Sampling apparatus and method
First Claim
1. Apparatus for sampling soil gas or ground water comprising:
- a cylindrical probe housing having a chamber for receiving samples of soil gas or ground water;
a cylindrical probe head having a thrust point at a distal end thereof and a cylindrical shank telescopically engaged with a distal end of said housing, said shank having a central passage communicating with said chamber, and a plurality of inlet passages from the exterior thereof communicating with said central passage, said probe head having a first position in which said shank is telescoped within said housing blocking said inlet passages and a second position in which said shank is extended for permitting flow externally through said inlet and central passages into said housing;
a check valve disposed between said central passage and said chamber for passing samples from said inlet passages and central passage into said chamber;
a control system having a source of inert gas under pressure and gas pressure regulating means; and
an umbilical tube having a first end connected to a proximal end of said probe housing and a second end connected to said inert gas source and said pressure regulating means for introducing and controlling the pressure of said inert gas in said housing wherein high gas pressure in said housing causes said probe head to extend from said first position to said second position, and low gas pressure in said housing causes a sample of gas or water to flow by piezometric pressure through said inlet and central passages of said extended probe head, and through said check valve into said chamber.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A sampling system and method for obtaining subsurface samples of soil gas and ground water includes a sampling probe which is pushed into the ground with a plurality of thrust rods. The sampling probe has a pointed head telescoped within a sampling housing during insertion. An umbilical tube communicating with the housing is utilized to introduce inert gas into the housing, extending the probe from the housing. Reduction of the gas pressure permits water or gas to flow through a filter and check valve into the housing by piezometric pressure. A computer monitoring system permits control of gas pressure to collect a desired amount of sample and to store data for later analysis.
79 Citations
20 Claims
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1. Apparatus for sampling soil gas or ground water comprising:
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a cylindrical probe housing having a chamber for receiving samples of soil gas or ground water; a cylindrical probe head having a thrust point at a distal end thereof and a cylindrical shank telescopically engaged with a distal end of said housing, said shank having a central passage communicating with said chamber, and a plurality of inlet passages from the exterior thereof communicating with said central passage, said probe head having a first position in which said shank is telescoped within said housing blocking said inlet passages and a second position in which said shank is extended for permitting flow externally through said inlet and central passages into said housing; a check valve disposed between said central passage and said chamber for passing samples from said inlet passages and central passage into said chamber; a control system having a source of inert gas under pressure and gas pressure regulating means; and an umbilical tube having a first end connected to a proximal end of said probe housing and a second end connected to said inert gas source and said pressure regulating means for introducing and controlling the pressure of said inert gas in said housing wherein high gas pressure in said housing causes said probe head to extend from said first position to said second position, and low gas pressure in said housing causes a sample of gas or water to flow by piezometric pressure through said inlet and central passages of said extended probe head, and through said check valve into said chamber. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. Apparatus for sampling subsurface soil gas and ground water comprising:
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(a) a sampling probe including (i) a cylindrical tubular probe housing having a distal end and a proximal end, (ii) a probe head having a thrust point at a distal end thereof, a cylindrical shank portion telescopingly engaged in the distal end of said probe housing, a filter assembly, and inlet passages communicating with the interior of said probe housing, and (iii) a check valve disposed between said inlet passages and the interior of said probe housing, (b) a control system having (i) a source of inert gas under pressure, (ii) regulator means connected to said gas source for controlling an output pressure from said gas source, (iii) monitoring means for monitoring said gas output pressure; and (c) a flexible umbilical tube having a first end thereof connected to receive said gas output pressure, and a second end thereof connected to said proximal end of said probe housing wherein a high gas pressure in said probe housing causes said probe head to extend from a telescoped position in said probe housing, and a low gas pressure in said housing will cause a soil gas or ground water sample to flow under piezometric pressure via said filter assembly, said inlet passages, and said check valve into said probe housing when said sampling probe is disposed in soil containing soil gas or ground water. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method of obtaining a sample of subsurface water utilizing a probe having a probe housing, a probe head telescopically engaged with the probe housing, the probe having a first position in which the probe head is retracted into the probe housing, and a second position in which the probe head is extended from the probe housing, comprising the steps of:
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(a) driving said probe into soil to a desired depth with the probe in the first retracted position; (b) filling the probe housing with an inert gas under pressure to cause the probe head to extend to the second position; (c) reducing the gas pressure in the probe housing to permit ground water to flow through the extended probe head into the probe housing under piezometric pressure; (d) increasing the gas pressure to halt the ground water inflow; and (e) withdrawing the probe to retrieve the ground water sample. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16)
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17. A method of obtaining a sample of subsurface soil gas utilizing a probe having a probe housing, a probe head telescopically engaged with the probe housing, the probe having a first position in which the probe head is retracted into the probe housing, and a second position in which the probe head is extended from the probe housing, comprising the steps of:
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(a) driving said probe into soil to a desired depth with the probe in the first retracted position; (b) filling the probe housing with an inert gas under pressure to cause the probe head to extend to the second position; (c) reducing the inert gas pressure in the probe housing to permit soil gas to flow through the extended probe head into the probe housing under piezometric pressure; (d) increasing the inert gas pressure to halt the soil gas; and (e) withdrawing the probe to retrieve the soil gas. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
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Specification