Patent ID: 8453656

Claim:
An apparatus for processing a sample, the apparatus comprising: a pressure chamber having an interior volume constructed to receive the sample therein, surfaces of the pressure chamber that define said interior volume being formed of a nickel-copper alloy, the pressure chamber having at least one inlet and at least one outlet that are in fluid communication with the interior volume; a heater thermally coupled to the pressure chamber to heat the interior volume; a cooler thermally coupled to the pressure chamber to cool the interior volume; a fluid supply module connected to the at least one inlet by a fluid conduit, the fluid conduit also being formed of a nickel-copper alloy, the fluid supply module being configured to sequentially deliver fluids to the interior volume by way of the at least one inlet; and a controller operatively coupled to the heater, the cooler, and the fluid supply module, the controller being configured to: after sealing of the pressure chamber with the sample therein, control the fluid supply module to deliver a first fluid to the interior volume; at a time after the delivery of the first fluid, control the cooler to cool the interior volume to a temperature less than 10° C.; once the temperature is less than 10° C., control the fluid supply module to deliver a second fluid to the interior volume; and at a time after the delivery of the second fluid, control the heater to heat the interior volume to a temperature greater than 31° C. and a pressure greater than 1072 psi.