• a mounting plate upon which the measurement cell is mounted,
• wherein a space lies between the measurement member and the mounting plate and a conduit connects the space to the outside of the measurement cell such that, in response to an over-pressure generated in the gas chamber, the measurement cell is configured to fail in order to allow the over-pressurized gas of the gas chamber to exhaust into the space and to the outside of the measurement cell via the conduit.

An apparatus for measuring a condensation property of a condensable component of a gas sample, comprising:

• a measurement surface configured to be exposed to the gas sample and upon which at least some of a gas sample condenses for measurement;
• a flameproof enclosure within which the measurement surface is disposed;
• and
• apparatus controls configured to be user-operable via a touch screen from outside the enclosure.

A method for measuring a condensation property of a condensable component of a gas stream, the method comprising:

• exposing a measurement surface to a gas sample;
• promoting condensation of at least some of the gas sample on the measurement surface by cooling in a first cooling cycle;
• determining the presence of condensate on the measurement surface;
• promoting evaporation of condensation from the measurement surface;
• and
• promoting condensation of at least some of the gas sample on the measurement surface by cooling in a second cooling cycle,
• wherein, during the second cooling cycle, the rate of cooling is decreased near a temperature at which the presence of condensate was determined in the first cooling cycle such that a condensation temperature of the gas sample is accurately determinable.