Subsea Gas Sampling Vessel With Bellows Transfer Isolation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current systems for collecting gas samples from aqueous environments, such as subsea environments, face challenges in maintaining the geochemical composition of the sample without mixing it with atmospheric air and risk explosion due to pressure changes, especially when collecting from deep-sea environments.
Innovation Solution
A collection vessel with a cavity and a valve, coupled to a confinement structure, that retains the gas sample by maintaining its upright position and preventing atmospheric air ingress, allowing the gas to expand within the vessel while keeping the sample isolated from the atmosphere.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the gas sample is collected using traditional isobaric gas samplers that maintain pressure equal to the aqueous environment, then the geochemical composition is preserved, but there is an explosion risk due to pressure changes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a bellows mechanism as an intermediary device between the collection vessel and the sample bottle. The bellows expands to push the gas sample from the collection vessel into the sample bottle, acting as a mediator that transfers the sample without requiring direct pressure equalization, thereby eliminating the explosion risk associated with traditional isobaric sampling methods
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the pressure parameter management approach by using a bellows mechanism that physically pushes the gas sample rather than maintaining pressure equality. The bellows expansion changes the volume and pressure dynamics, allowing safe sample transfer without the harmful pressure equalization that causes explosion risks
2Ease of operation
If the collection vessel is brought to the surface without confinement, then the gas sample expands, but atmospheric air mixes with the sample compromising geochemical analysis
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the sampling system into separate functional components: a collection vessel for initial gas capture, a bellows mechanism for sample transfer, and a sealed sample bottle for preservation. This segmentation allows the gas sample to be isolated in the sealed bottle after transfer, preventing atmospheric air mixing while enabling easy retrieval of the sealed sample container
Solution Approach 2:
The bellows acts as an intermediary that transfers the gas sample from the collection vessel to the sealed sample bottle without requiring the collection vessel itself to be brought to the surface. This mediator mechanism preserves sample integrity by completing the transfer underwater before atmospheric exposure
3Reliability
If a valve is added to remove the gas sample without traveling through the opening, then sample contamination is prevented, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the sample removal function from the collection vessel opening by using a separate valve mechanism on the sample bottle. The valve allows the gas sample to be removed from the sealed bottle without compromising the seal or requiring the sample to travel through the original collection opening, thus maintaining sample purity while adding a dedicated removal pathway
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 collects and preserves the geochemical composition of the gas sample by preventing mixing with atmospheric air and maintaining pressure, ensuring safe and accurate analysis of the collected gas.
Implementation Method 1
allowing the gas to expand within the vessel while keeping the sample isolated from the atmosphere
Data Source
AI summary
A system for collecting a sample of a gas in an aqueous environment is described herein. The system includes a collection vessel having a body having a cavity and a bottom edge forming a perimeter around an opening on an underside of the body. The opening is sized to receive the sample of the gas into the cavity as the sample of the gas travels upwardly and the main body is positioned directly above the sample of gas in the aqueous environment. The collection vessel also includes a valve coupled to the body. The valve provides for the sample of the gas to be removed from the cavity without travelling through the opening on the underside of the main body. The collection vessel also includes a confinement structure having a and a coupling mechanism configured to retain the collection vessel at least partially in the confinement structure.