Varying turbo pump speed to optimize pressure levels within mass spectrometer

Abstract

To solve the problem of the prior art.SOLUTION: A pump management system may determine an operating mode for a mass spectrometer; set, based on the operating mode, pump speed of a turbo pump used to create one or more vacuum stages for the mass spectrometer; and cause the turbo pump to operate at the pump speed while the mass spectrometer operates in accordance with the operating mode. Additionally or alternatively, the pump management system may monitor, using one or more instruments external to the turbo pump, a condition associated with the mass spectrometer while the mass spectrometer operates in accordance with the operating mode; determine, based on the monitoring, that the condition changes by more than a threshold value; and adjust, based on the condition changing by more than the threshold value and while the mass spectrometer is in operation, the pump speed.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Background technology]

[0001] Turbo pumps are commonly used to create and maintain one or more vacuum stages for mass spectrometers. For example, a turbo pump may operate to remove gas molecules from a region of the mass spectrometer, thereby reducing the pressure within the region to the extremely low levels required for accurate mass analysis by the mass spectrometer.

[0002] Pressure level requirements for specific regions of a mass spectrometer can vary depending on several different factors. For example, mass spectrometers are responsible for analyzing a wide range of molecules, from very small molecules to large protein complexes. Different molecules typically require different pressure levels to be effectively analyzed by a mass spectrometer. For example, relatively large ions may require relatively high pressure levels to effectively cool the ions before transmission. However, these relatively high pressure levels can be problematic for smaller molecule and peptide ions, as higher pressure levels can result in long ion flight times that slow spectral acquisition rates and degrade ion detector performance. Therefore, some mass spectrometry systems may include dedicated hardware, such as pressure sensors and gas regulators, that facilitate manual adjustment of the pressure level within the vacuum chamber (e.g., by increasing or decreasing the flow of nitrogen into the vacuum chamber). Unfortunately, these components can increase the complexity and cost of the mass spectrometry system and may disadvantageously require the system optics to be located in a confined space that is susceptible to pressure.

[0003] Another approach to accounting for the different pressure requirements is to always set the pressure in the region of the mass spectrometer at a relatively low level, which can unfortunately result in unnecessarily high temperature levels and / or other non-optimal conditions within the mass spectrometer, which can result in extended downtime being required to cool the mass spectrometer. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The following description presents a simplified summary of one or more aspects of the systems and methods described herein. This summary is not an extensive overview of all contemplated aspects, and is not intended to identify key or critical elements of all aspects or to delineate the scope of any or all aspects. Its sole purpose is to present one or more aspects of the systems and methods described herein as a prelude to the more detailed description presented below.

[0005] In some exemplary embodiments, a method includes determining, by a pump management system, an operating mode for a mass spectrometer; setting, by the pump management system, a pump speed of a turbo pump used to generate one or more vacuum stages for the mass spectrometer based on the operating mode; and operating, by the pump management system, the turbo pump at the pump speed while the mass spectrometer operates according to the operating mode.

[0006] In some demonstrative embodiments, a method includes monitoring, by a pump management system using one or more instruments external to a turbopump used to generate one or more vacuum stages for the mass spectrometer, a condition associated with the mass spectrometer while the mass spectrometer is operating; determining, by the pump management system based on the monitoring, that the condition changes beyond a threshold; and adjusting, by the pump management system, a pump speed of the turbopump based on the condition changing beyond the threshold and while the mass spectrometer is operating.

[0007] In some exemplary embodiments, a system includes a mass spectrometer configured to analyze molecules of a sample; and a computing device communicatively coupled to the mass spectrometer and configured to perform a process, the process including determining an operating mode for the mass spectrometer, setting a pump speed of a turbo pump used to generate one or more vacuum stages for the mass spectrometer based on the operating mode, and operating the turbo pump at the pump speed while the mass spectrometer operates according to the operating mode. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] The accompanying drawings illustrate various embodiments and are a part of this specification. The illustrated embodiments are merely examples and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure. Throughout the drawings, the same or similar reference numbers refer to the same or similar elements. [Figure 1] 1 illustrates an exemplary configuration in which a pump management system is communicatively coupled to a mass spectrometer. [Figure 2] 1 illustrates exemplary components of a pump management system. [Figure 3] 2 illustrates an exemplary implementation of the configuration shown in FIG. 1. [Figure 4] 1 illustrates an exemplary method for managing a turbopump for a mass spectrometer. [Figure 5] 1 illustrates an exemplary method for managing a turbopump for a mass spectrometer. [Figure 6A] 1 illustrates an exemplary configuration for managing a turbopump for a mass spectrometer. [Figure 6B] 1 illustrates an exemplary configuration for managing a turbopump for a mass spectrometer. [Figure 7] 1 illustrates an exemplary computing device that may be specifically configured to perform one or more of the operations, methods, and processes described herein. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009]

