Technical Notes

BASICS OF SAMPLE SYSTEM DESIGNING

SAMPLE CONDITIONING

If a sample has to be brought to the analyzer, a sample transportation delay and

a potential for interference with the integrity of the sample will be introduced. The
transportation lag can seriously deteriorate the closed loop control stability of the
system.

Even more serious is the potential for interference with the integrity of the
sample, due to the effects of filtration, condensation, leakage, evaporation, and
so on, As a result, the information on the composition of the process fluid is not
only delayed, but also degraded.

Consequently, the best solution is to eliminate all sampling systems and place
the analyzer directly into the process. Such "in-pipe" designs are becoming more
and more available, Particularly well suited for these designs are the various
radiant energy analyzers and the probe sensors.

Sample systems are rarely duplicated, and thus each system must be
"debugged" as a new entity. In deciding the design of a sampling system, the
following questions should be raised:

I. Will the sample be adversely affected by sample transport and

conditioning?

2. From what stage in the process will the sample be taken?

3. How can the sample be transported to the analyzer?

4. Is the sample solid, liquid, gas, or a mixture?

5. In what phase must the sample be for analysis?

6. Must the sample be altered (filtered)?

7. Is sufficient sample available?

8. What will be the time lag introduced by transporting the sample?

9. Where is the excess sample returned?

10. Will the analyzer be shared by one or more samples?

These considerations are applicable both to the continuously flowing sample

systems and to the less frequently used grab samples. Grab sampling is limited

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Technical Notes

by variations in cleanliness of the sample containers, changes in the method of

collecting the sample, delays in transporting the sample, and deviations in
withdrawing the sample from the sample container.

The piped-in sample system usually includes the hardware for calibrating the
analysis system. It also provides a tap for obtaining samples for laboratory
testing. Sample conditioning systems are usually costly to maintain.

The installation price for the sampling system frequently exceeds the cost of the
analyzer, but its importance overrides this economic consideration because a
second-class analyzer can still furnish usable data if it operates with an efficient
sample system, whereas a poor sample invalidates the entire measurement.

Therefore, the most important criterion is to keep the samples representative,

both in time (short sample lines guarantee minimum transportation delays) and in
composition. Whenever possible, the sample should not be tampered with
because the steps of sample preparation (drying, vaporizing, condensing, filtering
and diluting) always degrade the representativeness of the sample.

Sampling System Component

In the first part of this section a number of devices are discussed that are
components of analyzer sampling systems. These devices include gas sampling
probes, gas and liquid filters, bypass filters, liquid homogenizers, liquid grab
sample collectors, chemical reactor sampling systems, and solids samplers. In
the second part of this section single-stream and multistream process sampling
systems are described. The more components there are in a sampling system,
the less reliable it is likely to be. The mean time between failure and maintenance
needs of the overall system will improve as the number of pumps, ejectors,
regulating valves, coolers, heaters, filters, coalescers, dryers, knockout traps,
manifolds, timers, and other components that comprise the system are reduced.

Gas Sampling Probes

When taking gas samples, the goal is to obtain representative samples with
minimum time lag, using short, small-volume sampling lines. Whenever possible
it is preferred to draw dry and clean samples in order to minimize the need for
filters, dryers, knockout traps, or steam tracing. The sample tap should be
located on the side of the pipeline to minimize liquid or dirt entrainment, and the
sample should be taken from the center of the pipe. If it is necessary to
periodically remove the probe for cleaning or to perform a sampling traverse, it is
desirable that the probe be inserted through a packing gland and block valve.

The volume of the sampling system should be kept to a minimum, while the
velocities through the sample lines should be high to protect against the settling
of entrained liquids or particulates that can cause plugging. Sample line tubing

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Technical Notes

can be small as ½ in. (3 mm) diameter, and sample flow velocities should be
between 5 and 10 fps (1.5 to 3 mls). When the sample is taken from a
combustion zone or other "dirty" processes, a filter is usually provided at the tip
of the sample probe and a high-pressure filter blowback line ts provided for
periodic filter cleaning.

