Liquid Sampling Valve
AssigneeIDEX Health & Science LLC
InventorsJon Nichols, Michael Keller, Audrey Schrock, Carl Sims, Carl Servin
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A liquid sampling system includes a liquid sampling valve for transferring a liquid sample from a primary stream to a secondary stream. The liquid sampling valve includes a rotor having a movable shuttle that is in selective fluid communication with the primary stream or the secondary stream. The rotor shuttle passes through a discharge station prior to completion of the valve cycle to discharge contaminants prior to re-exposure to the primary stream.
Claims18
A liquid sample analysis system, comprising:
- a first dimension liquid analysis apparatus for separating a first liquid into liquid analytes in a primary liquid stream;
- a secondary liquid stream supply including second dimension pump for motivating a secondary liquid stream;
- a liquid sampling valve for transferring a liquid sample from said primary liquid stream to said secondary liquid stream, said valve including a stator and a rotor that is rotatable with respect to said stator about a valve axis, said stator having a stator face and a plurality of passage sets each including at least two passages separately extending through said stator along a respective liquid path and opening to said stator face, first and second passages of a first passage set being fluidly connected in said stator, and third and fourth passages of a second passage set being fluidly connected in said stator, said rotor including a shuttle configured for receiving the liquid sample, wherein rotation of said rotor about said valve axis sequentially moves said shuttle into a plurality of circumaxially spaced stations;
- and
- a second dimension liquid analysis apparatus for analyzing said liquid sample in said secondary liquid stream.
A method for transferring a liquid sample from a primary liquid stream to a secondary liquid stream for analysis of the liquid sample in the secondary liquid stream, said method comprising:
- (a) providing a liquid sampling valve having:
- (i) a stator with a stator face and a plurality of passage sets each including at least two passages separately extending through said stator along a respective liquid path and opening to said stator face, a first passage set having first and second passages, a second passage set having third and fourth passages, and a third passage set having fifth and sixth passages;
- (ii) a rotor having a rotor face in fluid-tight contact with said stator face, said rotor face including a shuttle;
- (b) pumping the primary liquid stream along a primary liquid path through said first passage to fill said shuttle with the liquid sample while said shuttle is positioned at a first station;
- (c) rotating said rotor in a first circumaxial direction about a valve axis to position said shuttle at a second station in fluid communication with said second passage set;
- (d) pumping the secondary liquid stream along a secondary liquid path through said third passage to transfer the liquid sample from said shuttle to the secondary liquid stream and out through said fourth passage;
- (e) further rotating said rotor in said first circumaxial direction about said valve axis to position said shuttle at a third station in fluid communication with said third passage set;
- and
- (f) pumping a discharge fluid along a discharge path through said fifth passage to transport the secondary liquid out from said shuttle through said sixth passage.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.