Sidestream gas sampling system with closed sample circuit
First Claim
1. A method for measuring a concentration of one or more components of a gas sample taken from a mainstream flow of gas, the method comprising acts of:
- (a) providing a first assembly adapted to communicate a gas sample from a gas sampling site to a gas measuring site, the first assembly including components that contact the gas sample during use;
(b) providing a second assembly that is external to the first assembly at all times during use such that all mechanical portions of the second assembly do not contact the gas sample;
(c) coupling the first assembly to the second assembly;
(d) carrying a gas sample from the gas sample site to the gas measuring site using a first component of the first assembly;
(e) using a first component of the second assembly to perform at least one of the following functions;
obtaining flow information regarding a flow of the gas sample and obtaining pressure information regarding a pressure of the gas;
(f) measuring a characteristic of one or more components within the gas sample using a second component of the second assembly; and
(g) integrating one or more elements into the first assembly that enables at least one of the obtaining flow information regarding the flow of the gas sample and the obtaining pressure information regarding the pressure of the gas.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The invention provides a sidestream gas sampling apparatus having a gas sampling circuit and a set of reusable elements. The gas sampling circuit carries the gas sample from a main flow of gas, through a sample analysis area, and vents the gas sample to an analyzed gas destination. The reusable components provide motive forces to remove the gas sample through the gas sampling circuit and provide analysis components for the gas sampling apparatus while not making contact with the gas sample. As such, the reusable components do not become contaminated by the gas sample and do not have to be cleaned or sterilized between applications.
31 Citations
35 Claims
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1. A method for measuring a concentration of one or more components of a gas sample taken from a mainstream flow of gas, the method comprising acts of:
- (a) providing a first assembly adapted to communicate a gas sample from a gas sampling site to a gas measuring site, the first assembly including components that contact the gas sample during use;
(b) providing a second assembly that is external to the first assembly at all times during use such that all mechanical portions of the second assembly do not contact the gas sample;
(c) coupling the first assembly to the second assembly;
(d) carrying a gas sample from the gas sample site to the gas measuring site using a first component of the first assembly;
(e) using a first component of the second assembly to perform at least one of the following functions;
obtaining flow information regarding a flow of the gas sample and obtaining pressure information regarding a pressure of the gas;
(f) measuring a characteristic of one or more components within the gas sample using a second component of the second assembly; and
(g) integrating one or more elements into the first assembly that enables at least one of the obtaining flow information regarding the flow of the gas sample and the obtaining pressure information regarding the pressure of the gas. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
- (a) providing a first assembly adapted to communicate a gas sample from a gas sampling site to a gas measuring site, the first assembly including components that contact the gas sample during use;
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5. A sidestream gas sampling apparatus, comprising:
- (a) a gas sampling circuit comprising;
(1) a sample transport tube that receives a gas sample from a mainstream flow of gas, wherein a portion of the sample transport tube is modified to include a sample analyzer region in which a characteristic of one or more components within the gas sample is measured without any mechanical portions of measuring devices contacting the gas sample; and
(b) a pump that creates a pressure differential within the gas sampling circuit to remove the gas sample from the mainstream flow of gas and move the gas sample through the sample transport tube to the sample analyzer region wherein the pump does not make contact with the gas sample, wherein the sample transport tube includes one or more elements integrated into the transport tube that permit the measurement of the characteristic of one or more components within the gas sample without any mechanical portions of the measuring devices contacting the gas sample. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
- (a) a gas sampling circuit comprising;
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25. A method for measuring a concentration of one or more components of a gas sample taken from a mainstream flow of gas, the method comprising acts of:
- removing a gas sample from a mainstream flow of gas;
transporting the gas sample to a sample analyzer region via a sample transport tube;
measuring a characteristic of the one or more components within the gas sample in the sample analyzer region using a detector assembly;
integrating one or more elements into the sample analyzer region that enables the measuring of the characteristics of the one or more components within the gas sample, wherein all mechanical portions of the detector assembly do not contact the gas sample; and
pumping the gas sample through the sample transport tube using a pump mechanism that does not contact the gas sample. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27)
- removing a gas sample from a mainstream flow of gas;
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28. A sidestream gas sampling system, comprising:
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a first assembly adapted to communicate a gas sample from a gas sampling site to a gas measuring site, the first assembly including components that contact the gas sample during use, wherein the first assembly includes;
(1) a sample transport tube that receives a gas sample from the gas sample site, and (2) a sample analyzer region in which a characteristic of one or more components within the gas sample is measured; anda second assembly that is external to the first assembly at all times during use such that all mechanical portions of the second assembly do not contact the gas sample, wherein the second assembly includes at least one of a flow measurement device that obtains information regarding a flow of the gas sample through the sample transport tube and a pressure measurement device that obtains information regarding a pressure of the gas sample within the sample transport tube, wherein the sample analyzer region includes one or more elements integrated into the transport tube that permit at least one of the flow measurement device to obtain the information regarding the flow of the gas sample and the pressure measurement device to obtain the information regarding the pressure of the gas sample. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
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Specification