US2636387A

US2636387A - Apparatus for sampling flowing streams

Info

Publication number: US2636387A
Application number: US237536A
Authority: US
Inventors: David H Mckinney; William A Harris
Original assignee: Standard Oil Development Co
Current assignee: Standard Oil Development Co
Priority date: 1951-07-19
Filing date: 1951-07-19
Publication date: 1953-04-28
Anticipated expiration: 1970-04-28

Description

April 1953 D. H. MCKINNEY EI'AL 2,636,387

APPARATUS FOR SAMPLING FLOWING STREAMS Filed July 19, 1951 2 srms'rs-sx-mm 1 SAMPLE RECEIVER PIPE LINE INVENTOR.

' David H.McKinney, William A. Harris,

A NT.

April 28, 1953 D. H. M =K|NNEY EIAL 2,636,387

APPARATUS FOR SAMPLING FLOWING STREAMS AGENT.

Patented Apr. 28, 1953 IJNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE APPARATUS FOR SAMPLING FLOWING STREAMS Application July 19, 1951, Serial No. 237,536

4 Claims.

The present invention is directed to apparatus for obtaining a liquid sample from a flowing stream. More particularly, the invention is concerned with apparatus for obtaining samples from pipe lines in which liquid, such as gasoline, crude oil and the like, are being pumped under pressure.

The apparatus of the present invention may be described briefly as including, in combination, a circulating pump and a flow regulating pump, each having an intake port and a discharge port. A first conduit is connected to the intake port of the circulating pump and is adapted to be connected to the flowing stream which may be a high pressure pipe line in which crude oil is being pumped. The apparatus includes also a sample receiver having a piston member arranged therein which divides the sample receiver into upper and lower chambers; the volume of each of the chambers is changed as the position of the piston is changed. A second conduit connects the discharge port of the circulating pump to a lower end of the sample receiver while a third conduit connects the intake port of the flow regulating pump to an upper end of the sample receiver. A sample container is connected to the lower end of the sample receiver by a fourth conduit. A fifth conduit connects to the second conduit and in turn may be connected to discharge into the flowing stream. A sixth conduit connects to the discharge port of the flow regulating pump and to thefifth conduit. Injection means are provided for introducing a clean liquid into the sample receiver and into the upper chamber above the piston member. v

The injection means may be made integral withthe apparatus and may include a filterin means which will allow a portion of the liquid withdrawn from the flowing stream to provide the clean liquid for introduction into the upper end of the sample receiver.

It is also contemplated that a mixing means which may include a mixing tank with a mixin device arranged therein may be arranged between the sample receiver and the sample container. The mixing means allows the entire sample to be mixed to overcome any possible settling out of heavy components. The purpose of the mixing means is to allow one continuous sample to be taken for each batch of liquid being sampled during an entire period of pumping, or-ior' each 251101118, The receiver isemptied each24 hours, or'at end of pumping period.

1 lt is contemplated that the apparatus includ 2 ing the several conduits will be provided with flow regulating means, such as valves and flow resisting means, such as check valves, which will allow flow of liquid in one direction on settin at a predetermined pressure and which will resist flow of liquid in another direction.

The invention will be further illustrated with reference to the drawing, in which Fig. 1 is an isometric view of the apparatus of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a side view of the apparatus showing it arranged in a housing therefor;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the sample receiver of Figs. 1 and 2;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view of the mixing and accumulating tank of Figs. 1 to 3; and

Fig. 5 is a view of an embodiment in which the clean oil for the sample receiver is obtained from an exterior source.

Referring now to the drawings, in which identical numerals will be employed to identify identical parts, numeral II designates a circulating pump and numeral I2 designates a flow regulating pump. The apparatus includes a sample receiver I3, a sample container I4, and a mixing tank I5. The circulating pump II is provided with an intake port I6 which is adapted to be connected to a flowing stream in pipe line I! by a first conduit I. The discharge port I8 of circulating pump II is connected by a second conduit 2 to sample receiver I3. Second conduit 2 has arranged therein adjacent the lower end of sample receiver I3 a three-way valve I9, the function of which will be described in more detail hereinafter. The flow regulating pump I2 is connected to the upper end of sample receiver I3 by a third conduit 3 which connects to a vent pipe 20 containing a valve 2 I. Conduit 3 connects to intake port 22 of flow regulating pump I2.

