Automatic sample control cart

• US 5,321,984 A
• Filed: 11/12/1992
• Issued: 06/21/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Graseby Holdings Corporation
• Original Assignee: Graseby Holdings Corporation
• Inventors: Stroupe, Michael L.
• Primary Examiner(s): RAEVIS, ROBERT R
• Application Number:
  US07/974,790
• Time in Patent Office: 586 Days
• Field of Search: 73/863.01, 73/863.11, 73/863.12, 73/863.21, 73/863.23, 73/863.31, 73/863.33, 73/864, 73/864.31, 73/864.34, 73/864.51 , 73/864.52, 73/863.81, 73/863.83, 73/864.35, 73/863.52, 73/864.33, 73/864.62, 73/863.83, 73/863.86, 73/864.91
• US Class Current: 73/863.11
• 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 1/2273 Atmospheric sampling
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 1/24 Suction devices G01N1/22 - G01N1/2294 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 1/40 Concentrating samples
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2001/2078 Pre-evacuated bottle
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2001/2282 with cooling means
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/0004 Gaseous mixtures, e.g. polluted air
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/0016 by regulating a physical variable, e.g. pressure or temperature
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/0026 using an alternating circulation of another gas
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/0029 Cleaning of the detector
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/0047 Organic compounds

Abstract

An autosampling device for use in sampling air with canisters and analyzing the contents of said canisters for the presence of pollutants which allows random access of the contents of the canisters and controlled direction of the canister contents to a cryogenic concentrator. The device is a cart having shelf members for holding a plurality of canisters. Sample lines are mounted on the cart to be connectable to a canister at one end of said lines and to an inlet port of an electrically actuated multiposition valve at the other end. To protect against sample disruption, a heated zone around the valve controls valve temperature. An outlet sample line enclosed in a heated zone extends from an outlet port on the valve and is connectable to an inlet of the cryogenic concentrator. Selection of specific samples by means of a multiposition valve and the temperatures of the two heated zones may be controlled by connection to a programmed computer, and thermocouple feedback from the cart to the computer may also be provided.

Claims

1. An automatic sample control cart, comprising:

(a) a cart having a base portion with a plurality of wheels adapted to be in contact with a supporting surface and having a sampling section;

(b) a series of shelf members mounted on said base portion and adapted to support a selected number of sample canisters at particular canister-holding locations;

(c) an electronically actuated multiposition valve mounted on said cart in said sampling section and operatively connectable to each of said canisters, said valve having one outlet and sufficient inlets so that each canister may be connected to an inlet, wherein gas samples in the canisters may be randomly and selectively accessed using said valve;

(d) one or more inlet lines mounted on said cart, each of said inlet lines having a proximal end and a distal end, each of said lines being configured to connect to one of said canisters at said proximal end at a canister-holding location and to said valve at said distal end; and

(e) a heated outlet line connected to said valve and connectable to a cryogenic concentrator,

wherein after gas sampling, each of said canisters may be attached to an inlet line and remain on the cart attached to said inlet line during movement to a gas analysis site and for gas analysis, said analysis being performable by selectively accessing each canister so that gas sample from the selected canister is taken via the attached inlet line to said multiposition valve through said outlet line, to a cryogenic concentrator and chemical analyzer.

2. An automatic sample control cart according to claim 1, further comprising a heater for maintaining a temperature of said valve above ambient temperature.

3. An automatic sample control cart according to claim 2, further comprising a heater for maintaining a temperature of said outlet line above ambient temperature.

4. An automatic sample control cart according to claim 3, further comprising a thermocouple adapted to sense the temperature of said valve and said outlet line and to automatically communicate said temperature to a control device.

5. An automatic sample control cart according to claim 1, wherein said valve comprises an electrically controlled multiposition valve.

6. An autosampling device for use in sampling atmospheric gases for the presence of pollutants comprising:

(a) a movable cart;

(b) shelf members on said cart having a plurality of canister-holding locations;

(c) a multiposition valve mounted on said cart and having a plurality of inlet ports and an outlet port;

(d) a plurality of sample inlet lines mounted on said cart, each of said sample inlet lines being connectable to a canister and extending from a canister-holding location to one of said inlet ports; and

(e) an outlet sample line extending from the outlet port and being connectable to an inlet of a sample concentrator;

wherein said device allows random access to each canister placed on said shelf members and controlled direction of the gases in the canisters to said sample concentrator;

(f) heating zones operative to maintain a temperature of said valve and said outlet line above ambient temperature, wherein the position of the multiposition valve and the temperatures of the two heated zones may be controlled by a feedback thermocouple adjacent said multiposition valve,

wherein after gas sampling, each of said canisters may be attached to an inlet line and remain on the cart attached to said inlet line during movement to a gas analysis site and for gas analysis, said analysis being performable by selectively accessing each canister so that gas sample from the selected canister is taken via the attached inlet line to said multiposition valve through said outlet line, to a cryogenic concentrator and chemical analyzer.

7. An autosampling device for use in sampling atmospheric gases for the presence of pollutants according to claim 6 wherein said plurality comprises sixteen canister-holding locations and there are sixteen sample inlet lines.

8. A method of sampling atmospheric gases for the presence of pollutants and for maintaining sample chain of custody, comprising:

(a) providing an autosampling device comprising;

(i) a movable cart;

(ii) shelf members on said cart having a plurality of canister-holding locations;

(iii) an electrically actuated multiposition valve mounted on said cart and having a plurality of inlet ports and an outlet port;

(iv) a plurality of sample lines mounted on said cart, each of said sample lines being connectable to a canister and extending from a canister-holding location to one of said inlet ports;

(v) an outlet sample line extending from the outlet port and being connectable to an inlet of a sample concentrator;

wherein said device allows random access to each canister placed on said shelf members and controlled direction of the gases in the canisters to said sample concentrator;

(b) collecting air samples in said canisters;

(c) connecting said canisters to said sample lines;

(d) connecting said outlet line to a sample concentrator; and

(e) controlling said multiposition valve to conduct samples from selected canisters sequentially to said outlet line,

wherein after gas sampling, each of said canisters may be attached to an inlet line and remain on the cart attached to said inlet line during movement to a gas analysis site and for gas analysis, said analysis being performable by selectively accessing each canister so that gas sample from the selected canister is taken via the attached inlet line to said multiposition valve through said outlet line, to a cryogenic concentrator and chemical analyzer.