[0006] Systems and methods for optimizing pressure levels within a mass spectrometer are described herein. For example, as described herein, a turbopump having a variable pumping speed may be used to generate one or more vacuum stages within the mass spectrometer. A pump management system may control the pumping speed of the turbopump to set the pressure within the one or more vacuum stages at a level that is optimized or otherwise acceptable for a particular operating mode of the mass spectrometer and / or particular conditions associated with the mass spectrometer.

[0010] For example, the pump management system may determine an operating mode for the mass spectrometer (e.g., before the mass spectrometer begins operating according to the operating mode), set a pump speed of a turbo pump based on the operating mode, and operate the turbo pump at the pump speed while the mass spectrometer operates according to the operating mode. Additionally or alternatively, the pump management system may use one or more instruments external to the turbo pump to monitor a condition (e.g., temperature, pressure, etc.) associated with the mass spectrometer while the mass spectrometer is operating, determine based on the monitoring that the condition changes beyond a threshold, and adjust the pump speed while the mass spectrometer is operating based on the condition changing beyond the threshold.

[0011] As used herein, a "vacuum stage" created and maintained by a turbopump may refer to any pressurized space or region within, surrounding, or otherwise affecting one or more components of a mass spectrometer. For example, a vacuum stage is a space or region where the pressure is significantly less than atmospheric pressure (e.g., 1×10 -3 The term "vacuum stage" may refer to any space or region within a mass spectrometer (e.g., less than 1000 psi). Creating a vacuum stage using a turbopump may include the turbopump performing any suitable process to create and / or maintain a desired pressure level within the space or region of the vacuum stage. For example, to create a vacuum stage, the turbopump may operate to remove gas molecules from a region of the mass spectrometer (e.g., a chamber or other enclosed region). This may be done in various ways, as described herein.

[0012] As used herein, the "pump speed" of a turbopump refers to any setting of the turbopump that determines the rate at which the turbopump creates a vacuum (e.g., by removing gas molecules from the chamber). For example, the pump speed may be a setting (e.g., measured in revolutions per minute) that specifies the frequency at which one or more fan blades rotate within the turbopump to create a vacuum.

[0013] As described herein, the pumping speed of a turbo pump associated with a mass spectrometer can be variable and controllable. By controlling the pumping speed of a turbo pump associated with a mass spectrometer, the systems and methods described herein can optimize one or more pressure levels within the mass spectrometer based on the operating mode of the mass spectrometer and / or any other conditions or factors associated with the mass spectrometer. This can eliminate the need for other types of dedicated hardware (e.g., pressure sensors and gas regulators) to control pressure levels, maximize the flexibility of the mass spectrometer in heating and cooling components within the mass spectrometer, and / or provide other benefits as described herein.

[0014] 1 illustrates an exemplary configuration 100 in which a pump management system 102 is communicatively coupled to a mass spectrometer 104 and a turbo pump 106. The mass spectrometer 104 may be implemented by any suitable type of mass spectrometer, such as a quadrupole mass spectrometer, an ion trap mass spectrometer, a time-of-flight mass spectrometer, and / or a magnetic field mass spectrometer. The mass spectrometer 104 may include any number of additional or alternative components (e.g., one or more mass analyzers) as may be useful for a particular implementation. An exemplary implementation of the mass spectrometer 104 may include an Orbitrap™ Tribrid™ mass spectrometer manufactured and sold by Thermo Fisher Scientific, Inc. (Waltham, MA).

[0015] The turbo pump 106 may be configured to generate one or more vacuum stages for the mass spectrometer 104. The turbo pump 106 may be implemented by any suitable type of pump, such as a turbomolecular pump, an ion pump, a rotary vane pump, a diffusion pump, and / or a cryogenic pump. In some implementations, the turbo pump 106 may include one or more rotor blades configured to rotate at a definable frequency and move gas molecules out of the region of the mass spectrometer 104, thereby creating a vacuum within the region.