When sampling hot, wet stack gas, a filter capable of withstanding the gas
temperature is installed in the stack at the beginning of the sample line to prevent
solids from entering the gas sample line. After the sample is cooled, a coalescing
filter is used to remove suspended liquids before the sample goes to the
analyzer. The sample flow direction is from inside to outside. Filter housings with
Pyrex glass bowls are often used in this application to permit visual check of the
liquid level in the filter housing. Since there is often a considerable amount of
liquid present in the sample, steps must be taken to drain the housing to ensure
that liquid does not build up and carry downstream to the analyzer.

The liquid coalescing filter should be located as close to the analyzer as possible
to minimize the chance of condensation between the filter and the analyzer.
Additional precautions that can be taken to avoid downstream condensation are
to cool the sample below ambient temperature upstream of the coalescing filter
and to heat the line gently between the filter and the analyzer.

Filters

Most analyzer sampling systems will include a filter with at least one wire mesh
strainer (100 mesh or finer) to remove larger particles that might cause plugging.
Available filter materials include cellulose, which should only be considered in
applications where it does not absorb components of interest. Sintered-metallic
filters can remove particles as fine as 2 microns; cellulose filters can remove
down to 3 microns; and ceramic or porous metallic elements can trap particles of
13 microns or larger. When the solids content is high, two filters can be installed
in parallel, with isolation valving on each. Motorized self-cleaning filters are also
available for such services.

Separating Liquids from Gases

Glass microfiber filter tubes efficiently separate suspended liquids from gases.
The filter tubes capture the fine droplets suspended in the gas and cause the
droplets to run together to form large drops within the depth of the filter tube. The
large droplets are then forced by the gas flow to the downstream surface of the
filter tube, from which the liquid drains by gravity. This process is called
coalescing. The coalesced liquid drains from the tubes at the same rate as liquid
droplets enter the tubes. Therefore the tubes have an unlimited life when
coalescing liquids from relatively clean gases. The filters operate at their initial
retention efficiency even when wet with liquid. The flow direction is inside-to-

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Technical Notes

outside to permit the liquid to drip from the outside of the filter to the housing
drain.

The filter tube grade should be selected for maximum liquid drainage rate, rather
than maximum filtration efficiency rating, because a liquid drainage rate
decreases with increasing filtration efficiency rating. If liquid is carried into the
filter in slugs rather than dispersed as droplets in the gas, a filter that is properly
sized for steady-state conditions can be flooded and permit liquid carryover. If
slugging of liquid is expected, a filter with a relatively large bowl should be
selected to provide adequate liquid holding capacity, and provisions should be
made to drain the liquid automatically from the bowl of the housing as it
accumulates. An automatic float drain can be used if the pressure is in the 10 to
400 psig (28 bars) range. Above 400 psig, which is the upper limit for
commercially available float drains, the possibilities are: constant bleed drain, a
valve with an automatic timed actuator, or an external reservoir with manual
valves. The external reservoir can be constructed of pipe or tubing with sufficient
volume to hold all the liquid that is expected to be collecting during any period of
unattended operation. To drain liquid while the filter is operating at pressure or
vacuum conditions, the reservoir inlet valve is closed and the outlet valve is
opened.

If the filter is under vacuum, the external reservoir is a practical method of

collecting coalesced liquid for periodic manual draining. Alternatively, if an
external vacuum source is available, such as an aspirator, the liquid may be
drained continuously from the housing drain port.

Spargers, Packed Towers, and Strippers

In some analyzer applications it is necessary to remove corrosive gases or

condensible vapors from the sample. This can be done by passing the sample
stream through a liquid solution. In the case of spargers the gas enters below the
scrubbing medium through a sintered disc, which breaks it into small bubbles.
This increases the liquid-gas contact surface and thereby provides improved
scrubbing efficiency. At same time the small bubbles also increase the tendency r
foaming and liquid carryover and therefore the sample velocities should be kept
low.

