Method and apparatus for withdrawing fluid samples from a process stream

Claim 1

A system for supplying a sample from a stream flowing in a conduit to an analytical instrument comprising: a. a sample quenching conduit operatively connected to said flowing stream conduit for providing a passageway between said stream conduit and said analytical instrument, said quenching conduit being of metal and having a small internal diameter relative to its outside diameter and a thick wall thereby to admit to said quenching conduit a small sample flow relative to the mass of said conduit and to rapidly quench said small sample flow by heat transfer to said quenching condUit without the use of extraneous coolants; b. vent means connected to said quenching conduit for discharging said sample stream from said quenching conduit to the atmosphere near said instrument and thereby purging said quenching conduit; c. sample injection means connected to said quenching conduit at a point near said instrument and before said vent means for admitting a predetermined amount of sample from said quenching conduit into said instrument for analysis; d. blow-back means comprising a source of purge medium in communication with said quenching conduit and means for admitting said purge medium into said conduit for purging said quenching conduit in a reverse direction relative to the flow of said sample stream and into said flowing stream conduit; e. cycle timer means operatively connected to said blow-back means, said vent means, and said sample injection means for cyclically providing a sample to said instrument and thereafter reverse purging said conduit into said flowing stream conduit.

Claim 2

A system for supplying a sample from a stream flowing in a conduit to an analytical instrument comprising: a. a sample quenching conduit operatively connected to said flowing stream conduit for providing a passageway between said stream conduit and said analytical instrument, said quenching conduit being of metal and having a small internal diameter relative to its outside diameter and a thick wall thereby to admit to said quenching conduit a small sample flow relative to the mass of said conduit and to rapidly quench said small sample flow by heat transfer to said quenching condUit without the use of extraneous coolants; b. vent means connected to said quenching conduit for discharging said sample stream from said quenching conduit to the atmosphere near said instrument and thereby purging said quenching conduit; c. sample injection means connected to said quenching conduit at a point near said instrument and before said vent means for admitting a predetermined amount of sample from said quenching conduit into said instrument for analysis; d. blow-back means comprising a source of purge medium in communication with said quenching conduit and means for admitting said purge medium into said conduit for purging said quenching conduit in a reverse direction relative to the flow of said sample stream and into said flowing stream conduit; e. cycle timer means operatively connected to said blow-back means, said vent means, and said sample injection means for cyclically providing a sample to said instrument and thereafter reverse purging said conduit into said flowing stream conduit.

Claim 3

A method of withdrawing a fluid sample intermittently from a flowing sample stream for subsequent analysis by an analyzer comprising the steps of: a. admitting a sample stream into a quenching conduit sized to rapidly quench said sample stream by heat transfer to said conduit without the use of extraneous coolants; b. flowing said sample stream after the quenching of (a) through a distribution conduit communicating between said quenching conduit and said analyzer; c. venting said sample stream at said analyzer until said quenching and distribution conduits have been purged; d. admitting a predetermined amount of said sample stream to said analyzer; e. reverse purging said quenching conduit with a purge medium until step (a) is repeated; f. cyclically repeating the steps (a) through (e) and thereby periodically providing a supply of quenched samples to said analyzer.

Claim 4

A method of withdrawing a fluid sample intermittently from a flowing sample stream for subsequent analysis by an analyzer comprising the steps of: a. admitting a sample stream into a quenching conduit sized to rapidly quench said sample stream by heat transfer to said conduit without the use of extraneous coolants; b. flowing said sample stream after the quenching of (a) through a distribution conduit communicating between said quenching conduit and said analyzer; c. venting said sample stream at said analyzer until said quenching and distribution conduits have been purged; d. admitting a predetermined amount of said sample stream to said analyzer; e. reverse purging said quenching conduit with a purge medium until step (a) is repeated; f. cyclically repeating the steps (a) through (e) and thereby periodically providing a supply of quenched samples to said analyzer.