Automated control of analytical sampling with environmental monitoring system

• US 9,075,016 B2
• Filed: 04/26/2012
• Issued: 07/07/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Emlicott Associates Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Emilcott Associates, Inc.
• Inventors: Groves, Bruce D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hollington, Jermele M
• Assistant Examiner(s): MCANDREW, CHRISTOPHER P
• Application Number:
  US13/456,786
• Publication Number:
  US 20120215445A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,167 Days
• Field of Search: 324/466, 324/459, 324/464
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 1/2294 Sampling soil gases or the like
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 1/26 with provision for intake from several spaces
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/66 and measuring current or voltage

Abstract

A new and improved environmental field monitor station is disclosed. A novel and analytical sampling control device with a removable analytical sample collection device is described. Also a novel field station having the analytical sampling control device with the removable analytical sample collection device is described. Methods of using and controlling the analytical sampling control device, both within in a field station and from a base station, are described.

Claims

1. An environmental field station system to collect an environmental sample for a laboratory to determine a concentration of a first material in the environmental sample, comprising:

a first environmental field station, comprising;

an enclosure with an air intake;

one or more environmental sensors mounted in the enclosure, each of the environmental sensors detecting an environmental condition;

an analytical sampling collection device mounted in the enclosure, the analytical sampling collection device having a controllable inlet block valve, a flow meter with an output, a removable analytical sample capture device that is designed to be removed from the analytical sampling collection device and a controllable air pump;

a processor mounted in the enclosure, the processor being connected to the one or more environmental sensors to receive environmental conditions sensed by the one or more environmental sensors;

the processor also being connected to the controllable inlet block valve and the controllable air pump in the analytical sample capture device;

wherein the processor is configured to open the controllable inlet block valve and/or to turn on the controllable air pump in the sample collection device to collect the environmental sample in the removable analytical sample capture device for the laboratory to determine a concentration of the first material when one of the one or more environmental sensors detects an environmental condition warranting initiation of sample collection and to stop collecting the environmental sample in the removable analytical sample capture device after an ending condition, based on a characteristic of the removable analytical sample capture device, has been met; and

wherein the processor is configured to generate a message that the environmental sample has been obtained; and

a processor in a base station to instruct, based on the environmental condition detected by the one or more environmental sensors, a second environmental field station located in a position determined by a target range of a wind direction to collect an environmental sample in a removable container.

2. The environmental field station of claim 1, wherein the one or more environmental sensors are selected from the group consisting of:

dust sensors, gas sensors, vapor sensors, noise sensors, vibration sensors, radiation sensors and weather instruments.

3. The environmental field station of claim 1, wherein the analytical sample capture device is a tube containing a sampling medium or sorbent selected from the group consisting of:

charcoal, Tenax, and silica gel.

4. The environmental field station of claim 1, wherein the analytical sample capture device is a cartridge with a filter or other sampling medium selected from the group consisting of PVC, MCEF, and PUF.

5. The environmental field station of claim 1, wherein the analytical sample capture device is an evacuated canister.

6. The environmental field station of claim 1, wherein the analytical sample capture device is a sample collection bag.

7. The environmental field station of claim 6, wherein the sample collection bag is Tedlar or Mylar.

8. The environmental field station of claim 1, wherein the processor is connected to the flow meter in the sample collection device and a flow rate is reported from the flow meter to the processor.

9. The environmental field station of claim 1, wherein the processor is preprogrammed to determine when the environmental condition warrants initiation of sample collection.

10. The environmental field station of claim 9, wherein the processor determines that the environmental condition warrants initiation of sample collection when the environmental condition exceeds a predetermined threshold.

11. An environmental monitoring system to collect an environmental sample for a laboratory to determine a concentration of a first material in the environmental sample, comprising:

a base station;

a plurality of environmental field stations, each comprising an enclosure with an air intake;

one or more environmental sensors mounted in the enclosure, each of the environmental sensors detecting environmental conditions;

an analytical sampling control device mounted in the enclosure, each of the analytical sampling control devices having a controllable inlet block valve, a flow meter with an output, a removable analytical sample capture device that is designed to be removed and a controllable air pump; and

a processor mounted in the enclosure, the processor being connected to the one or more environmental sensors to receive environmental conditions sensed by the one or more environmental sensors;

the processor also being connected to the controllable inlet block valve and the controllable air pump in the analytical sampling control device;

wherein the processor opens the controllable inlet block valve and/or turns on the controllable air pump in the analytical sampling control device when one of the one or more environmental sensors detects an environmental condition, as previously specified by an operator or programmed or calculated in the processor, warranting initiation of sample collection to collect the environmental sample in the removable analytical sample capture device for the laboratory to determine the concentration of the first material and the processor stops collecting the environmental sample in the removable analytical sample capture device after an ending condition based on a characteristic of the removable analytical sample capture device has been met;

wherein the processor in each of the environmental field stations communicates with the base station and the base station controls an analytical sampling control device in one of the plurality of environmental field stations based on a detected environmental condition in another of the plurality of environmental field stations.

12. The environmental monitoring system of claim 11, wherein the analytical sample capture device is a tube containing a sampling medium or sorbent selected from the group consisting of:

charcoal, Tenax, and silica gel.

13. The environmental monitoring system of claim 11, wherein the analytical sample capture device is a cartridge with a filter or other sampling medium, selected from the group consisting of PVC, MCEF, and PUF.

14. The environmental monitoring system of claim 11, wherein the analytical sample capture device is an evacuated canister.

15. The environmental monitoring system of claim 11, wherein the analytical sample capture device is a sample collection bag comprising Tedlar or Mylar.

16. The environmental field station system of claim 11, wherein the environmental condition warranting initiation of sample collection is a target range of a wind direction for a first field station in the plurality of field stations which causes one or more field stations in the plurality of field stations to initiate a sample collection.

17. An environmental monitoring system to collect an environmental sample for a laboratory to determine a concentration of a first material in the environmental sample, comprising:

a plurality of environmental field stations, each environmental field station comprising;

an enclosure with an air intake;

one or more environmental sensors to detect an environmental condition, including a wind direction;

a processor controlled removable analytical sample capture device to capture an environmental sample that is designed to be removed to the laboratory;

a network to transmit data from and to the plurality of environmental field stations, including data of a wind direction measured by a first environmental field station in the plurality of environmental field stations to instruct the processor that controls the removable analytical sample capture device at a second environmental field station in the plurality of environmental field stations to capture the environmental sample.