Packed towers can also be used as scrubbers. In these designs the gas sample
bubbles up through a nonreactive packing of beads which are wetted by a liquid
Foaming and liquid carryover are problems in packed towers, as in spargers.

When the impurities in the process gas stream are both solids and liquids, such
as in particulate matter and mist-carryover problems in chlorine plants-the fiber
mist eliminator should be considered. The liquid particles form a film on the fiber
surface, and the drag of the gas moves this film and the dissolved solids

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Technical Notes

radically, while gravity causes them to move downward, resulting in self-cleaning

action.

For dissolved solids or polymer-forming compounds in a process stream, which

would leave a residue and eventually plug the liquid sample valve if not removed,
the logical solution is to force the residue formation to take place in a controlled
area, such as the fiberglass filter in the spray-stripping chamber. If polymers
represent a substantial portion of the process stream, the need for filter
replacements becomes excessive and, therefore, impractical. A better technique
is to vaporize the unreacted monomers through pressure reduction while keeping
the polymers in a molten state through heating. This technique not only
discharges polymers continuously, but also provides a usable vapor sample.

When it is necessary to clean the windows on the various photometers operating

on gas samples, a warm air purge can be used, keeping the window
compartment isolated from the sample.

Separating Two Liquid Phases

Theoretically, glass microfiber filter tubes can separate suspended droplets of a

liquid which are immiscible in another liquid using the same process by which
they separate droplets of liquid from a gas. The liquid droplets suspended in the
continuous liquid phase are trapped on the fibers and run together to form large
drops, which are then forced through the filter to the downstream surface. The
large drops separate from the continuous liquid phase by gravity difference,
settling if heavier than the continuous phase and rising if lighter. The coalescing
action of glass microfiber filters is effective with aqueous droplets suspended in
oil or other hydrocarbons, and also with oil-in-water suspensions.

In practice, however, liquid-liquid separations are much more difficult to achieve

than are liquid-gas separations. The specific gravity difference between two
liquids is always less than between a liquid and a gas, and therefore a longer
phase separation time is needed. Either the filter housing must be oversized or
the flow rate greatly reduced to avoid carryover of the coalesced phase. As a rule
of thumb, flow rate for liquid-liquid separation should be no more than one-fifth
the flow rate for solid-liquid separation. Even at low flow rates, if the specific
gravity difference between the two liquids is less than 0.1 unit (for example, if an
oil suspended in water has a specific gravity between 0.9 and 1.1), the
separation time for the coalesced phase may be impractically long. In that case,
if there is only a small quantity of suspended liquid, the filter tube can be used
until saturated with the suspended liquid and then changed.

Another practical problem with liquid-liquid separation is that small quantities of

impurities can act as surface-active agents and interfere with the coalescing
action. For that reason it is not possible to predict accurately the performance of
a liquid-liquid coalescing filter, and each system must be tested on-site. Testing

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Technical Notes

can be started with 25-micron filter tubes and with inside-out flows at very low
flow rates. If the suspended liquid is lighter than the continuous phase, the
housing should be oriented so that the drain port is up.

Removing Gas Bubbles from Liquids

Glass microfiber filter tubes readily remove suspended gas bubbles from liquid,
eliminating the need for deaeration tanks, baffles, or other separation devices.
Flow direction through the filter is outside-to-inside, and the separated gas
bubbles rise to the top of the housing and are vented through the drain port. If
slipstream sampling is used, the separated bubbles are swept out of the housing
with the bypassed liquid. Filter tubes rated at 25 microns are a good choice for
gas bubble separation.

