Optical characterization system for a process plant

1. A characterization system for performing optical characterization of a liquid sample in a process plant, comprising

a sample section for holding the liquid sample,

an inlet comprising an inlet valve adapted to control a flow of the liquid sample into the sample section,

an outlet comprising an outlet valve adapted to control a flow of the liquid sample out of the sample section,

a pressurizer adapted to pressurize the sample section,

an agitator adapted to agitate at least a part of the liquid sample inside the sample section when the sample section is pressurized by the pressurizer,

a measuring device adapted to perform optical characterization of the liquid sample inside the sample section while the liquid sample is pressurized and agitated, where the optical characterization is performed during or after agitation by the agitator,

wherein the inlet valve and the outlet valve are connected to a line pipe and the characterization system is adapted to receive the liquid sample from the line pipe through the inlet valve, characterize the liquid sample in the sample section, and optionally return at least a part of the liquid sample to the line pipe through the outlet valve,

wherein the agitator comprises an open pipe element rigidly connected to a pressure element, the pressure element producing a pressure force having a non-zero force component parallel to a rotation axis of the agitator when the agitator is submerged in a liquid and rotating around the rotation axis.

2. The system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the sample section comprises a substantially vertical pipe section.

3. The system in accordance with claim 2 , wherein the agitator is placed in a lower half of the substantially vertical pipe section in such a way that by agitating the liquid sample with the agitator, at least some solid particles, if present in the liquid sample, are prevented from settling during the optical characterization.

4. The system in accordance with claim 3 , wherein a part of the agitator is placed less than 5 cm from a lowest end of the substantially vertical pipe section.

5. The system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the pressurizer is adapted to pressurize the sample section to at least 10 bar.

6. The system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the inlet valve and/or the outlet valve is/are a three-way valve.

7. The system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the sample section is connected to a dilution agent reservoir or cleaning agent reservoir or flocculation agent reservoir or contrast agent reservoir or a catalytic agent reservoir or a chemical reaction agent reservoir.

8. The system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the sample section is connected to a traceability facility, the traceability facility being capable of receiving and storing at least a part of the liquid sample in connection with a unique identifier uniquely associated with optical characterization data obtained from the optical characterization performed on the liquid sample.

9. The system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the open pipe element is a central pipe having a through-going cavity, and wherein the agitator comprises

an outer cylindrical section enclosing the central pipe at a first upper end, and

a number of magnets allowing the agitator to be rotated by use of a magnetic external driver, and

wherein the pressure element is adapted to provide a flow pattern generally parallel to the rotation axis of the agitator when the agitator is rotated via the magnetic external driver,

wherein the central pipe and the through-going cavity are oriented along the rotation axis of the agitator.

10. The system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein at least one chamber is connected to the sample section via a further inlet valve allowing controlled introduction of a flow of one or more given agents and/or one or more secondary liquids wherein the at least one chamber comprises a pressurizer adapted to pressurize a liquid in the at least one chamber.

11. The system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the sample section comprises a substantially horizontal or inclined pipe section.

12. The system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the pressure element includes one or more propelling blades for converting a part of the agitator's rotational energy to kinetic energy in the liquid sample.

13. A process for performing optical characterization of a liquid sample in a process plant, comprising:

opening an inlet valve and an outlet valve,

receiving the liquid sample into a sample section between the inlet valve and the outlet valve,

closing the inlet valve and the outlet valve,

pressurizing an inside of the sample section when the liquid sample is held in the sample section,

agitating, using an agitator, the liquid sample held in the pressurized sample section,

wherein the agitator includes an open pipe element rigidly connected to a pressure element that produces a pressure force having a non-zero force component parallel to a rotation axis of the agitator in response to the agitator being submerged in a liquid and rotating around the rotation axis,

performing a first optical characterization of the liquid sample held in the pressurized sample section while the liquid sample is agitated by the agitator.

14. The process in accordance with claim 13 , further comprising:

performing a second optical characterization while the liquid sample is in a state with a lesser degree of agitation than under the first optical characterization by stopping agitation before and/or during the second optical characterization.

15. The process in accordance with claim 13 , further comprising:

performing a second optical characterization adapted to characterize a sedimentation and/or a flocculation process in the pressurized liquid sample.

16. The process in accordance with claim 13 ,

responsive to determining to add one or more secondary liquids or agents from one or more additional chambers after the steps of claim 13 have been performed as an initial step, the method further comprising:

pressurizing the one or more secondary liquids or agents,

determining a volume of the liquid sample in the sample section and a volume of the one or more secondary liquids or agents in the one or more additional chambers and afterwards ceasing pressurization,

displacing a predetermined amount of the liquid sample in the sample section while the liquid sample is in a substantially homogeneous state,

determining the volume of the liquid sample again while applying pressure,

introducing the one or more secondary liquids or agents into the sample section so as to fill a space made available due to the displacement, resulting in a mixed liquid sample,

pressurizing the sample section to pressurize the mixed liquid sample,

determining a volume of the pressurized mixed liquid sample and afterwards ceasing pressurization,

performing optical characterization of the mixed liquid sample.

17. The process in accordance with claim 13 , wherein the open pipe element is a central pipe having a through-going cavity, and wherein the agitator comprises

an outer cylindrical section enclosing the central pipe at a first upper end, and

a number of magnets allowing agitator to be rotated by use of a magnetic external driver, and

wherein the pressure element is adapted to provide a flow pattern being generally parallel to the rotation axis of the agitator when the agitator is rotated via the magnets,

wherein the central pipe and the through-going cavity are oriented along the rotation axis of the agitator.