# US 7,407,625 B1 · Volume-differential water assay system using hydrophilic gel > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 7,407,625 B1 - Document ID: US7407625B1 - Status: Granted - Kind: B1 - Application number: 11/106,356 - Filed: 2005-04-14 - Granted: 2008-08-05 - Earliest claimed: 2004-04-28 - Assignees: Phase Dynamics, Inc. - Inventors: Bentley N. Scott - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7407625B1 ## CPC - G01N 19/10: Measuring moisture content, e.g. by measuring change in length of hygroscopic filament; Hygrometers - G01N 21/3554: for determining moisture content - G01N 33/2823: {Raw oil, drilling fluid or polyphasic mixtures} - B01L 2300/069: Absorbents; Gels to retain a fluid - B01L 2300/0832: cylindrical, tube shaped - G01N 2001/4083: {sedimentation} - Y10T 436/255: including use of a solid sorbent, semipermeable membrane, or liquid extraction - G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q) - B01L: CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL LABORATORY APPARATUS FOR GENERAL USE - Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION ## Abstract Systems and methods for measuring the moisture and sediment content of a petroleum sample. In one embodiment, a sample to be tested is collected in a field bottle. The sample from the field bottle is then transferred from the field bottle, and into and through a measurement column containing a high-uptake gelling agent, such as a superabsorbent polymer. The sample's moisture is determined by measuring the expanded volume of the high-uptake gelling agent. The measurement column also contains a sediment measurement section having a sediment filter and a sight glass with graduations to measure the sediment content of the sample. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A system for measuring the fraction of water in a fluid stream comprising nonaqueous components, comprising: an apparatus which passes a known quantity of the fluid stream through a measurement column, said column comprising: (i) an inlet opening at one end of said column; (ii) an outlet opening at the other end of said column; (iii) a graduated scale; (iv) a premeasured excess amount of a loose particulated high-uptake gelling agent within the measurement column, such that the gelling agent expands in correlation to the water content of the fluid stream; and (v) a filter at said outlet opening of said other end of column; wherein the percentage of water in the fluid stream is determined by the volume of the expanded gelling agent. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the system uses suction created by a vacuum applied to said outlet opening at said other end of said column to thereby draw the fluid stream through said first opening and across the gelling agent, and then out of said column through said second opening. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the measurement column also contains an inert solid to thereby form occlusions to facilitate the movement of the fluid stream across the gelling agent. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the system includes a pre-filter section having a sight glass with graduations to determine the sediment content of the fluid stream; wherein said fluid passes through said pre-filter section prior to contact with said gelling agent. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the system also comprises a stirrer for stirring the fluid stream as it is placed into the measurement column. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the system includes a marker which allows the volume of the expanded gelling agent to be more discernible. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The system of claim 6, wherein the marker is selected from the group consisting of anhydrous salts, florescent dyes, and hydrophilic membranes. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the gelling agent is selected from the group consisting of a crosslinked polymer, an acrylic-based polymer, polyacrylic acid, and mixtures thereof. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the gelling agent is selected from the group consisting of sodium polyacrylate, polyethylene oxide, a maleic anhydride/vinyl ether copolymer, poly(methacrylic acid), a carboxyalkyl starch, and mixtures thereof. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the gelling agent has a known ratio of total expanded volume to volume of moisture absorbed. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein said gelling agent is dry. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein said gelling agent is granular. ### Claim 13 A field-testing system for analysis of moisture and sediment content in non-aqueous samples, comprising: a field bottle for collecting a sample to be analyzed; a measurement column containing a loose particulated high-uptake gelling agent which expands in correlation to the water content of the sample; and an apparatus which transfers the sample from the field bottle, through an inlet opening at one end of the measurement column, and then through a pre-filter section, and then into the measurement column, contacts the sample with the gelling agent within the measurement column, and collects the sample that passes through the measurement column, and then through an outlet opening at the other end of the measurement column and into a receiver bottle; wherein the water content of the sample is determined by reading a graduated scale on said column thereby measuring the volume of the expanded gelling agent; and wherein the sediment content of the sample is estimated by reading its volume from a graduated sight glass of said pre-filter section. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The system of claim 13, wherein the system also comprises a stirrer for stirring the sample as it is transferred to the measurement column. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The system of claim 13, wherein the system uses suction created by a vacuum applied to a second opening at said other end of said column to thereby draw the fluid stream through said inlet opening and across the gelling agent, and then out of said column through said outlet opening. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The system of claim 13, wherein the measurement column also contains an inert solid to thereby form occlusions to facilitate the movement of the fluid stream across the gelling agent. ### Claim 17 (depends on 13) The system of claim 13, wherein the measurement column includes a marker which allows the volume of the expanded gelling agent to be more discernible. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The system of claim 17, wherein the marker is selected from the group consisting of anhydrous salts, florescent dyes, and hydrophilic membranes. ### Claim 19 (depends on 13) The system of claim 13, wherein the gelling agent is selected from the group consisting of a crosslinked polymer, an acrylic-based polymer, polyacrylic acid, and mixtures thereof. ### Claim 20 (depends on 13) The system of claim 13, wherein the gelling agent is selected from the group consisting of sodium polyacrylate, polyethylene oxide, a maleic anhydride/vinyl ether copolymer, poly(methacrylic acid), a carboxyalkyl starch, and mixtures thereof. ### Claim 21 (depends on 13) The system of claim 13, wherein the gelling agent has a known ratio of total expanded volume to volume of moisture absorbed. ### Claim 22 (depends on 13) The system of claim 13, wherein said gelling agent is dry. ### Claim 23 (depends on 13) The system of claim 13, wherein said gelling agent is granular. ### Claim 24 A system for measuring the fraction of water in a fluid stream comprising nonaqueous components, comprising: an apparatus which places a known quantity of the fluid stream into a measurement column and in contact with a premeasured amount of a high-uptake gelling agent within the measurement column, such that the gelling agent expands in correlation to the water content of the fluid stream; wherein the percentage of water in the fluid stream is determined by the volume of the expanded gelling agent further comprising a plunger assembly which filters out the absorbent gel from a fluid sample.