Slipstream and Bypass Filters

In order to minimize the transportation lag, a relatively large slipstream is usually

taken from the process and tubed to the analyzer. As the sample flow to the
analyzer is small, only a small portion of this stream is used by the analyzer and
the bulk is returned to the process. This arrangement permits the main volume of
the filter to be swept continuously by the high flow rate system, thus minimizing
lag time; at the same time, only the low-flow stream to the analyzer is filtered,
thus maximizing filter life. A slipstream filter requires inlet-to-outlet ports at
opposite ends of the filter element to allow the high flow rate of the bypassed
material to sweep the surface of the filter element and the filter reservoir, and a
third port connected to the low flow rate line to the analyzer, which allows filtered
samples to be withdrawn from the filter reservoir.

If the material to be removed is dust, the self-cleaning bypass filter with

automatic blowback constitutes a potential solution. In some instances cyclone
separators should be considered. In the latter device the process stream enters
tangentially to provide a swirling action, and the cleaned sample is taken near the
center. Transportation lag can be kept to less than 1 minute, and the unit is
applicable to both gas and liquid samples. This type of centrifuge can also
separate sample streams by gravity into their aqueous and organic constituents.

For the removal of small amounts of polymer dust in vapor samples there are
melt filters with removable, heated metallic surfaces which melt and collect the
polymer dust from the sample.

Liquid analyzer sample streams usually have a high solids content. In addition,
the analyzers are often located in remote areas of the plant and are infrequently
serviced. Therefore, the sample filter system must have a long life between filter
tube changes even when solids loading is high. The recommendation for this
type of application is a two-stage filter system, a 75 micron prefilter followed by a

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Technical Notes

25 micron final filter. The filters should be oversized as much as possible without
causing excessive lag time. Plastic filter housings are usually a good choice.

Automatic Liquid Samplers

Automatic liquid samplers collect intermittent samples from pressurized pipelines

and deposit them in sample containers. The sample can be collected on a time-
proportional or on a flow-proportional basis. In the time-proportional mode this
sampling frequency is constant, while in the flow-proportional mode, this unit
would vary the sampling frequency as a function of flow.

In some automatic liquid samplers the sampling frequency is adjusted by

pneumatic pulse relays or by electronic controls. Pulse duration is usually
adjustable from 0.25 seconds to 1 minute, while pulse frequency can be adjusted
from a few seconds to up to an hour.

Solids Sampling

When solids in bins or silos need to be sampled, one of the various solids
feeders can be considered. When solids are to be sampled while flowing by
gravity or while pneumatically conveyed under pressure, the choice of sampling
devices becomes more limited. The screw-type solids sampler can be used on
these applications but it is limited in the amount of pressure or vacuum it can seal
against, and it does not provide an intermixed, representative sample. Screw
samplers also introduce large transportation lags and can not easily return the
sample into the process.

Sampling of Difficult Processes

Sample Data Requirements

A comprehensive listing of the characteristics of each sample stream, including

any abnormal conditions, should be prepared before an analyzer sample system
is designed. Data are usually available from process conditions and laboratory
analysis in existing plants and from design data for new plants.

Sample Takeoff Point

Sample conditioning begins with the location of a suitable sample take-off point.
To obtain a representative sample, the take-off is usually located at the side of a
process line, especially in the case of liquid samples where there is the possibility
of vapor on the top of a horizontal line and dirt or solids on the bottom of the line.
For sampling vapors, the connection may be located in the side or top of the
process line, but in both cases with due consideration to accessibility for
maintenance.

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Technical Notes

Ideally, the sample at the appropriately selected take-off point will require little or
no conditioning; however, it is good practice to install a sampling probe for most
applications as a precautionary measure to prevent particulates from entering the
sample transport system. Sampling processes that are still reacting chemically or
pyrolysis gases may require reaction quenching, or fractionation, at the sample
take-off. This is done by cooling or backflushing with an inert gas or liquid to keep
the sample take-off clean and reliably active, while drawing off a reproducible
sample for analysis.

Sample Transport

A representative sample extracted from a process line must be continuously

conditioned while in transport to avoid compromising the sample integrity. Thus,
provisions must be made to heat or cool the line as necessary for the specific
condition. The sample is normally transported in one of three ways.