Thesample container I4 is connected to sample receiver I3 by a fourth conduit 4 in which is arranged a valve 23 for controlling the flow therethrough. The conduit t connects to a conduit 24 which in turn connects to the sample container I 4 and is adapted to discharge the contents thereof into a sump, not shown. The conduit 24 is provided with a valve 25. It will be noted that the sample container III is provided with an over-. flow pan or cup 26 which is an enlarged portion adjacent the top end thereof. The sample container I4 is also provided with a pet cock 26a which allows withdrawal of a spot sample at an intermediate point from sample container I4. for centrifugaltests and thelike. The overflow pan or cup 26 has a conduit 21 for discharging the overflow from container I4 into conduit 24 and thence to the sump, not shown.

The second conduit 2 has a fifth conduit connected thereto which in turn is connected to a test gauge 28 for registering the pressure in conduit 5. Conduit 5 has arranged therein a check valve 29 which is set at a predetermined pressure to allow flow of fluid therethrough. The conduit 5 discharges into pipe line ii. The check valve 29 will allow flow through conduit 5 into pipe line I? but will resist flow from pipe line I? into conduit 5 and thence into conduit 2.

The flow regulating pump l 2 has an outlet port 39 to which is connected a sixth conduit 6 which then connects in turn to conduit 5 allowing the discharge from the flow regulating pump 36 to discharge into conduit 5 and thence into pipe line 5? with a portion of the discharge from pump iI.

The apparatus or the present invention may include a filtering means 3i which may be of conventionaldesign and may contain a filtering media such as horse hair felt, cellulosic material, asbestos, cloth, other vegetable fibers and the like which will serve to remove solid foreign material, such as rust, dirt and the like, from the oil withdrawn from pipe line H. The filter 3! is provided with a cover 32 for easy access thereto and for replacement of the filter. The filter 31 is connected to conduit 3 by a seventh conduit '5 in which is arranged a check valve 33 which will allow flow through conduit 1 into conduitii but will resist flow from conduit 3 intothe filter 3|. Connected to the filter 3i and to conduit 5 is an eighth conduit 3 in which is arranged a check valve 3 2- which allows flow from conduit 5 to conduit 9 which connects to filter 3i but will resist flow from conduit 9 to conduit 5. Check valve 35 is arranged to allow fiow of liquid from conduit 5 to flow into conduit 3 at a predetermined pressure. 35 which may be opened to establish communicationbetween conduit 8 and filter 3 I.

Branch line or conduit 36 connects conduit 2 with conduit 4. This line 35 is provided with a valve means 37 which may be opened to establish communication between conduit 2 and conduit 4 as will be described further.

It will be noted that conduit I is provided with a test gauge 38 to indicate pressure of the stream flowing from pipe line I? through conduit I to pump II.

The mixing tank I5 connects into conduit 4 by a conduit or line 50, which connects to line 4 between valve I9 and valve 23.

Pumps I I and I2 are operated by a single prime mover 39 which may suitably be an electric or gasoline motor; preferably an electric motor, is employed. Th prime mover 39 is provided with a drive wheel 39a on which is arranged belts or chains 40 which serve to drive drive wheels 4| and 42, respectively, of pumps II and I2.

Referring now to Fig. 2, it will be seen that the apparatus of the present invention may be arranged in a housing 50 provided with a door 5i which is SWung on housing 58 by hinges 52. This door may be opened by handle 53. Arranged in a lower portion of the housing 50 defined by a cross piece 54 and bottom 55 are pum II and I2 and motor 31, whereasrarranged in the upper portion of the housing 59 defined by the cross piece 54 and the top thereof 58 are the sample receiver I3 and sample container I4 as well as mixing tank I5. The conduits connecting these Various elements are not shown in this view.

Conduit 9 is provided with avalve means The housing 50 may be suitably arranged on legs 64.

Referring now to Fig. 3, it will be seen that a piston 10 divides the sample receiver I3 into upper chamber II and into a lower chamber 72 which are sealed one from the other by providing a sealing means such as O-ring is on. piston Ill. The upper chamber 'lI is suitably filled with a clean oil which may be the filtered oil while the lower chamber I2 contains the material sampled as will be described further.

A detail sectional view of the tank I5 is shown in Fig. 4. As shown, the tank I5 is provided with a handle 51 which connects by rod 58 to mixing plates 59.

Referring now to Fig. 5, a modified embodiment of our invention is shown in which the filter 3| and its attendant conduits are eliminated. This may be achieved by providing a tank in which a body of clean oil is arranged which may be an oil which it is desired to pump down the pipe line along with the pipe line oil and may suitably be a gas oil, lubricating oil, or gasoline and the like. Tank communicates withconduit 3 by a conduit BI in which is arranged a pump 82. Conduit 8| is also provided with a valve 83 to isolate the conduit BI from the third conduit 3. It will be noted in thi embodiment of our invention that the conduits "i, 8, 9, and filter 3| are eliminated. Also the check valvetll in conduit 8 is not needed. It will be noted further that the conduit 6 connects directly into conduit 5 which in turn connects to the pipe lineI'I.

