Method for the minimization of the effects of pulsations in intermittent pumping systems

Claim 2

In a method for minimizing the effects of pulsations in an intermittent pumping system having a pump which operates by the alternating intake through pump inlet means of sample fluid and separating fluid, respectively, to provide a fluid stream which comprises a series of sample fluid portions spaced by separating fluid portions, and wherein said pulsations travel in said fluid stream to said pump inlet means, the steps of, operating said pumping system to provide for the intake of said sample fluid through said pump inlet means substantially concomitantly with the arrival of said pulsations at said pump inlet means.

Claim 3

In a method as in claim 1 further comprising, the steps of, operating said pumping system to respectively provide for sample fluid portions of substantially the same volume, and to provide for separating fluid portions of substantially the same volume.

Claim 4

In a method as in claim 1 wherein said pump comprises a progressively occludable pump tube and said method further comprises, the steps of, operating said pumping system to provide separating fluid portions of the minimum volume required to occlude said pump tube.

Claim 5

In a method as in claim 2 further comprising, the steps of, operating said pumping system to provide sample fluid portion volumes which are greater than said separating fluid portion volumes.

Claim 6

In a method as in claim 4 wherein said pump comprises a progressively occludable pump tube and said method further comprises, the steps of, operating said pumping system to provide separating fluid portions of the minimum volume required to occlude said pump tube.

Claim 7

In a method for minimizing the effects of pulsations in an intermittent pumping system having a pump, the steps of, alternately immersing the pump inlet means in different ones of a plurality of fluids which are successively supplied thereto, and exposing said pump inlet means to the ambient air, respectively, to provide a fluid stream which comprises a series of different fluid portions spaced, in each instance, by a separating fluid portion which comprises an air segment, and in which fluid stream said pulsations travel upstream to said pump inlet means, and operating said pump and said pump inlet means to provide for the immersion of said pump inlet means in a said fluid substantially concomitantly with the arrival of said pulsations at said pump inlet means.

Claim 8

In a method for minimizing the effects of pulsations in an intermittent pumping system having a pump, the steps of, alternately immersing the pump inlet means in different ones of a plurality of fluids which are successively supplied thereto, and exposing said pump inlet means to the ambient air, respectively, to provide a fluid stream which comprises a series of different fluid portions spaced, in each instance, by a separating fluid portion which comprises an air segment, and in which fluid stream said pulsations travel upstream to said pump inlet means, and operating said pump and said pump inlet means to provide for the immersion of said pump inlet means in a said fluid substantially concomitantly with the arrival of said pulsations at said pump inlet means.

Claim 9

In a method as in claim 6 further comprising, the steps of, operating said pump and said pump inlet means to respectively provide for fluid portions of substantially the same volume, and to provide for air segments of substantially the same volume.

Claim 10

In a method as in claim 6 wherein said pump comprises a progressively occludable pump tube and said method further comprises, the steps of, operating said pump and said pump inlet means to provide air segments of the minimum volume required to occlude said pump tube.

Claim 11

In a method as in claim 7 further comprising, the steps of, operating said pump and said pump inlet means to provide fluid portion volumes which are greater than said air segment volumes.

Claim 12

In a method as in claim 9 wherein said pump comprises a progressively occludable pump tube and said method further comprises, the steps of, operating said pump and said pump inlet means to provide air segments of the minimum volume required to occlude said pump tube.

Claim 13

In a method of minimizing the effects of pulsations on the proportionate merger of a first fluid and a second fluid at the juncture of the flow path of a first fluid stream which comprises a series of first fluid portions spaced, in each instance, by a separating fluid portion, with the flow path of a second fluid stream, wherein said first fluid stream is intermittently pumped by a pumping means to result in the occurrence of said pulsations which travel in said first fluid stream to said flow path juncture, the steps of, arranging said fluid stream flow paths to provide for the substantially concomitant arrival of said pulsations and said separating fluid portions at said flow path juncture.

Claim 14

In a method of minimizing the effects of pulsations on the proportionate merger of a first fluid and a second fluid at the juncture of the flow path of a first fluid stream which comprises a series of first fluid portions spaced, in each instance, by a separating fluid portion, with the flow path of a second fluid stream, wherein said first fluid stream is intermittently pumped by a pumping means to result in the occurrence of said pulsations which travel in said first fluid stream to said flow path juncture, the steps of, arranging said fluid stream flow paths to provide for the substantially concomitant arrival of said pulsations and said separating fluid portions at said flow path juncture.

Claim 15

In a method as in claim 11 wherein, the steps of arranging said fluid stream flow paths comprise the establishment of the length of said first fluid stream flow path between the outlet side of said pumping means and said flow path juncture in accordance with the flow rate through said first fluid stream flow path to provide for said substantially concomitant pulsations and separating fluid portions arrivals at said flow path juncture.

Claim 16

In a method for respectively minimizing the effects of pulsations on a first fluid stream, and on the proportionate merger of said first fluid stream and a second fluid stream at the juncture of the flow paths thereof, in an intermittent pumping system having a pump which operates by the alternating intake through pump inlet means of said first fluid and a separating fluid, respectively, to provide said first fluid stream which comprises a series of fluid portions spaced, in each instance, by a separating fluid portion, and wherein said pulsations travel in said first fluid stream to said pump inlet means and said flow paths juncture, respectively, the steps of, operating said pumping system to provide for the intake of said first fluid through said pump inlet means substantially concomitantly with the arrival of said pulsations at said pump inlet means, and arranging said fluid stream flow paths to provide for the substantially concomitant arrival of said pulsations and said separating fluid portions at said flow paths juncture.