Single-line transport is the most direct approach and is used when the sample
line volume is small in relation to the analyzer sample consumption so that the
transport time lag is reasonably short. It is usually used when the analyzer is
field-mounted close to the sample point and sample exhaust facilities are
available.

Bypass-stream transport is a commonly used method for maintaining a high-

sample transport velocity that provides minimum transportation lag. This method
is used when samples are vaporized at the tap and no facilities exist for returning
the vapor to the process, or in similar situations. Consideration must be given to
the fact that the sample bypass must be piped to a drain or vent. This procedure
may have a negative impact on the environment, despite the fact that the cost of
the sample being disposed of may economically justify a sample recovery
system.

Bypass-return fast loop is the most commonly used transport loop for analyzers
mounted away from the sample takeoff point. By circulating a continuous high
velocity across a device, to create a differential pressure, and drawing off a
bypass stream to the analyzer, a fast loop is obtained, which is adjustable with no
waste in the product. In most cases, such devices as pumps, control valves, and
process equipment exist in the process for this purpose. Otherwise it may be
necessary to install an orifice in the process line or a circulating sample pump.
With a circulation sample pump, care must be taken to prevent cavitation by
locating the pump close to the sample take-off.

Transport Lag

After selecting the appropriate sample transport method for each analyzer
system, a calculation of the sample time lag should be made, using conventional
flow equations based on the following:

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Technical Notes

1. Available differential pressure.

2. Total length of the fast loop from the sample take-off point to the
analyzer location and back to the sample return point. Any
restrictions on this loop should be excluded from available
differential pressure.

3. Line sizes used.

4. Viscosity of the sample.

Sample Conditioning

The extracted sample begins conditioning at the take-off point, continues through
the transport, and finishes conditioning at the analyzer location prior to entering
the analyzer. All samples require some form of conditioning to make them
suitable for the analyzer and to assure reliable on-stream operation. The
conditioning is done at the appropriate location in the sample system loop in
order to maintain the integrity of the sample.

Sample washing is usually limited to dirty, particle-laden streams whose

composition will not be affected by the solubility of the components in the liquid
used to wash the sample. The conditions of flow, temperature, and pressure
must be controlled to maintain a relatively constant predetermined relationship of
the composition. When washing, care must be taken to keep the sample in the
vapor phase by providing heated transport lines or by making provisions for final
moisture removal as the analyzer may require.

Vaporizing Samples

Vaporizing is frequently necessary for equilibrium liquids or when the analyzer

requires it. This is usually done by a vaporizer regulator in which the sample is
vaporized simply by pressure reduction across a capillary or, more often, by
using a heater as well. Care must be exercised to avoid partial vaporization
and/or fractionation by selecting a suitably heated vaporizing regulator to
accommodate the sample.

Removal of Entrainments

This is a routine matter in liquid and gas sampling systems, which normally starts
with the minimum provisions of locating a proper sample tap and providing a
sample probe at the take-off point. Filtration is normally used for gases and
liquids. It removes both liquid and particulate entrainments from gases and
primarily particulate matter from liquids.

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Technical Notes

For gases requiring further conditioning of heavy loading, cyclone filters can be
used if the sample has adequate velocity. For liquids, coalescers are frequently
used to remove both undesirable gases and liquids by gravity. The removal of
free water from a hydrocarbon stream is usually accomplished by passing the
liquid through a hydrophilic element, causing the water droplets to accumulate on
the element. The hydrocarbon stream is then passed through a hydrophobic
element that rejects the water, removing it from the bottom with a hydrocarbon
bypass stream. Another method of removing moisture from a stream uses a
selective permeation device with a drying medium that creates differential
pressure to drive the water through the permeable material, thus removing it from
the flowing stream.

