Flow cell sample generator

1. A sample generator system, comprising:

an upper reservoir with a first cross-sectional area configured to controllably contain a fluid, the upper reservoir vented to at least one of an ambient gas pressure, atmospheric pressure, or a cover gas pressure;

a gravity flow cell with a second cross-sectional area that is less than the first cross-sectional area, the gravity flow cell configured to receive the fluid from the upper reservoir and configured to eject a fluid sample from a flowing fluid through a fluid sample ejection orifice in the gravity flow cell, wherein a gravity flow cell outlet and the fluid sample ejection orifice are vented to the same gas pressure as the upper reservoir;

a sampling system in communication with the gravity flow cell and configured to receive the fluid sample;

a gas pressure at the fluid sample ejection orifice in the gravity flow cell greater than or equal to a fluid pressure at the fluid sample ejection orifice in the gravity flow cell; and

a gas injection orifice disposed on the gravity flow cell.

2. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:

a nozzle positioned a distance from the gravity flow cell, the nozzle configured to supply a gas pulse.

3. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:

a pump-driven conduit; and

a lower reservoir and the upper reservoir forming a recirculating flow path from the lower reservoir through the pump-driven conduit to the upper reservoir, and from the upper reservoir through the gravity flow cell to the lower reservoir.

4. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:

the gas injection orifice disposed on the gravity flow cell downstream of the fluid sample ejection orifice.

5. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:

a characteristic diameter of the gravity flow cell; and

the gas injection orifice disposed on the gravity flow cell a distance from the fluid sample ejection orifice, the distance greater than or less than a multiple of the characteristic diameter of the gravity flow cell.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the fluid sample ejection orifice is oriented in a first direction, the system further comprising:

the gas injection orifice oriented in the first direction.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the fluid sample ejection orifice is oriented in a first direction, the system further comprising:

the gas injection orifice oriented in a second direction.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the sample generator system generates a sample having a volume of at least 100 nL.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the fluid sample is a substance, the system comprising:

a substrate;

the substance configured to be disposed on the substrate; and

at least one of an alpha particle spectrometer, a gamma ray spectrometer, a neutron spectrometer, a laser induced breakdown spectrometer, an ultraviolet-visible spectrometer, a Raman spectrometer, an X-ray fluorescence spectrometer, a Fourier transform infrared spectrometer, an X-ray diffraction spectrometer, an X-ray photoelectron spectrometer, an electrochemical sensor, a piezoelectric sensor, a mass spectrometer, a density sensor, a viscosity sensor, an acoustic sensor, an imager and image analysis system, a calorimeter, or a temperature sensor to measure a property of the substance.

10. The system of claim 1 ,

wherein the fluid sample is a stream ejected from the fluid sample ejection orifice at a rate of at least 50 μL per second.

11. The system of claim 1 , wherein the fluid is at least one of a molten salt or molten metal.

12. A method for analyzing a process fluid, comprising:

extracting a fluid from a process;

applying pneumatic actuation to a gas injection orifice; and

generating, through a fluid sample ejection orifice, a sample from the fluid extracted from the process;

wherein the sample extracted from the process is returned to the process.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the sample is a spotted sample droplet, the method further comprising:

transporting the spotted sample droplet to a detector; and

analyzing, by the detector, a property of the spotted sample droplet.

14. The method of claim 12 , the method further comprising:

transporting the sample to a detector; and

analyzing, by the detector, a property of the sample;

wherein the detector is at least one of an alpha particle spectrometer, a gamma ray spectrometer, a neutron spectrometer, a laser induced breakdown spectrometer, an ultraviolet-visible spectrometer, a Raman spectrometer, an X-ray fluorescence spectrometer, a Fourier transform infrared spectrometer, an X-ray diffraction spectrometer, an X-ray photoelectron spectrometer, an electrochemical sensor, a piezoelectric sensor, a mass spectrometer, a density sensor, a viscosity sensor, an acoustic sensor, an imager and image analysis system, a calorimeter, or a temperature sensor.

15. The method of claim 12 , wherein the sample is a stream ejected from the fluid sample ejection orifice at a rate of at least 50 μL per second.

16. The method of claim 12 , wherein the gas injection orifice and the fluid sample ejection orifice are oriented in a first direction.

17. A sample generator system, comprising:

an upper reservoir with a first cross-sectional area configured to controllably contain a fluid, the upper reservoir vented to at least one of an ambient gas pressure, atmospheric pressure, or a cover gas pressure;

a gravity flow cell with a second cross-sectional area that is less than the first cross-sectional area, the gravity flow cell configured to receive the fluid from the upper reservoir and configured to eject a fluid sample from a flowing fluid through a fluid sample ejection orifice in the gravity flow cell, wherein a gravity flow cell outlet and the fluid sample ejection orifice are vented to the same gas pressure as the upper reservoir;

a sampling system in communication with the gravity flow cell and configured to receive the fluid sample;

a gas pressure at the fluid sample ejection orifice in the gravity flow cell greater than or equal to a fluid pressure at the fluid sample ejection orifice in the gravity flow cell;

a pump-driven conduit; and

a lower reservoir and the upper reservoir forming a recirculating flow path from the lower reservoir through the pump-driven conduit to the upper reservoir, and from the upper reservoir through the gravity flow cell to the lower reservoir.

18. The system of claim 17 , further comprising:

a gas injection orifice disposed on the gravity flow cell downstream of the fluid sample ejection orifice.

19. The system of claim 17 , wherein the fluid sample is a substance, the system comprising:

a substrate;

the substance configured to be disposed on the substrate; and at least one of an alpha particle spectrometer, a gamma ray spectrometer, a neutron spectrometer, a laser induced breakdown spectrometer, an ultraviolet-visible spectrometer, a Raman spectrometer, an X-ray fluorescence spectrometer, a Fourier transform infrared spectrometer, an X-ray diffraction spectrometer, an X-ray photoelectron spectrometer, an electrochemical sensor, a piezoelectric sensor, a mass spectrometer, a density sensor, a viscosity sensor, an acoustic sensor, an imager and image analysis system, a calorimeter, or a temperature sensor to measure a property of the substance.

20. The system of claim 17 , wherein the fluid is at least one of a molten salt or molten metal.