Fluid sampler apparatus and method

Claim 2

IN A METHOD FOR HANDLING A FLUID SAMPLE TO ANALYZE THE SAME UTILIZING A BOAT HAVING A CAVITY FOR RECEIVING SAMPLE, THE STEPS OF FORMING A CHAMBER ABOUT SAID BOAT SEALED AGAINST AMBIENT GAS AND HAVING A FEED-THROUGH PASSAGE FOR THE BOAT, SUPPLYING FLUID SAMPLE FROM A SOURCE EXTERIOR OF SAID CHAMBER TO THE BOAT LOCATED AT A SAMPLE LOADING STATION WITHIN SAID CHAMBER WHILE MAINTAINING THE CHAMBER SEAL, MOVING SAID BOAT FROM SAID SAMPLE LOADING STATION IN A PATHWAY AT LEAST A PORTION OF WHICH EXTENDS ALONG SAID FEED-THROUGH PASSAGE TO A WARMING STATION WHILE MAINTAINING THE CHAMBER SEAL, MAINTAINING SAID WARMING STATION AT A TEMPERATURE SUFFICIENT TO VOLATILIZE THE LIQUID PORTION OF THE SAMPLE AND DISSOLVED GASSES WITHOUT PYROLYZING THE SAMPLE, HOLDING SAID BOAT AT SAID WARMING STATION A SELECTED PERIOD OF TIME TO VOLATILIZE SAID LIQUID PORTION AND DISSOLVED GASSES, MOVING SAID BOAT TO PYROLYSIS STATION, HOLDING SAID BOAT AT SAID PYROLYSIS STATION WHILE HEATING THE SAME TO PYROLYTICALLY REACT THE SAMPLE, AND RETURNING SAID BOAT ALONG SAID PATHWAY TO SAID SAMPLE LOADING STATION TO COMPLETE ONE CYCLE.

Claim 3

A method as in claim 1 in which said sample is supplied in a metered amount to the boat under pressure created by carrier gas.

Claim 4

A method as in claim 1 in which the cycle is repeated for analysis of another sample supplied to said boat after the boat returning step.

Claim 5

A method as in claim 3 in which the fluid sample is a small portion drawn off from a continuous stream of fluid at selected time intervals for analylsis.

Claim 6

A method as in claim 3 in which said boat is moved from said pyrolysis station to a cooling station interposed along said pathway between said pyrolysis station and sample loading station prior to movement to the latter station, the boat is held at said cooling station for a selected period of time sufficient to substantially decrease the temperature of the boat, and thereafter the boat is returned to said sample loading station.

Claim 7

A method as in claim 5 in which the temperature of the boat when returned to the sample loading station is not substantially in excess of room temperature.

Claim 8

Apparatus for conveying small samples of materials into a pyrolysis tube for subsequent analysis comprising: a. Frame means; b. A generally sealed loading tube mOunted on said frame means and connected at one end directly in communication with the pyrolysis tube to effectuate a continuation thereof; c. A sample boat slidably disposed in said loading tube, said boat having a cavity for receiving a sample to be analyzed; d. Loading means connected near the end opposite of said one end of said loading tube to conduct a sample of material into said boat at a sample loading station in said loading tube; e. Means connected to said boat for moving it through the loading tube into the pyrolysis tube; said moving means including: (1) a rod connected at one end to said boat, and (2) a reciprocative assembly, comprising a cylinder stationarily fixed relative to said frame and a piston attached to said rod and slidably disposed within said cylinder; f. Gas valve means in fluid communication with said cylinder to selectively position said piston at least at two predetermined positions therein, thereby to correspondingly position said boat at predetermined stations within said loading tube and the pyrolysis tube in response to gas pressure applied through said valve means against said piston, one of said stations being said loading station and another being a pyrolysis station.

Claim 9

Apparatus for conveying small samples of materials into a pyrolysis tube for subsequent analysis comprising: a. Frame means; b. A generally sealed loading tube mOunted on said frame means and connected at one end directly in communication with the pyrolysis tube to effectuate a continuation thereof; c. A sample boat slidably disposed in said loading tube, said boat having a cavity for receiving a sample to be analyzed; d. Loading means connected near the end opposite of said one end of said loading tube to conduct a sample of material into said boat at a sample loading station in said loading tube; e. Means connected to said boat for moving it through the loading tube into the pyrolysis tube; said moving means including: (1) a rod connected at one end to said boat, and (2) a reciprocative assembly, comprising a cylinder stationarily fixed relative to said frame and a piston attached to said rod and slidably disposed within said cylinder; f. Gas valve means in fluid communication with said cylinder to selectively position said piston at least at two predetermined positions therein, thereby to correspondingly position said boat at predetermined stations within said loading tube and the pyrolysis tube in response to gas pressure applied through said valve means against said piston, one of said stations being said loading station and another being a pyrolysis station.

Claim 10

Apparatus according to claim 7 wherein said loading means comprises a fluid sample duct connected in fluid flow communication with said loading tube at said loading station.

Claim 11

Apparatus according to claim 8 further including a carrier gas duct means connected in fluid flow communication with said loading tube at a location intermediate the location of said fluid sample duct and said end of said loading tube away from the pyrolysis tube for introducing carrier gas into said loading tube to maintain positive flow pressure toward the pyrolysis tube.

Claim 12

Apparatus according to claim 8 including slide valve means connected to said fluid sample duct for metering predetermined amounts of sample through said sample duct into said boat at said loading station, said valve means including means to maintain a continuous flow of the sample material therethrough when said boat is not being loaded.

Claim 13

Apparatus according to claim 7 wherein said gas valve means further includes means to define two intermediate stopping positions thereby to provide a warming station and a cooling station for said boat intermediate said loading and pyrolysis stations.

Claim 14

Apparatus according to claim 11 including means in heat communications with said loading tube for heating said warming and pyrolysis stations to varying degrees and means for cooling the boat at said cooling station.

Claim 15

Apparatus according to claim 11 wherein said gas valve means includes two gas bleed valve means mounted in flow communication with respective spaced-apart locations in the interior of said cylinder intermediate its ends, said bleed valve means each being selectively and independently operable between an open and closed position for locating said boat at said warming and cooling stations within said loading tube.