[0016] In some embodiments, the turbo pump 106 may be a multi-stage pump configured to generate multiple vacuum stages within any suitable combination of components of the mass spectrometer 104, such as an ion source, a mass analyzer, a mass filter, a collision cell, and / or a detector.

[0017] The pump management system 102 may be configured to perform various operations to manage the turbo pump 106. For example, the pump management system 102 may be configured to set various parameters to control the operation of the turbo pump 106, such as a pump speed (also referred to herein as a “turbo pump speed”) associated with the turbo pump 106, a backpressure associated with the turbo pump 106, a cooling method (e.g., air-cooled, water-cooled, etc.) associated with the turbo pump 106, and / or a monitoring frequency associated with the turbo pump 106. As described herein, the pump management system 102 may be configured to set the pump speed of the turbo pump 106 based on an operating mode of the mass spectrometer 104 and / or one or more conditions associated with the mass spectrometer 104.

[0018] The pump management system 102 may be implemented by any combination of one or more computing devices. For example, the pump management system 102 may be implemented by a controller included in or otherwise associated with the mass spectrometer 104, one or more computing devices configured to be communicatively coupled to the mass spectrometer 104 and / or the turbopump 106, and / or any other local and / or remote computing devices as may be useful in a particular implementation.

[0019] 2 illustrates example components of pump management system 102. For example, pump management system 102 may include, but is not limited to, a storage facility 202 and a processing facility 204 selectably and communicatively coupled to each other. Facilities 202 and 204 may each include or be implemented by hardware and / or software components (e.g., a processor, memory, a communication interface, instructions stored in memory for execution by the processor, etc.). In some examples, facilities 202 and 204 may be distributed among multiple devices and / or multiple locations as may be useful for particular implementation aspects. For example, facility 202 may be distributed among one or more local computing resources and one or more remote computing resources communicatively coupled to the local computing resources via a network.

[0020] The storage facility 202 may be implemented by any suitable non-transitory computer-readable medium and / or non-transitory processor-readable medium, such as any combination of non-volatile and / or volatile storage media. In some embodiments, the storage facility 202 may maintain (e.g., store) executable data used by the processing facility 204 to perform any of the operations described herein. For example, the storage facility 202 may store instructions 206 that may be executed by the processing facility 204 to perform any of the operations described herein. The instructions 206 may be implemented by any suitable application, software, code, and / or other executable data instance. The storage facility 202 may also maintain any data acquired, received, generated, managed, used, and / or transmitted by the processing facility 204.

[0021] The processing facility 204 may be configured to perform various processing operations described herein (e.g., execute instructions 206 stored in the storage facility 202). It will be recognized that the operations and examples described herein are merely illustrative of many different types of operations that may be performed by the processing facility 204. In the description herein, any reference to an operation performed by the pump management system 102 may be understood to be performed by the processing facility 204 of the pump management system 102. Furthermore, in the description herein, any operation performed by the pump management system 102 may include the pump management system 102 instructing and / or commanding another computing system, device, or apparatus to perform the operation.

[0022] 3 illustrates an exemplary implementation 300 of configuration 100. As shown, implementation 300 may include mass spectrometer 104, turbo pump 106, and controller 302. Implementation 300 may further include any additional or alternative components not shown (e.g., ion optics, lenses, filters, ion storage devices, ion mobility analyzers, collision cells, ion flux monitors, etc.) that may be suitable for a particular implementation.

[0023] The mass spectrometer 104 may include any number of components for performing operations related to mass analysis. As shown, the mass spectrometer 104 may include an ion source 304, one or more mass analyzers 306 (e.g., mass analyzers 306-1 and 306-2), and an ion store 308.

[0024] The ion source 304 may be configured to generate ions from a sample and deliver the ions in ion stream 310-1 to the mass analyzer 306-1. The sample may be generated in any suitable manner, such as by using a liquid chromatography procedure. The ion source 304 may use any suitable ionization technique, including, but not limited to, electron ionization, chemical ionization, matrix-assisted laser desorption / ionization, electrospray ionization, atmospheric pressure chemical ionization, atmospheric pressure photoionization, inductively coupled plasma, etc. The ion source 304 may include various components for generating ions from a sample and delivering the ions to the mass analyzer 306-1.

