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.
Claims20
A liquid sampling valve for transferring a liquid sample from a primary stream to a secondary stream, said valve comprising:
- a stator having a stator face, a primary stator passage extending along a primary path through said stator and opening to said stator face through a first primary port, an inlet secondary stator passage extending along a secondary path through said stator and opening to said stator face through a first port, an outlet secondary stator passage extending along the secondary path through said stator and opening to said stator face through a second port, an inlet discharge passage extending along a discharge path through said stator and opening to said stator face through a third port, and an outlet discharge passage extending along the discharge path through said stator and opening to said stator face through a fourth port;
- and
- a rotor having a rotor face in fluid-tight contact with said stator face at an interface, said rotor face including a shuttle configured to receive a liquid aliquot in fluid communication with said interface, wherein said rotor is rotatable with respect to said stator about an axis of rotation to sequentially move said shuttle into a plurality of circumaxially spaced stations, a first station aligning said shuttle in fluid communication with said primary path at said first primary path port, a second station aligning said shuttle in fluid communication with said secondary path at said first and second ports, and a third station aligning said shuttle in fluid communication with said discharge path at said third and fourth ports.
A method for transferring a liquid sample from a primary stream to a secondary stream for analysis of the liquid sample in the secondary stream, said method comprising:
- (a) providing a liquid sampling valve having:
- (i) a stator with a stator face, a primary stator passage extending along a primary path through said stator and opening to said stator face, an inlet secondary stator passage extending along a secondary path through said stator and opening to said stator face, an outlet secondary stator passage extending along the secondary path through said stator and opening to said stator face, an inlet discharge passage extending along a discharge path and opening to said stator face, and an outlet discharge passage extending along the discharge path and opening to said stator face;
- and
- (ii) a rotor having a rotor face in fluid-tight contact with said stator face, said rotor face including a shuttle;
- (b) delivering the primary stream along the primary path through said primary stator passage to fill said shuttle with the liquid sample;
- (c) rotating said rotor about an axis of rotation to bring said shuttle into fluid communication with said inlet and outlet secondary stator passages, and out of fluid communication with said primary stator passage;
- (d) delivering the secondary stream along the secondary path to transport the liquid sample with the secondary stream out from said shuttle from said outlet secondary passage;
- and
- (e) rotating said rotor about said axis of rotation to bring said shuttle into fluid communication with said inlet and outlet discharge passages, and out of fluid communication with said inlet and outlet secondary stator passages.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.