Lng sampling cylinder and method
AssigneeWelker, Inc.
InventorsBrian H. Welker, Tracy Dean Peebles, Dennis M. McKay
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A sampling cylinder for LNG (liquefied natural gas) is provided. The sampling cylinder includes a piston cylinder arrangement having opposite end members closing the chamber inside the cylinder. Various porting arrangements are provided for allowing fluid to be fed into a chamber inside the cylinder on opposite sides of a piston. A sample chamber is provided at one end member of the cylinder. The end member containing the sample chamber is also provided with a heat exchanger that may be connected to a source of coolant and preferably the LNG to be sampled to effect cooling of the end member at least partially prior to the sample chamber having a sample of LNG injected thereinto.
Claims9
A sample cylinder including:
- a tubular member defining a sidewall of a cylinder chamber and having first and second ends;
- a piston movably positioned in the chamber and selectively movable toward and away from the first and second ends said piston dividing the chamber into first and second chamber portions;
- a first end member mounted to the tubular member and covering said first end;
- a second end member mounted to the tubular member and covering said second end, said second end member including a sample chamber in flow communication with the second chamber portion and at least two sample flow first conduits in flow communication with the sample chamber, said second end member including a heat exchanger associated therewith and isolated from the sample chamber and operable to cool the second end member and sample chamber and at least two heat exchange fluid flow second conduits in flow communication with the heat exchanger.
A method of sampling LNG, the method including:
- extracting a sample of LNG from a source of LNG;
- conveying the extracted sample of LNG to a sample storage chamber in a sampling cylinder;
- and;
- prior to said sample conveying, conveying LNG from the source to a heat exchanger portion of the sampling cylinder and cooling portions of the sampling cylinder defining the sample storage chamber to a temperature below about -150° F, said heat exchanger being separated flow wise from the sample storage chamber.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.