The apparatus of the present invention operates as follows: Assuming that it is desired to take a sample from the pipe line H, the piston member iii in the sample receiver I3 is in the bottom of the sample receiver I3, the piston member being shaped at its lower end to conform with the interior lower endo f the sample receiv-Q er I3. In the upper chamber II is a body of clean oil which may be a portion of the oil from pipe line I? which has been passed through the filter 5i. The operation is started by energizing motor 31 which causes pumps. and I2 to on erate. Pump II takes suction through conduit I, on pipe line I? and pumps oil through conduit 2 into the sample receiver I3 below the piston Ill. The flow regulating pump I2 takes suction by line 3 on the clean .oil in the upper section of the sample receiver at a predetermined rate; by virtue of controlling the output from the sample receiver by means of the flow regulating pump I2 it is possible to controlfiow thereinto through conduit 2. The check valve 29 in conduit 5 has been set to operate at a predeterminedpre'ssure and to discharge a major portion of the oil flowing through conduit 2 back into pipe line H. through conduit 5. In short, a major portion of. the oil is discharged back through the pipe line H while a minorv portion passes through conduit 2 and valve IS of the sample receiver I3 regulat ed by the amount of. clean oilwithdrawnby conduit 3i and pump E2. The discharge from flow regulating pump I2 flows through conduit 6 into conduit 5 and thence back to pipe line H.

Once the sample receiver I3 has been filled the valve I9 is manipulated to allow fiow in the direction indicated by the curved arrow which causes, flowinto line I5a andv mixing tank I5, valve 23 in conduit 4 being in the closed position. With. three-way valve iii in such position that flow is allowed only through line 5 and line I 5:; toinix ing tank lii, thepressure exerted by circulating pump I I throughline 2,- line 5,-line 8,-line .9, filter renames? 15, valve 19 is further manipulated to allow normal flowlas indicated by the straight arrow into sample receiver l3.

Check valve 29 is a throttling type check valve providing a differential pressure of. approximately 15 lbs. acting on the underside of piston 10. This pressure differential will overcome the weight and friction of piston and will force it upward as sampling pump l2-removes the regulated amount of filtered. oil from chamber H, thus allowing sample to accumulate in chamber 12.

After the sampling period has been completed and the complete sample has been displaced into mixing tank I5, the contents thereof maybe thoroughly mixed by manipulation of handle in an up-and-down direction to cause thorough mixing of the contents thereof. Then the contents of mixing tank 15 may be gravitated into sample container 14 by opening valve 23 in conduit 4, the valve in conduit 24 being in closed position and three-Way valve l9 allows the clear stream from conduit 2 to flow to receiver I3. A suitable hydrometer may be inserted or maintained in the sample container l4 to determine the gravity of oil therein, the excess of the sample being allowed to overflow into overflow pan 26 and thence by conduit 21 into conduit 24 and to the sump, not shown. Suitably, if desired, the sample in sample container l 4 may be discharged into barrels or another sample container by opening valve 25, valve 23 being meanwhile closed.

If it is desired to obtain a spot sample for determining any test this may be done simply by opening valve 31 in conduit 36 which will allow a portion of the discharge from conduit 2 to flow directly into conduit 4 and thence by conduit 24 into sample container I 4. Of course, when a spot sample is taken valve 23 will be in a closed position. Thus, a spot sample may be obtained while filling sample receiver l3 as has been described.

Referring to the operation of the embodiment of Fig. 5, this embodiment operates in a similar way to that of Fig. 4 with the exception that the pump 82 is designed to pump at a faster rate than the pump I2 which will allow clean oil to be withdrawn from tank 80 through conduit 8| and thence by opening valve 83 to conduit 3 to sample receiver l3 as has been described.

In operating the apparatus of the present invention, when pipe line I! contains a flowing 6 change the setting of 'the:various check valves to allow the apparatus to function properly.

