Composite gas sampling system

• US 10,429,278 B2
• Filed: 11/18/2016
• Issued: 10/01/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mustang Sampling, LLC
• Original Assignee: Mustang Sampling, LLC
• Inventors: Thompson, Kenneth O., Rolston, Claude A., Querrey, Timothy Layne
• Primary Examiner(s): Fitzgerald, John
• Assistant Examiner(s): Frank, Rodney T
• Application Number:
  US15/355,776
• Publication Number:
  US 20170067802A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,047 Days
• Field of Search: 73863
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 1/18 with provision for splitting samples into portions G01N1/12, G01N1/14 take precedence; fraction-collection apparatus for chromatography B01D15/08
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 1/2247 Sampling from a flowing stream of gas
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 1/26 with provision for intake from several spaces
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2001/105 from high-pressure reactors or lines
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2001/1093 Composite sampling; Cumulative sampling
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2001/2071 Removable sample bottle
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2001/2261 preventing condensation (heating lines)
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2001/2267 separating gas from liquid, e.g. bubbles
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2030/025 Gas chromatography
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2030/8854 involving hydrocarbons
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2030/8886 Analysis of industrial production processes
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 30/88 Integrated analysis systems specially adapted therefor, not covered by a single one of the groups G01N30/04 - G01N30/86
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/0014 by eliminating a gas G01N33/0013 and G01N33/0024 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/0016 by regulating a physical variable, e.g. pressure, temperature
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/0047 for organic compounds
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/0073 Control unit therefor

Abstract

A sampling system for collecting periodic composite and/or non-composite samples of vaporized gas during a transfer process from a vaporizer of a cryogenic hydrocarbon liquid including 1) a direct sample pathway to a gas analyzer for instantaneous, real-time vaporized gas analysis, 2) a speed loop pathway for directly collecting fresh vaporized gas samples for subsequent analysis, and 3) a composite sample pathway including a pressurized sample accumulator for collecting a plurality periodically obtained samples of a select volume during the transfer process to create a composite sample of the vaporized gas.

Claims

1. A system for selected sampling cryogenic liquid hydrocarbon source where the liquid hydrocarbon has been vaporized and conditioned by a vaporizer during transfer processing, comprising:

a housing;

a controller for controlling the gas sampling operation contained within the housing;

a vaporized gas port providing a first, a second and a third gas stream feed lines adapted to receive a vaporized gas sample of a select volume at a select time;

a gas analyzer connected to said first gas stream feed line;

a speed loop connected to said second feed line;

a plurality of removable, sample cylinders connected to the speed loop for collection of non-composite fresh samples at select times directly from the vaporizer;

an accumulator connected to said third gas stream for receiving a select volume of gas to create a composite sample of vaporized gas;

at least one pump associated with said accumulator to build accumulator pressure at a level to prevent dew point drop out of the vaporized gas;

a plurality of removable sample grab cylinders for receiving composite vaporized gas samples from the accumulator;

a residual gas removal array for removing residual gas as from the system following transfer processing of the cryogenic liquid hydrocarbon.

2. The system of claim 1 further comprising a redundant vaporized gas port connected to the accumulator.

3. A method for sampling of vaporized gas from a cryogenic liquid hydrocarbon liquid using a gas sample system, comprising the steps of:

obtaining a first vaporized gas sample of selected volume and at first select intervals from a vaporizer connected to a cryogenic liquid hydrocarbon repository;

passing a select volume of said first vaporized gas sample to a first sample grab cylinder;

pumping a second select volume of said vaporized first gas sample to a composite sample accumulator tank under pressure sufficient to prevent dew point dropout;

obtaining a second gas sample of selected volume at select interval different from the first select interval;

passing a first select volume of said vaporized second gas sample to a second sample grab cylinder;

pumping a second select volume of said vaporized second gas sample to the composite sample accumulator tank under pressure sufficient to prevent dew point dropout to obtain a composite gas sample;

passing the composite gas sample to a select one of a plurality of removable composite sample collection cylinders for receiving said composite vaporized sample from the accumulator tank;

removing the select one of the composite sample cylinders; and

removing at least said first sample grab cylinder.

4. The method of claim 3 further comprising the step of removing residual gas from the gas sample system after removing the composite sample cylinder and the sample grab cylinder.

5. The method of claim 3 further comprising the step of purging residual gas in the gas sample system after removing the composite sample cylinder and the sample grab cylinder.

6. The method of claim 3 further comprising the step of analyzing the content of the removed composite sample cylinder and said sample grab cylinder.