Integral flow restrictor valve
First Claim
1. A method of spot sampling of a gas, comprising the steps of:
- a) providing a sample cylinder having first and second ends, said first end engaged to pressurized container having gas therein;
b) providing a valve formed of a body having a conduit formed therethrough, said conduit containing a restrictor element having an orifice;
c) affixing said valve to said second end of said sample cylinderd) allowing the passage of gas from said pressurized container into said sample cylinder;
e) opening said valve to allow the passage of gas from said sample cylinder through said valve conduit;
f) utilizing said restrictor element to block passage of said gas through said valve except by way of said orifice formed therethrough;
g) allowing said gas to pass through said orifice, in such a manner as to decrease the flow rate of fluid therethrough, resulting in Joules-Thomson effect cooling;
whileh) utilizing material having low thermal conductivity associated with said restrictor to isolate said Joules-Thomson effect so as to prevent condensation in said valve body conduit and said sample cylinder.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A gas sample cylinder outlet valve having a flow restricting element associated therewith. The preferred embodiment of the flow restricting element comprises an orifice constructed of a low thermal conduction material such as a plastic. Preferably the outlet valve Cv characteristic is large relative to the orifice Cv characteristic resulting in essentially all of the gas pressure drop taking place across said orifice and therefore essentially all of the J-T effect cooling taking place at said orifice. Due to the low thermal conductivity construction of said orifice an insignificant amount of cooling takes place upstream of the valve mechanism. Test have shown that the integral orifice outlet valve having a large Cv characteristic is more efficient then the typical sample cylinder outlet valve and extension tube and/or flow restrictor combination.
18 Citations
27 Claims
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1. A method of spot sampling of a gas, comprising the steps of:
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a) providing a sample cylinder having first and second ends, said first end engaged to pressurized container having gas therein; b) providing a valve formed of a body having a conduit formed therethrough, said conduit containing a restrictor element having an orifice; c) affixing said valve to said second end of said sample cylinder d) allowing the passage of gas from said pressurized container into said sample cylinder; e) opening said valve to allow the passage of gas from said sample cylinder through said valve conduit; f) utilizing said restrictor element to block passage of said gas through said valve except by way of said orifice formed therethrough; g) allowing said gas to pass through said orifice, in such a manner as to decrease the flow rate of fluid therethrough, resulting in Joules-Thomson effect cooling;
whileh) utilizing material having low thermal conductivity associated with said restrictor to isolate said Joules-Thomson effect so as to prevent condensation in said valve body conduit and said sample cylinder. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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- 20. The method of isolating Joules-Thomson effect cooling at an orifice, comprising the step of coaxially enveloping said orifice in material having low thermal conductivity.
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22. The method of isolating Joules-Thomson effect cooling at an orifice, comprising the steps of
a. providing a fluid sample cylinder having an outlet; -
b. providing a fluid flow rate limiting orifice in fluid communication with said outlet; c. positioning a thermal barrier in series between said outlet and said fluid flow rate limiting orifice; d. flowing fluid from said fluid sample cylinder through said fluid flow rate limiting orifice so as to facilitate a Joules-Thomson cooling effect; and e. utilizing said thermal barrier to isolate said Joules-Thomson cooling effect. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24)
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25. The method of isolating Joules-Thomson effect cooling at an orifice, comprising the steps of
a. providing a fluid sample cylinder having an outlet; -
b. providing a flow restrictor comprising a passageway having sintered material situated therein in fluid communication with said outlet; c. positioning a thermal barrier in series between said outlet and said flow restrictor; d. flowing fluid from said fluid sample cylinder through said flow restrictor so as to facilitate a Joules-Thomson cooling effect; and e. utilizing said thermal barrier to isolate said Joules-Thomson cooling effect. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27)
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Specification