Abstract: Fluid sampling device comprising a sampling cell (1) provided with a thermal control valve having a plug (21) made from a solid low-melting temperature material that is made permeable to the fluid by temporary heating. The device comprises an intermediate cell (6) with a central channel (7) provided with a plug made from the solid material, which communicates an inlet with a first end and an outlet with the opposite end, and suited to tightly fit into the inlet hole of the sampling cell, a device (12, 13) for connecting the two cells (1, 6) to each other and an element (14) associated with a seal (20) for connecting, at the inlet of intermediate cell (6), a linking tube (15) to a reactor (17) producing the fluid to be sampled.

Abstract: The invention is a method for determining the Joule-Thomson coefficient of a fluid, expressing the temperature variation in relation to a pressure variation thereof. The fluid is injected at a determined injection temperature into a thin tube (8) (preferably a capillary tube in order to obtain a high pressure drop with reasonable flow rates) which contains a temperature detector (TC1) leading to a pressure drop for the fluid. The temperature variation of the fluid in relation to the injection temperature is measured by means of this temperature detector. The pressure drop undergone by the fluid in tube (8), due to the presence of this temperature detector, is also measured and the Joule-Thomson coefficient is calculated by combination of measurements of the pressure drop and of the temperature variation of the fluid. The method can be applied notably in the field of hydrocarbon production, more particularly hydrocarbons coming from high-pressure and high-temperature reservoirs and in gas lines.

Abstract: Fluid sampling device comprising a sampling cell provided with a thermal control valve consisting of a plug made from a solid low-melting temperature alloy that is made permeable to the fluid by heating the metal alloy to its melting temperature. The device mainly comprises an intermediate cell with a central channel provided with a plug made from a low-melting temperature alloy which fits into the inlet hole of the sampling cell. A connecting device for connecting the two cells together and an element which connects the intermediate cell via a fine linking tube to a reactor producing the fluid to be sampled.

Abstract: A mixture containing substances likely to settle or to flocculate is fed into a chamber (1a) of a body (1) delimited by a mobile piston (18) and a closed-circuit circulation of the mixture is established by means of a homogenization turbine (8) driven by a motor (28) associated with magnetic driving means (9, 26). According to the pressure and to the temperature, variations in the conductance of the mixture flowing between two electrodes (1, 16) connected to a measuring device (17) are measured on the one hand and variations in the driving torque applied to turbine (8) under the effect of the concomitant variations in the apparent viscosity of the mixture are measured on the other hand. The cell can be used to study of the conditions of formation of asphaltene deposits or flocculations in petroleum crudes for example.

Abstract: A rigid body comprising two cylindrical chambers (14, 15) with a pointed bottom for example, connected to each other by a fine line controlled by a valve V5, is fixed in a thermostat-controlled enclosure (7). Two rods (18, 17) forming pistons, provided with prestressed seals (J), can slide in these chambers, separately or coupled with one another. Their shape is suited to that of the bottom of the chambers. These rods are moved by shifting vertically hangers (12, 13) integral therewith, by means of threaded rods (8, 10) driven into rotation on demand by motors (ME1, ME2). A control unit comprising two optical display and locating blocks (19, 20) running right through the body near the bottom of the lower chamber (14), pressure, temperature and displacement detectors, under the control of a micro-computer, allows precise thermodynamic measurements to be achieved on substance samples at high pressure and temperature values. A gasometer is preferably placed in enclosure (7).

Abstract: The fluids to be studied are placed in a chamber (13) of variable volume delimited by a piston (5) that can be moved by hydraulic device (24) in a cavity of a body (1). An endoscope (18) allowing to view the inside of the chamber and notably to see the orifices of two diametrically opposite pipes (14, 15) that communicate the cell with the outside is placed behind a transparent porthole (8) closing the end of the chamber opposite the piston. The body (1) can swivel about a pin (26), which allows achievement of equilibrium and also to draw off a particular phase of a stratified multiphase fluid by placing the orifice of one of pipes (14, 15) within this phase. A pressure detector (19) is included in the wall of the piston so as to decrease practically any dead volume likely to distort the measurements. A single body can contain two cells placed side by side, at least one having a transparent wall. The device can be used for studying fluids, notably petroleum fluids.

Abstract: A cyclone separating device includes a transparent and tapered separator flask, with an upper outlet where a tube provided with seal means and a tubular extension is fastened, and a lateral inlet through a lateral appendix communicating with the inside of the flask through a fine channel offset in order to generate a cyclone effect promoting the separation of the phases and lined with an insert made of a plastic material. The fluid sample is injected, for example, through a septum by means of a hollow needle guided through the insert. The device can be used for processing geologic fluid samples.

Abstract: Fluids kept under high pressure in one or several balancing cells (C1, C2) inside a thermostat-controlled enclosure (14) at about 200.degree. C. are extracted by introducing into the enclosure a sampling cell (1) capable of withstanding pressures of the order of 150 MPa, fastening cell (1) to a connection element (24) linked to balancing cells, taking samples and removing the cell from the thermostat-controlled enclosure, with all of these operations being easily conducted from outside. After possible weighing of the sampling cell, a transfer device thereafter allows the sampling cell to be communicated with measuring and analysis devices such as a gasometer associated with a separating bottle, a solvent injection means, etc. Operations are synchronized by a programmed microcomputer (MC). The preferred application is processing geological samples.