Industrial Fluid Systems Blog

New Liquid Sampling Valve Solves Common Bottle Sampling Challenges

The design of our new valve prioritizes operator safety, ease of use, and cost savings by minimizing exposure to process fluids, simplifying installation, and ensuring a reliable, leak-tight metal-to-metal seal.


Effective grab sampling methods ensure consistently representative fluid samples directly from a pipeline, tank, or system for subsequent laboratory analysis. To address the limitations inherent in conventional bottle sampling methods, Swagelok® has introduced a specialized grab sampling valve.

Swagelok grab sampling valves have a replaceable needle assembly that attaches to the valve body using a Swagelok tube fitting. This strong, leak-tight design protects operators and the environment by reducing exposure to process fluids.

New valve demo

Watch a demo of the new liquid sampling valve below. (We are glad to provide a one-on-one demo -- please get in touch.)

See how easy it is to use this new liquid sampling valve. Browse more videos, literature, FAQs and more at our 2024 Valves page →

Design innovations

Swagelok's design innovation focuses on enhancing safety, ease of use, and cost-effectiveness. The valve simplifies the sampling process, requiring only a single turn for installation and eliminating the use of elastomers, thus expanding compatibility and potentially reducing costs.

A key feature of the system is the Shroud, which serves as a protective housing for the sample bottle, ensuring proper alignment and secure handling during the sampling operation. This design element also mitigates a maintenance issue associated with sampling valves: bent needles, which can pose a hazard to operators. Swagelok offers interchangeable shrouds, available in various sizes to accommodate different sample bottles.

The sampling process involves piercing the rubber septum of the sample bottle with two needles—one for filling with the liquid sample and the other for allowing the escape of air. Needle size selection depends on the specific application, with smaller needles causing less wear on the septum and larger needles being necessary for samples with higher viscosity. This design choice enhances system integrity by preventing leaks caused by rubber hardening or degradation over time. The needle assembly provides a secure metal-to-metal seal at two critical points, eliminating potential sources of leakage.

The Swagelok spring return handle incorporates a machine torsion spring and a Swagelok 45 series handle, optimizing ergonomics and safety. Known as a "dead man handle," the larger handle makes it easier to operate and automatically returns the valve to a closed position when released, reducing the risk of unintentionally leaving the valve open during sample collection. The operator simply releases the handle to close the valve, enabling the safe removal of the filled sample bottle.

Fully built assemblies can lower your costs

Liquid grab sample

Grab sample systems should be tailored to exactly meet your needs and be simple to operate. With that in mind, consider having our team build you a Swagelok grab sampling solution.

The photo here shows a member of our fabrication team testing a liquid grab sample panel before it goes out to the customer site.

Starting with your unique needs in mind, we propose a safe, reliable, economical solution. We build, inspect, and test your assembly, panel, structure, or enclosure. It arrives documented, warrantied, and ready to install. We even include time to be onsite at installation/commissioning, in case anyone on your team has questions.

With Swagelok, you know you're getting a standardized offering available in just about any location. That adds tremendous value for those with multiple sites.

Three ways we can help you with grab sampling today

Schedule an assessment—Improve your sampling systems reliability with expert, in-depth evaluation of your sampling systems, from tap to grab sample station.

Use our Grab Sample Product Selection MatrixSee a summary of common system criteria and the grab sample system recommended for each combination.

Get our Grab Sampling Best Practices Resource Collection—It includes the Grab Sampling Systems Application Guide showing system configurations available.

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