Sampling arrangement

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11846575-B2
Application number	US-201917419341-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 18, 2019
Priority date	Dec 31, 2018
Publication date	Dec 19, 2023
Grant date	Dec 19, 2023

Abstract

A sampling arrangement includes a sample concentration element configured to trap at least one analyte of interest by freezing; and a sample release arrangement configured to provide a flow of gas, at room temperature on or around the sample concentration element in order to change the temperature thereof; wherein the sample release arrangement further includes a release gas preprocessing element; and a pump element configured to provide the gas flow on or around the sample concentration element.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A sampling arrangement, comprising: a sample concentration element configured to trap at least one analyte of interest by freezing; and a sample release arrangement configured to provide a flow of gas, at room temperature without a heating device, on or around the sample concentration element in order to change the temperature thereof; wherein the sample release arrangement comprises a release gas preprocessing element; and a pump element configured to provide the gas flow on or around the sample concentration element.

2. The sampling arrangement of claim 1 , wherein the release gas preprocessing element comprises a drying element configured to reduce or remove humidity from the gas flow.

3. The sampling arrangement of claim 1 , wherein the sample release arrangement further comprises a flow guide element configured to guide the gas flow on or around the sample concentration element.

4. The sampling arrangement of claim 3 , wherein the flow guide element comprises a mantle or a sleeve around the sample concentration element in such a way that a gas flow is guided into the space between the mantle or the sleeve and the sample concentration element.

5. The sampling arrangement of claim 1 , further comprising a sample preprocessing element.

6. The sampling arrangement of claim 1 , further comprising a sample inlet element and a sample outlet element connected with the sample concentration element.

7. The sampling arrangement of claim 1 , further comprising a sample inlet valve and a sample outlet valve upstream and downstream of the sample concentration element, respectively.

8. A system, comprising the sampling arrangement of claim 1 and a control element.

9. The system of claim 8 , further comprising an analyzer configured to analyze the analyte of interest released from the sample concentration element.

10. A sampling method, comprising: trapping at least one analyte of interest into a sample concentration element by freezing; providing a gas flow at room temperature without a heating device on or around the sample concentration element with a sample release arrangement; and controlling with a control element the gas flow on or around the sample concentration element in such a way as to raise the temperature of the sample concentration element above the freezing point of the analyte of interest so that the analyte of interest is released from the sample concentration element.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein providing the gas flow at room temperature comprises preprocessing with a release gas preprocessing element.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein preprocessing comprises removing or reducing humidity from the gas flow.

13. The method of claim 10 , further comprising conducting a sample comprising the at least one analyte of interest to the sample concentration element from a sample inlet element prior to trapping the at least one analyte of interest.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising preprocessing the sample with a sample preprocessing element.

15. The method of claim 10 , further comprising conducting the at least one analyte of interest released from the sample concentration element to an analyzer element via a sample outlet element.

Assignees

• Teknologian Tutkimuskeskus Vtt Oy

Inventors

• Kärkelä Teemu
• Hokkinen Jouni

Classifications

• G01N1/2273 Primary

  Atmospheric sampling · CPC title

• G01N33/0011

  Sample conditioning (preparing specimens for investigation G01N1/28) · CPC title

• G01N33/0073

  Control unit therefor · CPC title

• G01N1/4022

  by thermal techniques; Phase changes · CPC title

• G01N2001/2282

  with cooling means · CPC title