Claim 17

In a method for respectively minimizing the effects of pulsations on a first fluid stream, and on the proportionate merger of said first fluid stream and a second fluid stream at the juncture of the flow paths thereof, in an intermittent pumping system having a pump which operates by the alternating intake through pump inlet means of said first fluid and a separating fluid, respectively, to provide said first fluid stream which comprises a series of fluid portions spaced, in each instance, by a separating fluid portion, and wherein said pulsations travel in said first fluid stream to said pump inlet means and said flow paths juncture, respectively, the steps of, operating said pumping system to provide for the intake of said first fluid through said pump inlet means substantially concomitantly with the arrival of said pulsations at said pump inlet means, and arranging said fluid stream flow paths to provide for the substantially concomitant arrival of said pulsations and said separating fluid portions at said flow paths juncture.

Claim 18

In a method as in claim 13 further comprising, the steps of, operating said pumping system to respectively provide for fluid portions of substantially the same volume, and to provide for separating fluid portions of substantially the same volume.

Claim 19

In a method as in claim 13 wherein said pump comprises a progressively occludable pump tube and said method further comprises, the steps of, operating said pumping system to provide separating fluid portions of the minimum volume required to occlude said pump tube.

Claim 20

In a method as in claim 14 further comprising, the steps of, operating said pumping system to provide fluid portion volumes which are greater than said separating fluid portion volumes.

Claim 21

In a method as in claim 16 wherein said pump comprises a progressively occludable pump tube and said method further comprises, the steps of, operating said pumping system to provide separating fluid portions of the minimum volume required to occlude said pump tube.

Claim 22

In a method as in claim 15 wherein, the steps of arranging said fluid stream flow paths comprise the establishment of the length of said first fluid stream flow path between the outlet side of said pumping means and said flow path juncture in accordance with the flow rate through said first fluid stream flow path to provide for said substantially concomitant pulsations and separating fluids portions arrivals at said flow path juncture.

Claim 23

In a method as in claim 17 wherein, the steps of arranging said fluid stream flow paths comprise the establishment of the leNgth of said first fluid stream flow path between the outlet side of said pumping means and said flow path juncture in accordance with the flow rate through said first fluid stream flow path to provide for said substantially concomitant pulsations and separating fluid portions arrivals at said flow path juncture.

Claim 24

In a method for respectively minimizing the effects of pulsations on a first fluid stream, and on the proportionate merger of said first fluid stream and a second fluid stream at the juncture of the flow paths thereof, in an intermittent pumping system having a pump, the steps of, alternately immersing the pump inlet means in different ones of a plurality of fluids which are successively supplied thereto, and exposing said pump inlet means to the ambient air, respectively, to provide a first fluid stream which comprises a series of different fluid portions spaced, in each instance, by a separating fluid portion which comprises an air segment, and wherein said pulsations travel in said first fluid stream to said pump inlet means and to said flow paths juncture, respectively, operating said pump and said pump inlet means to provide for the immersion of said pump inlet means in a said fluid substantially concomitantly with the arrival of said pulsations at said pump inlet means, and arranging said fluid stream flow paths to provide for the substantially concomitant arrival of said pulsations and said separating fluid portions at said flow paths juncture.

Claim 25

In a method for respectively minimizing the effects of pulsations on a first fluid stream, and on the proportionate merger of said first fluid stream and a second fluid stream at the juncture of the flow paths thereof, in an intermittent pumping system having a pump, the steps of, alternately immersing the pump inlet means in different ones of a plurality of fluids which are successively supplied thereto, and exposing said pump inlet means to the ambient air, respectively, to provide a first fluid stream which comprises a series of different fluid portions spaced, in each instance, by a separating fluid portion which comprises an air segment, and wherein said pulsations travel in said first fluid stream to said pump inlet means and to said flow paths juncture, respectively, operating said pump and said pump inlet means to provide for the immersion of said pump inlet means in a said fluid substantially concomitantly with the arrival of said pulsations at said pump inlet means, and arranging said fluid stream flow paths to provide for the substantially concomitant arrival of said pulsations and said separating fluid portions at said flow paths juncture.

Claim 26

In a method as in claim 20 further comprising, the steps of, operating said pump and said pump inlet means to respectively provide for air segments of substantially the same volume, and to provide for air segments of substantially the same volume.

Claim 27

In a method as in claim 20 wherein said pump comprises a progressively occludable pump tube and said method further comprises, the steps of, operating said pump and said pump inlet means to provide air segments of the minimum volume required to occlude said pump tube.

Claim 28

In a method as in claim 21 further comprising, the steps of, operating said pump and said pump inlet means to provide fluid portion volumes which are greater than said air segment volumes.

Claim 29

In a method as in claim 23 wherein said pump comprises a progressively occludable pump tube and said method further comprises, the steps of, operating said pump and said pump inlet means to provide air segments of the minimum volume required to occlude said pump tube.

Claim 30

In a method as in claim 24 wherein, the steps of arranging said fluid stream flow paths comprise the establishment of the length of said first fluid stream flow path between the outlet side of said pumping means and said flow path juncture in accordance with the flow rate through said first fluid stream flow path to provide for said substantially concomitant pulsations and separating fluid portions arrivals at said flow path juncture.