Devices, systems and methods for analyzing fluid streams

Abstract

Certain embodiments described herein are directed to systems and methods that can be used to analyze species in a fluid stream. In some configurations, a sorbent tube effective to directly sample aromatics and/or polyaromatics in a fluid stream is described.

1 - 10 . (canceled) 
     
     
         11 . A sorbent tube effective to reversibly adsorb BTEX and PAHs analytes within a range of C4 to C44 in a liquefied petroleum gas stream, the sorbent tube comprising:
 a body comprising (i) and inlet and an outlet; and (ii) three sorbent each of which is different and separated from each other by a fluid permeable barrier, the three sorbent materials comprising glass beads and two different graphitized carbon blacks, and arranged to occupy the entire internal volume of the body with a strongest adsorption strength adjacent to the outlet and the glass beads adjacent to the inlet, wherein the glass beads comprise a surface area to adsorb BTEX and PAH analyte species with 22 carbons or more in the liquefied petroleum gas stream, and wherein the other sorbent materials adsorb the BTEX and PAH analytes within a range of C4 to C44 other than the BTEX and PAH analyte species with 22 carbons or more adsorbed by the glass beads.   
     
     
         12 . The sorbent tube of  claim 11 , further comprising at least one additional sorbent material in the body, wherein the two different graphitized carbon blacks and the at least one additional sorbent material are packed in the body from a weakest adsorption sorbent strength adjacent to the glass beads at the inlet and the strongest sorbent strength adjacent to the outlet. 
     
     
         13 . The sorbent tube of  claim 12 , in which the at least one additional sorbent material comprises glass wool. 
     
     
         14 . The sorbent tube of  claim 12 , in which the at least one additional sorbent material comprises glass particles. 
     
     
         15 . The sorbent tube of  claim 12 , in which the at least one additional sorbent material comprises a graphitized carbon black. 
     
     
         16 - 18 . (canceled) 
     
     
         19 . The sorbent tube of  claim 11 , further comprising a temperature jacket thermally coupled to the body of the sorbent tube. 
     
     
         20 . The sorbent tube of claim  1 , wherein the body is configured as a canister comprising a plurality of individual channels, wherein each of the plurality of individual channels comprises the three sorbent materials. 
     
     
         21 - 71 . (canceled) 
     
     
         72 . A sorbent tube configured to reversibly adsorb BTEX and PAH analytes within a range of C4 to C44 in a liquefied petroleum gas stream, the sorbent tube comprising:
 a body comprising:
 (i) an inlet and an outlet; 
 (ii) an expansion chamber adjacent to the inlet; and 
 (iii) three sorbent materials, each of which is different and separated from each other by a fluid permeable barrier, the three sorbent materials comprising glass beads and two different graphitized carbon blacks, and arranged to occupy an entire volume between the expansion chamber and the outlet with a strongest adsorption strength adjacent to the outlet and the glass beads adjacent to the expansion chamber, wherein the glass beads comprise a surface area to adsorb BTEX and PAH analyte species with 22 carbons or more in the liquefied petroleum gas stream, and wherein the other sorbent materials adsorb the BTEX and PAH analytes within a range of C4 to C44 other than the BTEX and PAH analyte species with 22 carbons or more adsorbed by the glass beads. 
   
     
     
         73 . The sorbent tube of  claim 72 , further comprising at least one additional sorbent material in the body, wherein the two different graphitized carbon blacks and the at least one additional sorbent material are packed in the body from a weakest adsorption sorbent strength adjacent to the glass beads at the expansion chamber and the strongest sorbent strength adjacent to the outlet. 
     
     
         74 . The sorbent tube of  claim 73 , in which the at least one additional sorbent material comprises glass wool. 
     
     
         75 . The sorbent tube of  claim 73 , in which the at least one additional sorbent material comprises glass particles. 
     
     
         76 . The sorbent tube of  claim 73 , in which the at least one additional sorbent material comprises a graphitized carbon black. 
     
     
         77 . The sorbent tube of  claim 72 , in which the expansion chamber comprises a plurality of fins. 
     
     
         78 . The sorbent tube of  claim 77 , further comprising at least one additional sorbent material in the body, wherein the three sorbent materials and the at least one additional sorbent material are packed in the body from a weakest adsorption sorbent strength adjacent to the inlet and the strongest sorbent strength adjacent to the outlet. 
     
     
         79 . The sorbent tube of  claim 78 , in which the at least one additional sorbent material comprises glass wool. 
     
     
         80 . The sorbent tube of  claim 78 , in which the at least one additional sorbent material comprises glass particles. 
     
     
         81 . The sorbent tube of  claim 78 , in which the at least one additional sorbent material comprises a graphitized carbon black. 
     
     
         82 . An automated thermal desorption system comprising:
 a sample introduction device fluidically coupled to the sorbent tube of claim  1 ;   an oven configured to heat the sorbent tube to individually and sequentially thermally desorb the BTEX and PAH analytes in the liquefied petroleum gas stream; and   a detector fluidically coupled to the sorbent tube to receive the individually and sequentially thermally desorbed BTEX and PAH analytes.   
     
     
         83 . The automated thermal desorption system of  claim 82 , wherein the detector comprises a flame ionization detector, a flame photometric detector, a thermal conductivity detector, a thermionic detector, an electron-capture detector, an atomic emission detector, a photoionization detector, an infrared detector, a mass spectrometer, or a discharge ionization detector. 
     
     
         84 . The automated thermal desorption system of  claim 82 , further comprising a sampling loop configured to fluidically couple to the sample introduction device, wherein the sampling loop is configured to provide the liquefied petroleum gas stream to the sample introduction device.