Automated sampling system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9810708-B2
Application number	US-201514933383-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 5, 2015
Priority date	Nov 5, 2015
Publication date	Nov 7, 2017
Grant date	Nov 7, 2017

Abstract

The automated sampling system has a water tight case that encloses a testing instrument. In the preferred embodiment, the testing instrument is a field-portable ion chromatography instrument designed to test water samples. In operation, a controller directs a syringe pump to draw fluid from outside the system through a specialized filter with a continuous flow lower reservoir. When directed by the controller, the syringe pump then injects the sample water into a testing portion of the field-portable ion chromatography instrument.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An auto-sampling system for a testing instrument, the system comprising:
a watertight outer shell;
a control unit enclosed within the shell;
a syringe pump in communication with the control unit;
a sample inlet filter in hydraulic communication with the syringe pump, the sample inlet filter comprising:
(a) an unfiltered reservoir having an inlet and an outlet so that the unfiltered reservoir comprises a continuous flow reservoir;
(b) a filtered reservoir smaller than the unfiltered reservoir; and,
(c) a filter element positioned between the filtered reservoir and the unfiltered reservoir;

a syringe pump having a plunger;
an inline digester in hydraulic communication with the syringe pump and the sample inlet filter;
a check valve positioned between the syringe pump and the sample inlet filter;
wherein the system is structured so that, when directed by the control unit, the plunger of the syringe pump is retracted and suction force from the syringe pump causes a sample fluid to move from the unfiltered reservoir into the filtered reservoir, through the inline digester, and through the check valve; when further directed by the control unit, the plunger is advanced, so that the sample fluid is injected back through the check valve and into a testing portion of an instrument.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the inline digester boils sample fluid as the sample fluid passes through the digester.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the inline digester is positioned in series between the sample inlet filter and the syringe pump.

4. The system of claim 1 further comprising a three-port valve, wherein one of the ports is in communication with a reagent reservoir holding a reagent so that the reagent from the reagent reservoir is selectively injected into the sample fluid.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein the control unit is configured to cause selective injection of the reagent into the sample fluid after the sample fluid passes through the sample inlet filter.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein the control unit is configured to selectively inject the reagent into the sample fluid so that the reagent and the sample fluid are mixed at least partially in the in-line digester.

7. The system of claim 4 wherein the reagent comprises one or more persulfate reagents.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein a volumetric ratio of the filtered reservoir to the unfiltered reservoir is about 1 to 10.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein the filter element comprises a membrane disk.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein the membrane disk comprises a polyethersulfone membrane disk.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein the polyethersulfone membrane disk has a nominal pore size of about 0.45 μm.

12. The system of claim 1 wherein the filter element has a pore size in the range of 0.22 μm to 2.0 μm.

13. The system of claim 1 wherein the system is structured so that, in operation, the system is capable of, and configured to, operate one of floating on, or immersed in, the sample fluid.

14. A field-portable ion chromatography auto-sampling system, the system comprising:
a sample inlet filter comprising:
(a) an unfiltered reservoir having an inlet and an outlet so that the unfiltered reservoir comprises a continuous flow reservoir;
(b) a filtered reservoir smaller than the unfiltered reservoir; and,
(c) a filter element positioned between the filtered reservoir and the unfiltered reservoir;

a syringe pump having a plunger; and,
an inline digester, the inline digester being positioned in series between the sample inlet filter and the syringe pump;
wherein the system is structured so that when the plunger of the syringe pump is retracted, suction force from the syringe pump causes a sample fluid to move from the unfiltered reservoir into the filtered reservoir through the inline digester, and into a sample loop between an inlet for the syringe pump and a check valve, and when the plunger is advanced, the system is structured so that the sample fluid is injected back through the check valve and into a testing portion of the chromatography auto-sampling system.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein the system is structured so that, in operation, the field-portable ion chromatography instrument is capable of and configured to operate one of floating on, or immersed in, the sample fluid.

16. The system of claim 14 wherein the check valve is positioned between the syringe pump and the sample inlet filter so that when the plunger is retracted, the sample fluid moves from the sample inlet filter through the check valve.

17. A method of drawing a sample fluid into a field-portable ion chromatography instrument, wherein the ion chromatography instrument is either floating or immersed in the sample fluid, the method comprising the steps of:
(a) providing the field-portable ion chromatography instrument, which comprises:
a sample inlet filter comprising:
an unfiltered reservoir having an inlet and an outlet so that the unfiltered reservoir comprises a continuous flow reservoir;
a filtered reservoir smaller than the unfiltered reservoir; and,
a filter element positioned between the filtered reservoir and the unfiltered reservoir;

a syringe pump having a plunger; and
an inline digester, the inline digester being positioned in series between the sample inlet filter and the syringe pump;

wherein the system is structured so that when the plunger of the syringe pump is retracted, suction force from the syringe pump causes a sample fluid to move from the unfiltered reservoir into the filtered reservoir through the inline digester, and into a sample loop between an inlet for the syringe pump and a check valve, and when the plunger is advanced, the instrument is structured so that the sample fluid is injected back through the check valve and into a testing portion of the field-portable ion chromatography instrument;
(b) retracting the plunger of the syringe pump so that the sample fluid moves from the unfiltered reservoir into the filtered reservoir and into the sample loop; and then,
(c) advancing the plunger so that the sample fluid is injected into the testing portion of the field-portable ion chromatography instrument.

Assignees

• Us Agriculture
• Penn State Res Found

Inventors

• Elkin Kyle R
• Bock Randall G

Classifications

• B01D15/125 Primary

  Pre-filtration · CPC title

• G01N1/4077

  by other techniques involving separation of suspended solids · CPC title

• G01N2030/0095

  Separation specially adapted for use outside laboratory, e.g. field sampling, portable equipments · CPC title

• G01N30/96

  using ion-exchange (G01N30/02, G01N30/90 take precedence) · CPC title

• G01N2035/00475

  Filters · CPC title