The nature and objects of the present invention having been completely described and illustrated, what we wish to claim as new and useful and to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. Apparatus adaptedv for obtaining a sample from a flowing stream to be sampled which comprises, in combination, a circulating pump and a ,flow regulating pump each'havin an intake port and a" discharge port, afirst conduit connecting to the intake port of the circulating pump and adapted to be connected to the flowing stream, a

sample receiver, a piston member in said sample receiver,- asecondconduit connecting'the discharge :port of said circulating pump to a lower end of saidfsample receiver, a thirdconduit connecting the intake port of said flow regulating pump to an upper end of said sample receiver, a sample container, a fourth conduit connected 'to the lower end'of said sample receiver and to said sample container, a fifth conduit connected to stream under a pressure of 1000 lbs. the check valve 29 will be set to deliver oil through conduit 5 into pipe line 24 at a pressure of 1015 lbs. while the check valve 34 will deliver oil from the conduit 5 to the conduit 9 at a pressure of 1000 lbs. Similarly, the flow through conduit 1 into conduit 3 through check valve 33 will be realized by setting the check valve to deliver oil at a pressure of 1000 lbs. Under these conditions with the pipe line under pressure of 1000 lbs. the discharge from pump H is at 1015 lbs. and discharge from pump I2 is at 1015 lbs. Of course, it is realized that under different conditions of a flowing stream that it will be desirable to the second conduit and adapted to discharge into the discharge port'of said flow regulating pump and to said fifth conduit, and conduit means for introducing a clean liquid into said sample receiver above said piston member connected to said third conduit and to a source of said clean liquid.

2. Apparatus adapted for obtaining a sample from a flowing stream to be sampled which comprises, in combination, a circulating pump and a flow regulating pump each having an intake port and a discharge port, a first conduit connecting to the intake port of the circulating pump and adapted to be connected to the flowing stream, a sample receiver, a piston member in said sample receiver, a second conduit connecting the discharge port of said circulating pump to a lower end of said sample receiver, a third conduit connecting the intake port of said flow regulating pump to an upper end of said sample receiver, a sample container, a fourth conduit connected to the lower end of said sample receiver and to said sample container, a fifth conduit connected to the second conduit and adapted to discharge into said flowin stream, a sixth conduit connected to the discharge port of said flow regulating pump and to said fifth conduit, mixing and accumulating means arranged between said sample receiver and container fluidly connected to said fourth conduit, and conduit means for introducing a clean liquid into said sample receiver above said piston member connected to said third conduit and to a source of said clean liquid.

3. Apparatus adapted for obtaining a sample from a flowing stream to be sampled which comprises, in combination, a circulating pump and a flow regulating pump each having an intake port and a discharge port, a first conduit connecting to the intake port of the circulating pump and adapted to be connected to the flowing stream, a sample receiver, a piston member in said sample receiver, a second conduit connecting the discharge port of said circulating pump to a lower end of said sample receiver, a third conduit connectin the intake port of said flow regulating pump to an upper end of said sample receiver, a sample container, a fourth conduit connected to the lower end of said sample receiver and to saidsample container, a fifth conduit connected to the second conduit and adapted to discharge into said flowing stream, a sixth conduit connected to the discharge portof said flow regulating pump a ndsstm s;-id:.fith%a,condiiit; g filtering; '.-imeans,= r a. seventhaconduitwcormectingmaid-filtering; means and saidmhizd coziduiteand eighth andmnth con duitS connecting-said, fi1te1zing:meanstotsaid fifth anisixthzcunduitsprespeobivelyg for introducing; a filtered portion of-wsaidfioWizibstreaxnzint Sfliid sample receiver above saidipistommemberz 4.: Apparatus: adapted -sfomobtainingg-a sample from aifiowing s'treamtov bessample'd which come priseai in -'comb inatioh-,'a circulating plimp:ancha fiow regul ating:puinp eachg hayingraniintake port and aidisphargaport; azfirst conduit connecting to -theyrintake pont :ofz thetci-rculating .'puml :i'a'nd agl amzed $0 be 'eonn'ectedsto the flowing stream, aJ-sample geeei-ysen;,1a;piston@.memberfin said-sample reeeiveix a seoon lconduim connecting wthl; disr e:\p nfloi-sa d i' cu a m -pumn rtwanlower end {of saicksample;receive1:;; a,;thirfl conduit-con meeting lit esintakevpd fi rQt:saidrs fl ware nlatin pugnnfioenmmw @hdppfysipid sample receivema d sQhaE- e ante coenwtedrvt r the dischargeiportofsaid flow regulating pum'p sevenbh igonduitizcorinebtirigasaidifilterihg means and liad-third conduit; and eighth and ninth concuitslconriecting saidfilteriziQ-means to said fifth and sixthconduitsg-respectivelyg for introducin a filteredapottion; oirsaid flowing zstreanm into said samp1e :re'ceivei-. i above .said piston member, flow resisting-means in. eachfiofisaidfifth; seventh, and eighth conduitsadaptedto allow flow at predeterminedpressuremoneldirctiomand to resist it in another direction; and valveln'ieans in said sec- OIldf founthp;and-zmhthconduits' to control-15h fimwtherebhreughw r 5 DAVID'H; MCKINNEY'L" a; WILLIAM-A'HARRIS: