Sampling and testing process fluids from a lithium recovery system and associating process data and test data of the process fluid samples

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12467833-B2
Application number	US-202318333651-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 13, 2023
Priority date	Jun 13, 2022
Publication date	Nov 11, 2025
Grant date	Nov 11, 2025

Abstract

A fluid sampling system having a nozzle, a fluid path configured to transfer a process fluid sample of a process fluid from a process fluid source of a lithium recovery system to the nozzle, a fluid control device along the fluid path, an identification tag reader, and a processing device. The fluid control device may operate between a closed position in which it prevents transfer of the process fluid sample and an open position in which it permits transfer of the process fluid sample into a sample container. The identification tag reader may read an identification tag associated with the sample container and output dispenser identification tag data indicative of the identification tag. The processing device may receive process sensor data indicative of properties of the process fluid, receive the dispenser identification tag data, and associate the dispenser identification tag data with the process sensor data.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A system comprising:
a lithium recovery system; a plurality of sensors each operable to output a sensor data indicative of a property of a process fluid at a process fluid source of the lithium recovery system; a plurality of sample dispensers; a plurality of fluid conduits each fluidly connecting an instance of the sample dispensers and a corresponding process fluid source; a plurality of sample containers, wherein each sample dispenser is operable to dispense a process fluid sample from a corresponding process fluid source into an instance of the sample containers disposed in association with that sample dispenser; a plurality of identification tags each associated with a corresponding instance of the sample containers; a plurality of dispenser identification tag readers each associated with a corresponding instance of the sample dispensers, wherein each dispenser identification tag reader is operable to:
read the identification tag associated with an instance of the sample containers disposed in association with the sample dispenser associated with that dispenser identification tag reader; and
output dispenser identification tag data indicative of that identification tag;
a sample tester operable to:
determine a property of the process fluid sample within an instance of the sample containers; and
output sample test data indicative of the property of the process fluid sample;
a tester identification tag reader associated with the sample tester, wherein the tester identification tag reader is operable to:
read the identification tag associated with an instance of the sample containers containing the process fluid sample that is intended to be tested by the sample tester; and
output tester identification tag data indicative of that identification tag; and
a processing device operable to:
receive the sensor data output by each sensor;
receive the dispenser identification tag data output by each dispenser identification tag reader;
associate the dispenser identification tag data output by each dispenser identification tag reader with the sensor data indicative of the properties of the process fluid at an instance of the process fluid sources corresponding to an instance of the sample dispensers associated with that dispenser identification tag reader;
receive the tester identification tag data output by the tester identification tag reader;
receive the sample test data output by the sample tester;
compare the tester identification tag data output by the tester identification tag reader to the dispenser identification tag data output by each dispenser identification tag reader; and
associate the sample test data with the sensor data associated with the dispenser identification tag data that matches the tester identification tag data.

2 . The system of claim 1 wherein the process fluid sources of the lithium recovery system comprise at least one of:
an aqueous fluid containing lithium to be received by a lithium extractor;
a lithium extract stream output by a lithium extractor; and
a lithium-depleted stream output by a lithium extractor.

3 . A method comprising:
dispensing by a plurality of sample dispensers a plurality of process fluid samples of a plurality of process fluids from a plurality of process fluid sources of a lithium recovery system into a plurality of sample containers, wherein each instance of the process fluid sources is associated with a corresponding instance of the sample dispensers, and wherein each instance of the sample containers carries a corresponding identification tag; reading by each instance of a plurality of dispenser identification tag readers an instance of the identification tags carried by a corresponding instance of the sample containers, wherein each instance of the dispenser identification tag readers is associated with a corresponding instance of the sample dispensers and thus associated with a corresponding instance of the process fluid sources; outputting by each instance of the dispenser identification tag readers dispenser identification tag data indicative of the identification tag being read by that instance of the dispenser identification tag readers; testing by a sample tester each instance of the process fluid samples to determine a property of each instance of the process fluid samples; outputting by the sample tester a sample test data indicative of the property of each instance of the process fluid samples; reading by a tester identification tag reader each identification tag; outputting by the tester identification tag reader a tester identification tag data indicative of each identification tag; outputting by each of a plurality of sensors a sensor data indicative of a property of an instance of the process fluids, wherein each instance of the sensors is associated with a corresponding instance of the process fluid sources; associating by a processing device each instance of the sensor data with a corresponding instance of the dispenser identification tag data, wherein the instance of the sensors outputting the instance of the sensor data and the instance of the dispenser identification tag readers outputting the corresponding instance of the dispenser identification tag data are associated with the same instance of the process fluid sources; comparing by the processing device each instance of the tester identification tag data output by the tester identification tag reader to each instance of the dispenser identification tag data output by each instance of the dispenser identification tag readers; and for each instance of the tester identification tag data and each instance of the dispenser identification tag data that match, associating by the processing device each instance of the sample test data with a corresponding instance of the sensor data.

4 . The method of claim 3 further comprising receiving by the processing device:
the sensor data;
the dispenser identification tag data;
the tester identification tag data; and
the sample test data.

5 . The method of claim 3 wherein the process fluid sources of the lithium recovery system comprise at least one of:
an aqueous fluid containing lithium to be received by a lithium extractor;
a lithium extract stream output by a lithium extractor; and
a lithium-depleted stream output by a lithium extractor.

6 . A system comprising:
a fluid sampling system comprising:
a fluid nozzle;
a fluid path configured to transfer a process fluid sample of a process fluid from a process fluid source of a lithium recovery system to the fluid nozzle;
a fluid control device along the fluid path, wherein the fluid control device is operable between a closed position in which the fluid control device prevents transfer of the process fluid sample through the fluid path to the fluid nozzle and an open position in which the fluid control device permits transfer of the process fluid sample through the fluid path to the fluid nozzle and into a sample container disposed in association with the fluid nozzle;
an identification tag reader operable to:
read an identification tag associated with the sample container disposed in association with the fluid nozzle; and
output dispenser identification tag data indicative of the identification tag;

a processing device operable to:
receive process sensor data indicative of properties of the process fluid at the process fluid source of the lithium recovery system;
receive the dispenser identification tag data output by the dispenser identification tag reader; and
associate the dispenser identification tag data with the process sensor data.

7 . The system of claim 6 wherein:
the fluid path is a first fluid path;
the fluid control device is a firs

Assignees

• Schlumberger Technology Corp

Inventors

• Lopez Miguel Angel
• Shampine Rod William

Classifications

• G01N1/18

  with provision for splitting samples into portions (G01N1/12, G01N1/14 take precedence; fraction-collection apparatus for chromatography B01D15/08) · CPC title

• G01N2001/2057

  Sample chamber in a valve/piston · CPC title

• C22B3/42

  by ion-exchange extraction · CPC title

• G06Q10/06395

  Quality analysis or management · CPC title

• G01N2035/00881

  network configurations · CPC title