Cryogenic Liquid Sampling System with Piston Accumulator
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Solution Overview
Problem
There is a need for an efficient system to sample and store cryogenic liquids in their liquid state for accurate energy value determination and constituent analysis during custody transfer, while preventing phase changes and ensuring portability for off-site analysis.
Innovation Solution
A cryogenic liquid sampling system comprising a chamber with a sample pump, a piston accumulator for maintaining constant pressure, and processing circuitry to control the vacuum device and sample pump, allowing for proportional transfer and storage of cryogenic liquid samples in constant pressure containers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If cryogenic liquid is sampled and stored without maintaining constant pressure, then the sampling system is simpler, but the liquid undergoes phase change and cannot be accurately analyzed
Solution Approach 1:
A constant pressure container acts as an intermediary between the sampling system and storage, maintaining stable pressure conditions to prevent phase change of the cryogenic liquid sample while allowing simple sampling operations
Solution Approach 2:
The system controls and maintains the pressure parameter at a constant value appropriate for the cryogenic liquid's boiling point, preventing phase change by ensuring the pressure remains above the vapor pressure at the given temperature
2Ease of operation
If cryogenic liquid sample is vaporized for analysis, then analysis can be performed with standard equipment, but the sample loses its liquid state and portability is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The constant pressure container serves as a portable intermediary that maintains the liquid state during transport, allowing the sample to be analyzed in various locations without requiring vaporization equipment at the analysis site
3Temperature
If cryogenic liquid is transported without thermal isolation, then the system is simpler, but the sample warms and undergoes phase change
Solution Approach 1:
The constant pressure container provides a thermally isolated environment that acts as an inert barrier between the cryogenic sample and the warmer external environment, preventing heat transfer that would cause warming and phase change
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system effectively captures and stores cryogenic liquid samples in their liquid state, preventing phase changes and enabling accurate analysis, while ensuring portability and efficient custody transfer by maintaining constant pressure and thermal isolation.
Implementation Method 1
a vacuum device connected to the input port and configured to generate a vacuum within the chamber
Implementation Method 2
means for maintaining constant pressure in the piston accumulator
Implementation Method 3
The vacuum chamber provides thermal isolation of the sample
Data Source
AI summary
A cryogenic liquid sampling system including a chamber having affixed therein a sample pump to proportionally pull a cryogenic liquid sample from an external source to a constant pressure piston accumulator and an enclosure. The enclosure includes a supply port to receive an input stream of a gas, an input port connected to the chamber via a vacuum line, a sample pump port connected to the chamber via a pump line and configured to feed therethrough gas received at the supply port to the sample pump, a vacuum device connected to the input port and configured to generate a vacuum within the chamber by pulling air from the vacuum line, and processing circuitry to control the vacuum device and the sample pump to perform transfer of a cryogenic liquid sample from the external source to an external device.