Gas-analysis sample injection system and method
A gas-analysis sample injection system and method for transfer of sample gas from a gas-sample cylinder to an analyzer such as a gas chromatograph, providing a cabinet with a door and a cabinet vent, vent manifold, and vent exhaust, a carrier gas supply, a sample cylinder support bracket, a sample filter housing, and a sample injector valve with an injector-valve actuator. Controlled by a valve controller over valve-control lines, a carrier gas regulating valve and sample-cylinder inflow valve allow carrier gas at regulated pressure into the mounted gas-sample cylinder, and a sample-cylinder outflow valve and sample transfer valve allow flow of sample gas into the sample injector valve. A filter vent valve and injector-valve vent valve operate in coordination with the other valves to provide venting and purging of extraneous gasses.
1. A gas-analysis sample injection method comprising:
(i) providing a gas-analysis sample injection system comprising:
(a) a cabinet having a door, adapted to safely contain emitted gas;
(b) a cabinet vent mounted within said cabinet, adapted to vent gasses emitted during operation;
(c) a vent exhaust extending from said cabinet, adapted to exhaust gas from said cabinet vent;
(d) a vent manifold extending from said cabinet vent within said cabinet, adapted to provide quick connection for a plurality of hoses;
(e) a carrier-gas supply adapted to supply pressurized carrier gas to the interior of said cabinet;
(f) a sample cylinder support bracket mounted within said cabinet, adapted to hold in place at least one gas-sample cylinder;
(g) a sample filter housing mounted upon said sample cylinder support bracket in a position accessible from the position of said door, adapted to accommodate and facilitate changing of sample filters;
(h) a carrier gas regulating valve mounted within said cabinet at said carrier gas supply, adapted to control the flow and pressure of carrier gas;
(i) a sample injector valve mounted within said cabinet, adapted to supply a calibrated amount of gas to the analyzer, through a sample-injection outflow line, moved by additional carrier gas supplied by the analyzer through a sample-injection inflow line;
(j) a sample-cylinder inflow valve connected by hose to said carrier gas regulating valve, adapted to being removably mounted to a gas-sample cylinder, and adapted to control flow of carrier gas into the gas-sample cylinder;
(k) a sample-cylinder outflow valve adapted to being removably mounted to a gas-sample cylinder, and adapted to control flow of gas from the gas-sample cylinder into said sample filter housing;
(l) a filter vent valve connected by hoses to said sample filter housing and said vent manifold, adapted to allow a momentary flow of gas from said sample filter housing to said vent manifold;
(m) a sample transfer valve connected by hoses to said sample filter housing and said sample injector valve, adapted to control flow of gas from said sample filter housing to said sample injector valve;
(n) an injector-valve vent valve connected by hoses to said sample injector valve and said vent manifold, adapted to allow a momentary flow of gas from said sample injector valve to said vent manifold;
(o) an injector-valve actuator connected to said sample injector valve, adapted to activate said sample injector valve under control of actuator control lines in turn controlled by the analyzer;
(p) a valve controller adapted to control the operation of said carrier gas regulating valve, sample-cylinder inflow valve, sample-cylinder outflow valve, filter vent valve, sample transfer valve, and injector-valve vent valve via valve-control lines; and
(q) a control panel attached to said valve controller, adapted to provide an operator interface;
(ii) providing venting through said vent manifold, said cabinet vent, and said vent exhaust when said gas-analysis sample injection system is not in active use by opening said filter vent valve, said sample transfer valve, and said injector-valve vent valve, with said sample injector valve closed;
(iii) initiating use by opening said door, mounting a gas-sample cylinder between said sample-cylinder inflow valve and said sample-cylinder outflow valve, closing said door, and activating said valve controller;
(iv) using said gas-analysis sample injection system where, under control of said valve controller, said carrier gas regulating valve and said sample-cylinder inflow valve are opened to provide pressurization of the gas-sample cylinder with carrier gas, said sample transfer valve is closed, said sample-cylinder outflow valve is opened to allow flow of sample gas into said sample filter housing, said filter vent valve is left open momentarily to allow venting from said sample filter housing and is then closed, said sample transfer valve is opened to allow flow of sample gas from said sample filter housing to said sample injector valve, said injector-valve vent valve is left open momentarily to allow venting from said sample injector valve and is then closed, said sample injector valve is opened by said injector-valve actuator under control from the analyzer over said actuator control lines, sample gas is transferred to the analyzer through said sample-injection outflow line on a flow of carrier gas provided by the analyzer through said sample-injection inflow line, said sample injector valve is closed under control from the analyzer over said actuator control lines, and said sample-cylinder inflow valve and said sample-cylinder outflow valve are closed; and
(v) removing the gas-sample cylinder.
2. The gas-analysis sample injection method of claim 1 , where said gas-analysis sample injection system further comprises an analyzer communication line adapted to allow communication with the analyzer.
3. The gas-analysis sample injection method of claim 1 , where said gas-analysis sample injection system further comprises a controller remote-command unit adapted to provide an operator interface with said valve controller from outside said cabinet.
4. The gas-analysis sample injection method of claim 1 , where said gas-analysis sample injection system further comprises a controller remote-command unit adapted to provide a wireless operator interface with said valve controller from outside said cabinet.
5. The gas-analysis sample injection method of claim 1 , where said sample cylinder support bracket further comprises being adapted to hold in place at least two gas-sample cylinders.
6. The gas-analysis sample injection method of claim 1 , where said sample cylinder support bracket further comprises being adapted to hold in place at least three gas-sample cylinders.
7. The gas-analysis sample injection method of claim 1 , where said control panel further comprises being located on the exterior of said cabinet.
8. The gas-analysis sample injection method of claim 1 , where said control panel further comprises being located on said door.
9. The gas-analysis sample injection method of claim 1 , where said cabinet and said door further comprise being adapted to withstand an explosive force.