Portable discrete groundwater sampling system
AssigneeConestoga-Rovers & Associates Limited
InventorDavid W. Herzog
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Methods and systems are presented for discrete sampling of groundwater. The methods and systems presented are directed toward collecting groundwater samples at one or more locations below ground surface using one or more portable, vacuum-activated sampling devices including a collection chamber, one or more check valves, and a vacuum tube within a main body for activating the check valve to admit groundwater into the collection chamber. A groundwater inlet filter can be provided upstream of the check valve for some systems. A groundwater inlet chamber having a separate vacuum tube for purging the inlet chamber may be provided for other systems.
Claims31
A system for collecting groundwater samples at two or more locations below ground surface, the system comprising:
- at least two bodies, wherein each body is configured to be disposed below ground surface and comprises:
- a sample collection chamber;
- a collection vacuum tube in flow communication with the sample collection chamber;
- and
- a sample collection mechanism attached to the sample collection chamber, the sample collection mechanism comprising a first check valve for admitting groundwater from the below ground surface location into the sample collection chamber when a vacuum is applied to the collection vacuum tube;
- wherein the collection vacuum tube of a first of said at least two bodies is flow connected to the collection chamber of said first of said at least two bodies by a tee fitting and wherein the collection vacuum tube of a second of said at least two bodies is flow connected between said tee fitting and the sample collection chamber of the second of said at least two bodies.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.