Gas Sample Selector with Flush and Purge Valves
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing gas sample selectors require separate systems for analyzing gas samples from high-pressure cylinders and low-pressure gas bags, due to different filling requirements, and suffer from sample carryover contamination which affects analytical accuracy.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a gas sample selector system that includes a multi-position selector valve, a flush valve, and a purge valve, along with conduits providing flowpaths between them, allows for efficient switching between high-pressure and low-pressure samples while minimizing carryover through controlled flushing and purging processes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a gas sample selector system is designed to handle both high-pressure cylinders and low-pressure gas bags, then the system requires different filling mechanisms (restrictor for high-pressure, pump for low-pressure), but this increases device complexity and requires separate systems
Solution Approach 1:
The gas sample selector is designed with a multi-position selector valve that can handle both high-pressure gas cylinders and low-pressure gas bags through a unified system architecture. The system provides universal sample intake capability by integrating different pressure source handling within a single selector device, eliminating the need for separate systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The system segments the sample handling path by providing separate flow paths within the selector: one path with a restrictor for high-pressure cylinder samples and another path with a pump for low-pressure gas bag samples. This segmentation allows each pressure type to be handled with its appropriate filling mechanism while maintaining a unified overall system.
2Measurement precision
If a flush valve is added to reduce sample carryover contamination, then analytical accuracy improves, but device complexity and operational steps increase
Solution Approach 1:
The flush valve is positioned to perform preliminary flushing of the sample loop and flow path before the actual sample analysis begins. By pre-flushing the system with a clean gas, residual samples are removed in advance, preventing carryover contamination during subsequent analyses and improving measurement precision.
3Reliability
If a pump is used to draw sample from low-pressure gas bags, then reliable sample filling is achieved, but the system cannot handle high-pressure cylinders without additional components
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adapts its configuration based on the sample source pressure. The multi-position selector valve can switch between different operational modes: one mode connects the pump for low-pressure gas bag sampling, while another mode connects the restrictor for high-pressure cylinder sampling. This dynamic reconfiguration allows the system to optimize for each pressure type while maintaining a single unified device.
Data Source
AI summary
A gas analyzer system (100, 200, 300) and methods of reducing sample carryover in a gas sample selector (102, 202, 302), The gas analyzer system (100, 200, 300) includes a gas chromatograph (104, 204, 304) and a gas sample selector (102, 202, 302). The gas sample selector (102, 202, 302) includes a multi-position selector valve (130, 230, 330), a flush valve (140, 240, 340), and a purge valve (150, 250, 350), as well as conduits providing flowpaths between them. When switching the flush valve (140, 240, 340) to connect the flush valve (140, 240, 340) vent and flush valve (140, 240, 340) outlet and flowing purge gas through the purge valve (150, 250, 350) port, the purge gas will flow to the selector (102, 202, 302) exit and to the flush valve (140, 240, 340) vent to remove sample gas from the flowpaths.