[0025] Mass analyzer 306 may be implemented by any suitable mass analyzer, such as a linear multipole mass analyzer (e.g., a quadrupole mass analyzer), an Orbitrap™ mass analyzer, an ion trap mass analyzer, and / or a time-of-flight mass analyzer. Mass analyzer 306-1 may filter ion stream 310-1 and selectively transmit ions within a selected m / z range in ion stream 310-2 to ion store 308. While implementation 300 is shown including mass analyzer 306-1, alternative implementations may omit mass analyzer 306-1 and include only mass analyzer 306-2. In these alternative implementations, ion stream 310-1 may be provided directly from ion source 304 to ion store 308.

[0026] The ion store 308 may be implemented by a device configured to accumulate ions contained in the ion stream 310-2 for an accumulation time. As used herein, "accumulation time" refers to the duration that ions generated by the ion source 304 accumulate in the ion store 308 before being released and traveling to the mass analyzer 306-2. The accumulation time may also be known as the ion injection time or ion filling time. In some examples, the ion store 308 is an ion storage device configured to buffer downstream processes such as mass analysis, thereby increasing acquisition speed and instrument sensitivity. In some examples, the ion store 308 may be a beam-type or trapping device such as a multipole ion guide (e.g., a quadrupole ion guide, a hexapole ion guide, an octapole ion guide, etc.), a linear quadrupole ion trap, a three-dimensional quadrupole ion trap, a cylindrical ion trap, an annular ion trap, an orbital electrostatic trap, or a Kingdon trap. In some examples, the ion store 308 may take the form of a curved trap (also known as a C-trap) of the type used in orbital electrostatic trap mass spectrometers. In some examples, the ion store 308 may be omitted from the implementation 300. In these examples, the mass analyzer 306-2 (and / or another component of the mass spectrometer 104) may function as an ion store (e.g., for an additional mass analyzer of the mass spectrometer 104).

[0027] In some examples, the ion store 308 may be a collision cell positioned upstream from the mass analyzer 306-2. As used herein, a "collision cell" may refer to any device arranged to generate product ions through a controlled dissociation process or an ion-ion reaction process, and is not limited to devices employed for collision-activated dissociation. For example, the collision cell may be configured to fragment ions using collision-induced dissociation (CID), electron transfer dissociation (ETD), electron capture dissociation (ECD), photo-induced dissociation (PID), surface-induced dissociation (SID), etc.

[0028] The accumulation of ions in the ion store 308 may be adjusted by automatic gain control and / or any other technique to achieve a target population of ions in the ion store 308, and therefore a target signal density. The accumulation of ions may be adjusted in any suitable manner. In some examples, the accumulation of ions in the ion store 308 is adjusted by a gating device (not shown) that either transmits or blocks ion stream 310-2. The gate may be opened for a given time to meter in an appropriate number of ions, after which the gate is closed. The accumulated ions may then be transferred from the ion store 308 to the mass analyzer 306-2 in ion stream 310-3. The gating device may be used to adjust the transmission of ion stream 310-2. It will be appreciated that other techniques for adjusting ion accumulation may be used.

[0029] The mass analyzer 306-2 may be configured to perform mass analysis on a population of ions (e.g., during a tandem mass analysis process). As shown, the mass analyzer 306-2 may analyze ions received from the ion stream 310-3 (e.g., ions fragmented in the ion store 308). In some examples, the mass analyzer 306-2 may include an ion detector configured to detect ions at each of a variety of different m / z and, accordingly, generate an electrical signal representative of the ion intensity. The electrical signal may be transmitted to the controller 302 for processing, such as constructing a mass spectrum of the detected ions. For example, the mass analyzer 306-2 may generate and / or provide data that may be used by the controller 302 to construct a mass spectrum.

[0030] As used herein, "mass spectrum" or "spectrum" refers to a plot of the intensity of ions as a function of the m / z of the ions. As used herein, "intensity" or "signal strength" refers to the response of an ion detector contained within one or more of the mass analyzers 306 and may represent absolute abundance, relative abundance, ion number, intensity, relative intensity, ion current, or any other suitable measure of ion detection.

