Patent ID: 6880413

Claim:
A method of dispensing and cooling a sample of a fluid withdrawn at a sampling location by means of a sampler, said sample to be stored at a selectable storage temperature value, said fluid having a sampling temperature value greater than the storage temperature value, said sampler comprising a vessel assembly of a predetermined volume with a tubular intake vessel for conducting the withdrawn fluid, said sampler further comprising a storage vessel for storing the fluid sample, said vessel assembly having an internal temperature, wherein prior to the dispensing said internal temperature of the vessel assembly having an initial internal temperature value being lower than the sampling temperature value; and said sampler further comprising a cooling assembly thermally coupled to the vessel assembly for adjusting said internal temperature of the vessel assembly, said cooling assembly comprising at least a first cooling volume having a first cooling temperature, said cooling temperature being set at the storage temperature value at least after the storing of the fluid sample, said method comprising steps of: lowering the internal temperature of the vessel assembly by means of the cooling assembly to a temperature value lower than the initial internal temperature value of the vessel assembly; letting the withdrawn fluid flow through the intake vessel; and letting a partial volume of the withdrawn fluid flow into the storage vessel to obtain the fluid sample, wherein the step of lowering the internal temperature of the vessel assembly includes setting the first cooling temperature to a temperature value lower than the storage temperature value.