US 7,803,635 B1Granted

Purge and trap concentrator with sparge vessel

AssigneeEST Analytical, Inc.

InventorDouglas A. Meece

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Abstract

A purge and trap concentrator system that includes a sparge vessel, and includes a variable gas flow valve for controlling the gas pressure in an analytic trap or the sparge vessel; a sensor that detects both a foaming sample state and a high liquid level in the sparge vessel, using one optical sensor; a control scheme that re-directs the purge gases to a second inlet of the sparge vessel during a foaming condition; a control scheme that uses a split flow to enhance the quantity of sample gases passed from an analytic trap; an electrically powered thermal energy source with a fan raising the sparge vessel temperature via thermal convection.

Claims16

Dependent claims

A purge and trap concentrator system, comprising:

(a) a system controller;
(b) a first source of gas, which provides a first gas;
(c) a plurality of fluidic control devices and a plurality of fluidic passages which fluidically connect said plurality of fluidic control devices;
(d) a variable flow rate gas flow control valve that is controlled by a first signal from said system controller, said gas flow control valve having a first fluidic inlet and a first fluidic outlet which, under control of said first signal, acts to pass a gas flow therethrough, said first fluidic inlet being in fluidic communication with said source of gas and receiving said first gas, said first fluidic outlet dispensing a second gas when required by said first signal;
(e) an external instrument, which includes second source of gas that supplies a third gas, said external instrument having a second fluidic outlet that supplies said third gas, and a second fluidic inlet;
and
(f) an analytic trap, having:
(i) a first trap port, a second trap port, and a third trap port;
wherein:
(A) said first trap port is selectively in fluidic communication with said first fluidic outlet of the gas flow control valve,
(B) said second trap port is selectively in fluidic communication with a vent, through said plurality of fluidic control devices and plurality of fluidic passages, and is selectively in fluidic communication with said second fluidic output of the external instrument, through said plurality of fluidic control devices and plurality of fluidic passages, and
(C) said third trap port is selectively in fluidic communication with said second inlet of said external instrument;
(ii) a first chamber that is coupled to said second trap port, said first chamber being designed to receive a concentrated chemical sample, said first chamber acting to remove at least one predetermined substance from said concentrated chemical sample, and thereby create an “extracted sample gas flow”;
(iii) a second chamber that is coupled to said first chamber, to said first trap port, and to said third trap port;
and
(g) wherein, before a desorbtion procedure begins:
(i) said plurality of fluidic control devices are in a first state;
(ii) said second gas is received at said first trap port of the analytic trap, and flows into said first chamber;
(iii) a fourth gas exits said first chamber at said second trap port, and flows toward a vent, through said plurality of fluidic control devices and plurality of fluidic passages, including a vent valve that is open at this time;
(iv) then said vent valve is closed by a second signal from said system controller, and said fourth gas begins to build a desorbtion pressure control (“DPC”) pressure at said second trap port, wherein said DPC pressure is controlled by said gas flow control valve, which is controlled by said first signal from said system controller;
and
(v) said DPC pressure reaches a predetermined magnitude;
and
(h) wherein, a desorbtion procedure begins, such that:
(i) said plurality of fluidic control devices are activated into a second state, under the control of a third signal from said system controller;
(ii) said third gas from the second outlet of the external instrument now flows to said second trap port and into said first chamber;
(iii) said extracted sample gas flow travels from said first chamber into said second chamber;
and
(iv) a fifth gas flow, which includes said extracted sample gas flow, exits said second chamber at said third trap port and flows toward said second inlet of said external instrument, through said plurality of fluidic control devices and plurality of fluidic passages.

26 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

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Abstract

A purge and trap concentrator system, comprising:

(a) a system controller;
(b) a first source of gas, which provides a first gas;
(c) a plurality of fluidic control devices and a plurality of fluidic passages which fluidically connect said plurality of fluidic control devices;
(d) a variable flow rate gas flow control valve that is controlled by a first signal from said system controller, said gas flow control valve having a first fluidic inlet and a first fluidic outlet which, under control of said first signal, acts to pass a gas flow therethrough, said first fluidic inlet being in fluidic communication with said source of gas and receiving said first gas, said first fluidic outlet dispensing a second gas when required by said first signal;
(e) an external instrument, which includes second source of gas that supplies a third gas, said external instrument having a second fluidic outlet that supplies said third gas, and a second fluidic inlet;
and
(f) an analytic trap, having:
(i) a first trap port, a second trap port, and a third trap port;
wherein:
(A) said first trap port is selectively in fluidic communication with said first fluidic outlet of the gas flow control valve,
(B) said second trap port is selectively in fluidic communication with a vent, through said plurality of fluidic control devices and plurality of fluidic passages, and is selectively in fluidic communication with said second fluidic output of the external instrument, through said plurality of fluidic control devices and plurality of fluidic passages, and
(C) said third trap port is selectively in fluidic communication with said second inlet of said external instrument;
(ii) a first chamber that is coupled to said second trap port, said first chamber being designed to receive a concentrated chemical sample, said first chamber acting to remove at least one predetermined substance from said concentrated chemical sample, and thereby create an “extracted sample gas flow”;
(iii) a second chamber that is coupled to said first chamber, to said first trap port, and to said third trap port;
and
(g) wherein, before a desorbtion procedure begins:
(i) said plurality of fluidic control devices are in a first state;
(ii) said second gas is received at said first trap port of the analytic trap, and flows into said first chamber;
(iii) a fourth gas exits said first chamber at said second trap port, and flows toward a vent, through said plurality of fluidic control devices and plurality of fluidic passages, including a vent valve that is open at this time;
(iv) then said vent valve is closed by a second signal from said system controller, and said fourth gas begins to build a desorbtion pressure control (“DPC”) pressure at said second trap port, wherein said DPC pressure is controlled by said gas flow control valve, which is controlled by said first signal from said system controller;
and
(v) said DPC pressure reaches a predetermined magnitude;
and
(h) wherein, a desorbtion procedure begins, such that:
(i) said plurality of fluidic control devices are activated into a second state, under the control of a third signal from said system controller;
(ii) said third gas from the second outlet of the external instrument now flows to said second trap port and into said first chamber;
(iii) said extracted sample gas flow travels from said first chamber into said second chamber;
and
(iv) a fifth gas flow, which includes said extracted sample gas flow, exits said second chamber at said third trap port and flows toward said second inlet of said external instrument, through said plurality of fluidic control devices and plurality of fluidic passages.

26 more elements