Sampling Device

The present invention relates to a device for the elimination of variation in line-pressure and viscosity experienced in automatic devices used for sampling liquids such as crude oil flowing through pipe-lines.

The principal feature of many samplers is the sampling valve, external to the product line, which is opened and closed automatically, e.g. using a solenoid actuated by an electrical signal. The sample may be obtained continuously from the line in either of two ways: It may be done by opening the valve for a fixed period of time to deliver a fixed volume of the liquid to be sampled and, if necessary, varying the frequency of openings depending upon the line flow rate; alternatively, the frequency of the opening may be kept constant but the duration of the opening of the valve may be made proportional to the line flow rate. Whichever technique is used, it is clear that for good results it would be preferable to reduce the effect of line conditions, particularly pressure and liquid viscosity. This may be achieved by incorporating a close tolerance metering pump. Thus, irrespective of the line pressure or viscosity of the liquid being sampled, the pump delivers a representative sample at a constant flow rate. Although this technique may be adequate for medium and high viscosity liquids, on liquids of low viscosity unmetered(slip)flow through clearances in the pump become significant when the sampling is carried out by opening the sample valve.

It has now been found that by incorporating suitable means of pressure control it can be ensured that the sample flow into the receiver when the sampling valve is opened remains constant under all expected conditions of liquid source pressure and liquid viscosity.

Accordingly, the present invention is a liquid sampling device comprising a conduit formed as a loop and having ends which are adapted to be in open communication with a liquid source, a pump capable of circulating liquid at a substantially constant rate through the loop, a sample outlet valve positioned in the loop downstream from the pump and a back-pressure valve adapted to control the flow passage through the sample outlet and responsive to the upstream line pressure to maintain the pressure downstream of the pump during sampling at substantially the same pressure as upstream.

The sampling device of the present invention may be adapted to be used in most process/product stream requiring a representative sample to be taken. The device of the present invention may be used to sample predetermined aliquots of the stream or continuously over a specified time period.

The device is particularly suitable for use on crude oil pipe lines for regular sampling of the oil flowing through such pipe lines.

The conduits and valves of this device may be made of any suitable material depending upon the nature of the liquid being sampled. For example, it may be made from polymeric or metallic material.

The back-pressure valve used in this device may be any of the conventional types actuated by liquid pressure preferably those which would withstand pressures of 400 psig. and upward. The choice would, however, be dictated by the nature of the liquid being pumped and the pressure rating.

The outlet from the sampling valve may be connected to a receiver for the samples. The samples collected in the receivers may thereafter be subjected to any tests as necessary.

The invention is further illustrated with reference to the accompanying drawing.

In the drawing the conduit loop 1 has ends 2 and 3 which are adapted to be in open communication with the crude oil flowing through the pipeline 4. A pump 5 connected to the loop 1 withdraws oil through end 2 and circulates it through the loop 1 via the three-way valve 6 back into the pipe line 4. The three-way valve 6 is provided with a sampling outlet 7, through which a sample may be withdrawn if and when desired. A conduit 8 connects the loop at 9 to a back-pressure valve 10 in the sampling outlet 7. When liquid is pumped through the loop and a sample withdrawn through the sampling outlet 7, the back-pressure valve 10 acts to maintain a constant pressure differential across the pump, thereby ensuring constant flow into the sample receiver. In the absence of the back-pressure valve 10, changes in line pressure or viscosity would cause variations in the flow through the pump leading to inaccuracies in the sampling rate.