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Title: Casingless down-hole for sealing an ablation volume and obtaining a sample for analysis

Abstract

A casing-less down hole sampling system for acquiring a subsurface sample for analysis using an inductively coupled plasma system is disclosed. The system includes a probe which is pushed into the formation to be analyzed using a hydraulic ram system. The probe includes a detachable tip member which has a soil point mad a barb, with the soil point aiding the penetration of the earth, and the barb causing the tip member to disengage from the probe and remain in the formation when the probe is pulled up. The probe is forced into the formation to be tested, and then pulled up slightly, to disengage the tip member and expose a column of the subsurface formation to be tested. An instrumentation tube mounted in the probe is then extended outward from the probe to longitudinally extend into the exposed column. A balloon seal mounted on the end of the instrumentation tube allows the bottom of the column to be sealed. A source of laser radiation is emitted from the instrumentation tube to ablate a sample from the exposed column. The instrumentation tube can be rotated in the probe to sweep the laser source across the surface of the exposed column.more » An aerosol transport system carries the ablated sample from the probe to the surface for testing in an inductively coupled plasma system. By testing at various levels in the down-hole as the probe is extracted from the soil, a profile of the subsurface formation may be obtained.

Inventors:
 [1];  [1];  [1]
  1. Ames, IA
Issue Date:
Research Org.:
Ames Laboratory (AMES), Ames, IA; Iowa State Univ., Ames, IA (United States)
OSTI Identifier:
870625
Patent Number(s):
5561516
Application Number:
08/283,079
Assignee:
Iowa State University Research Foundation, Inc. (Ames, IA)
Patent Classifications (CPCs):
E - FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS E21 - EARTH DRILLING E21B - EARTH DRILLING, e.g. DEEP DRILLING
G - PHYSICS G01 - MEASURING G01N - INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
DOE Contract Number:  
W-7405-ENG-82
Resource Type:
Patent
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
casingless; down-hole; sealing; ablation; volume; obtaining; sample; analysis; casing-less; sampling; acquiring; subsurface; inductively; coupled; plasma; disclosed; probe; pushed; formation; analyzed; hydraulic; detachable; tip; soil; barb; aiding; penetration; earth; causing; disengage; remain; pulled; forced; tested; slightly; expose; column; instrumentation; tube; mounted; extended; outward; longitudinally; extend; exposed; balloon; seal; allows; bottom; sealed; source; laser; radiation; emitted; ablate; rotated; sweep; surface; aerosol; transport; carries; ablated; testing; various; levels; extracted; profile; obtained; inductively coupled; instrumentation tube; laser radiation; laser source; coupled plasma; seal mounted; various levels; tube mounted; surface form; /356/250/

Citation Formats

Noble, Donald T, Braymen, Steven D, and Anderson, Marvin S. Casingless down-hole for sealing an ablation volume and obtaining a sample for analysis. United States: N. p., 1996. Web.
Noble, Donald T, Braymen, Steven D, & Anderson, Marvin S. Casingless down-hole for sealing an ablation volume and obtaining a sample for analysis. United States.
Noble, Donald T, Braymen, Steven D, and Anderson, Marvin S. Tue . "Casingless down-hole for sealing an ablation volume and obtaining a sample for analysis". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/870625.
@article{osti_870625,
title = {Casingless down-hole for sealing an ablation volume and obtaining a sample for analysis},
author = {Noble, Donald T and Braymen, Steven D and Anderson, Marvin S},
abstractNote = {A casing-less down hole sampling system for acquiring a subsurface sample for analysis using an inductively coupled plasma system is disclosed. The system includes a probe which is pushed into the formation to be analyzed using a hydraulic ram system. The probe includes a detachable tip member which has a soil point mad a barb, with the soil point aiding the penetration of the earth, and the barb causing the tip member to disengage from the probe and remain in the formation when the probe is pulled up. The probe is forced into the formation to be tested, and then pulled up slightly, to disengage the tip member and expose a column of the subsurface formation to be tested. An instrumentation tube mounted in the probe is then extended outward from the probe to longitudinally extend into the exposed column. A balloon seal mounted on the end of the instrumentation tube allows the bottom of the column to be sealed. A source of laser radiation is emitted from the instrumentation tube to ablate a sample from the exposed column. The instrumentation tube can be rotated in the probe to sweep the laser source across the surface of the exposed column. An aerosol transport system carries the ablated sample from the probe to the surface for testing in an inductively coupled plasma system. By testing at various levels in the down-hole as the probe is extracted from the soil, a profile of the subsurface formation may be obtained.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Tue Oct 01 00:00:00 EDT 1996},
month = {Tue Oct 01 00:00:00 EDT 1996}
}