Adsorption of the sample components of interest on the walls or surfaces with

which the sample comes in contact will affect the analysis, especially for
measurement in the parts per million (ppm) range. Therefore, proper selection of
materials and conditioning is essential for establishing an equilibrium that will
make analysis reliable. Specifically, water vapor samples reach equilibrium more
rapidly in stainless steel lines than in copper or plastic tubing. Diffusion is another
consideration. Sample system design should assure that gases do not permeate
the walls of the sample system. This is especially important in high-pressure
systems and ppm analysis. Another problem with diffusion is leakage, which can
change the sample composition because gas molecules will flow in both
directions of the leak and can significantly affect ppm analysis. This is best
illustrated by the fact that in an oxygen ppm analyzer system, the slightest leak
will create a full-scale reading on the instrument even though the leak is from a
high-pressure sample to atmospheric pressure.

Some sample streams may contain corrosive gases or water vapor that influence
the accuracy of the measurement or potentially damage the analyzer. Removal of
such undesirable matter or components can be accomplished by passing the
sample through a packed bed of solid chemicals and/or desiccant. Further, a
liquid treating agent may be applied with provisions that gas streams be broken
up into small bubbles to assure proper contact between the liquid and gas
phases. Care should be taken in such systems to avoid alteration of the sample
and to condition the sample to a desired and reproducible form for analysis.

Trace Analysis Sampling

Trace analysis sampling systems necessitate more stringent requirements than

normal analyzers sample systems because of contamination, adsorption and
desorption. Care should be taken in the selection of construction materials and
proper application of design criteria to avoid alteration of the sample. The
following is a list of recommended practices for such systems.

1. Stainless steel seamless tubing is the preferred material because it provides

inertness, smooth surfaces, and low porosity.

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Technical Notes

2. All components should be thoroughly cleaned of oil, gas,or other

contaminating materials.

3. Dense fluorocarbons or other soft inert used as diaphragms as required.

4. Tubing sizes are critical, especially where low flows are used because they
limit the amount of increase in the adsorption/desorption phenomenon. A rule of
thumb is to use the smallest possible tubing to achieve maximum flow to
accommodate the sample loop design.

5. Packless shutoff valves with a diaphragm or bellows seals should be used;

however, due to their high cost, serious consideration must be given to this area,
and conventional valves are suitable for most applications.

6. Filtration of the sample in ppm analysis can create significant problems unless
the filter is totally inert. Therefore, stainless steel filters using a high flow rate or
dense fluorocarbon inert materials are recommended for such applications.

7. Conditioning of the lines and system to accommodate the ambient

temperature requirements for preventing condensation of components of interest
in the sample must be considered; if necessary, heat tracing of the lines must be
furnished.

8. When it is necessary to provide an aid for transporting the sample from its
sample point to the sample system through the analyzer, as is frequently done in
ambient monitoring systems, a sample pump, ejector, or aspirator is necessary.
In such cases, the pump must be a diaphragm. If practical, an ejector to
pressurize the sample or an aspirator to aspirate it through the measuring device
can be used. Both are more desirable than a sample pump.

Multistream Switching

Multistream switching is usually used when it is practical to analyze several

streams using one analyzer. However, because this system is more complex
than single-stream sample conditioning, the following considerations should be
reviewed to determine if multistreaming is feasible:

1. The contamination problem that can be encompassed from

stream to stream

2. The importance of each analysis and frequency of analysis

3. The loss of information from more than one analysis in the case
of analyzer failure

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Technical Notes

4. The cost of an additional analyzer versus the cost of

multistreaming

5. Maintenance requirements

After reviewing the above, one can decide if multistreaming is feasible and
whether it should be manual or automatic. Whether manual or automatic,
multistreaming requires good quality valves for stream switching.

One common and important requirement in all such systems is that a continuous
bypass be provided for each sampling point to avoid dead-ended sample lines.
The sample system should be laid out in such a manner that contamination
between streams is avoided. This is best accomplished by arranging the solenoid
valve in a double-block-double-bleed arrangement, which is rather expensive.
More often a three-way solenoid valve is used for each stream with the venting
port always at low pressure to create a relief in case of a leak. To prevent
contamination, dead volume of the sample system should be considered, as well
as equalization of the pressures upstream of the three-way valves. The problem
is more severe in ppm sampling systems because of the adsorption / desorption
effects, and careful consideration should be given to the design criteria described
above.

