Apparatus for concentrating and sampling substances from seawater
OwnerJoseph D. Richardinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Apparatus for obtaining a series of concentrated samples of dissolved, particulate or emulsified substances from seawater. A relatively large measured volume of seawater is pumped through each of a series of in situ sampling chambers containing filtration, adsorption, absorption, or other retentive material. The instrumented housing with appended sampling chambers is preferably suspended from a surface vessel by an electrical cable through which it is remotely controlled and powered to obtain measured samples at various depths. Alternatively, a programmed controller and battery power pack can be attached to obtain an unattended time series of samples from a fixed location either on the sea floor or suspended beneath a buoy.
Claims9
Apparatus for obtaining a series of concentrated samples of trace substances from seawater in selected depths in the ocean comprising:
- an instrumented body suitable for submersion in seawater;
- a signal cable for connecting said instrumented body with a surface vessel;
- a plurality of sampling chambers arrayed around said instrumented body, each said sampling chamber having an inlet conduit and an outlet conduit;
- a porous material maintained within each of said sampling chambers for retaining and concentrating at least one substance occurring in seawater;
- a plurality of electrically operated valves each for normally closing a selected one of the outlet conduits of one of said sampling chambers;
- a pump connectable to the outlet conduit of any of said sampling chambers whenever corresponding said electrically operated valve is opened;
- a flowmeter disposed to measure the seawater volume passing through a selected at least one of said sampling chambers which are open to said pump via a selected at least one of said valves;
- remote control means operable from the aforementioned surface vessel for controlling said pump and a selected at least one of said electrically operated valves;
- and
- remote indicating means operable adjacent said remote control means for totalizing and monitoring the volume of seawater measured by said flowmeter.
Apparatus for obtaining a series of concentrated samples of trace substances from seawater in selected depths in the ocean comprising:
- an instrumented housing suitable for submersion in seawater;
- a source of electrical power for said instrumented housing;
- a plurality of sampling chambers connected to said housing, each said sampling chamber having an inlet conduit and an outlet conduit;
- porous material maintained within each said sampling chamber for retaining and concentrating at least one substance occurring in seawater passed through said chambers;
- means for selectively positioning said instrumented housing beneath the sea surface;
- a plurality of electrically operated valves each for normally closing a selected one of the outlet conduits of one of said sampling chambers;
- a pump connectable to the outlet conduit of any of said sampling chambers whenever corresponding said electrically operated valve is opened;
- flow measuring means arranged and disposed to measure the seawater pumped through a selected at least one of said sampling chambers which are open to said pump via a selected at least one of said valves;
- timing and control means for controlling said pump and a selected at least one of said electrically operated valves so that seawater is sequentially pumped through said sampling chambers each at a predetermined different time;
- means for totalizing the output of said flow measuring means when seawater is pumped through each of said sampling chambers;
- and
- control means for terminating said pump and closing the said electrically operated valves after a measured seawater sample has been pumped through said sampling chambers.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.