Test and Calibration Provisions

The reliability of each analyzer is measured by its ability to check the analyzer
calibration as recommended by the manufacturer. Therefore, each system must
include provisions for testing and calibration. A means of isolating the inlet is
needed in order to allow a calibration sample to be introduced manually or
automatically.

Also necessary is a suitable calibration manifold with gas or liquid to furnish a

reliable calibration sample to the analyzer. Storage of the test sample may be a
consideration, especially for unstable liquids or gases with low dew points.
Treatment of the containers is very important for trace analysis samples. In all
cases, the calibration provisions must be incorporated into the systems and a
sample provided that is compatible with the desired stream composition and
suitable for analysis by the analyzer used for the system. It is desirable, but not
essential, that the calibration sample be introduced automatically from a remote
location so that the instrument can be periodically checked; however, in most
systems the introduction of the sample is done by manual switching at the
analyzer.

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Technical Notes

Sample Disposal

Sample disposal is a critical area, both from the economic point of view that
would preserve any quantity of sample not used and from the environmental side
that would prevent the emission of most hydrocarbons into the air.

When there is an economic justification for saving the sample, for example,
liquids in boiling point and viscometer analyzers, a sample collection and return
system must be furnished to collect the sample at atmospheric pressure and
pump it back at high pressure into the process. For gases with no sample return
point, the sample can be pressurized back into the process, or as is most
frequently done, the sample can be vented into the flare system. However,
except in rare cases, venting is done directly into the atmosphere. When this is
not possible, extreme caution should be taken to control the backpressure when
venting the sample into a flare or other collection system with varying pressures.

Ambient Considerations

Sample systems condition a sample suitable for introduction into an analyzer

while maintaining the integrity of the sample. As has been emphasized
throughout this section, once a sample is conditioned, it must be preserved in the
conditioned state; therefore, provisions for heating, or in some cases cooling, the
sample lines and system must be furnished for the integrity of the sample. Thus,
the entire system must be protected from varying ambients that will condense or
flash the sample.

Furthermore, as a general rule, sample systems should be located in enclosures

that provide limited access to unauthorized personnel and also protect the
equipment from any corrosive environment. It is accepted practice that systems
be completely preassembled and tested in conjunction with analyzers prior to
installation in the field.

Selecting Sampling Systems Components

Sampling systems require certain components, which are commercially available.

One source is the analyzer manufacturer who, through the years, has developed
systems compatible with his analyzers, such as filter coalescers, condensers,
and washing and treating systems. A second source is the analyzer systems
vendor who has designed special components, such as kinetic separators, filter
probes, and the like, for use with analyzers for applications in rather hard service.
A third source is the specialty vendor, who has developed unique sampling
components, such as pyrolysis gas sample conditioners; permeation devices for
water removal systems; high-efficiency, self-cleaning filters, and so on. It is
desirable to check whether specialty items are available before trying to design
new components. Most of the specialty components have taken years of field-
testing to develop and modify for successful application.

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Technical Notes

When a large number of analyzers is used, the components selected must be of

the same type and manufacture for interchangeability and stocking of spare
parts. Documenting a sample system with complete flow schematics, part
identification, and manufacture of various components is an essential part of
being able to properly start up a system and maintain it successfully over a long
period.

In summary, sample systems require careful analysis of the physical and

chemical conditions of the stream, as well as serious consideration of the
ambient and transport conditions to ensure integrity of the sample. Therefore,
care should be taken in evaluating the above considerations with respect to a
given stream and in applying the correct analyzer to provide the desired
measurement. Sample system design is based on experience, and whenever
possible, previous experience should be given prime consideration in the
selection and application of components. A successful sample system normally
results in a successful analyzer system. Therefore, no effort must be spared in
proper sample system design for effective implementation of analyzer systems.

Shuvro Chakrabarty