[0031] The controller 302 may implement some or all of the functions performed by the pump management system 102. For example, the controller 302 may be configured to control the operation of various hardware components included in the turbo pump 106, the ion source 304, the mass analyzer 306, and / or the ion store 308. To illustrate, the controller 302 may be configured to set the pump speed of the turbo pump 106, control the accumulation time of the ion store 308, control the oscillating voltage power supply and / or the DC power supply to provide RF and / or DC voltages to the mass analyzer 306, adjust the values ​​of the RF and DC voltages to select a valid m / z (including mass tolerance window) for analysis, and / or adjust the sensitivity of the ion detector implemented by the mass analyzer 306 (e.g., by adjusting the detector gain).

[0032] The controller 302 may also include and / or provide a user interface configured to enable interaction between a user and the controller 302. For example, a user may interact with the user interface and select a desired operational mode for the mass spectrometer 104 via the user interface. The user may interact with the controller 302 via the user interface through tactile, visual, auditory, and / or other sensory communication. For example, the user interface may include a display device (e.g., a liquid crystal display (LCD) screen, a touch screen, etc.) for displaying information (e.g., mass spectra, notifications, etc.) to the user. The user interface may also include an input device (e.g., a keyboard, a mouse, a touch screen device, etc.) that enables a user to provide input to the controller 302. In other examples, the display device and / or input device may be separate from the controller 302 but communicatively coupled to the controller. For example, the display device and input device may be included within a computer (e.g., a desktop computer, a laptop computer, a mobile device, etc.) that is communicatively connected to the controller 302 via a wired connection (e.g., via one or more cables) and / or a wireless connection (e.g., Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, near field communication, etc.).

[0033] The controller 302 may include any suitable hardware (e.g., processor, circuitry, etc.) and / or software as may be useful for a particular implementation. In some examples, the controller 302 may be implemented by a computing device communicatively coupled to the mass spectrometer 104 and / or turbo pump 106 via a wired connection (e.g., cable) and / or a network (e.g., a local area network, a wireless network (e.g., Wi-Fi), a wide area network, the Internet, a cellular data network, etc.). In some embodiments, the controller 302 may be a component of the mass spectrometer 104.

[0034] The methods, systems, and devices described herein may operate as part of or in conjunction with the implementation 300 described herein and / or with any other suitable mass spectrometer or mass spectrometry system, including a liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) system, a high-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS) system, a gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) system, a capillary electrophoresis-mass spectrometry (CE-MS) system, or a hybrid separation mass spectrometry system such as an ion mobility system (IM-MS). The methods, systems, and devices described herein may also operate with continuous flow sample sources, such as flow-injection mass spectrometry (Fl-MS), in which analytes are injected into a solvent and enter the mass spectrometer without separation in a column.

[0035] The turbo pump 106 may generate one or more vacuum stages within any number of the aforementioned components of the mass spectrometer 104. In some embodiments, each vacuum stage may correspond to a unique component of the mass spectrometer 104. For example, a first vacuum stage may correspond to the ion source 304, and a second vacuum stage may correspond to the mass analyzer 306-1.

[0036] Although the implementation 300 is illustrated as including a single turbopump 106, it should be understood that the implementation 300 may include any number of turbopumps for generating vacuum stages. For example, a first turbopump may generate a vacuum stage corresponding to a first component of the mass spectrometer 104, and a second turbopump may generate a second vacuum stage corresponding to a second component of the mass spectrometer 104. In some examples, the controller 302 may manage multiple turbopumps to generate multiple vacuum stages. The controller 302 may selectively adjust any combination of turbopumps based on conditions associated with the mass spectrometer 104. For example, the pump management system 102 may maintain the pump speed of one or more turbopumps of the multiple turbopumps while adjusting the pump speed of one or more other turbopumps of the multiple turbopumps. In some embodiments, one or more turbopumps may be associated with one or more earlier stages for a mass spectrometer than one or more other turbopumps. For example, one or more turbopumps may be associated with mass analyzer 306-1, while a particular turbopump is associated with mass analyzer 306-2.

[0037] Figure 4 illustrates an example method 400 for managing turbopumps used to create and maintain one or more vacuum stages for a mass spectrometer. While Figure 4 illustrates example operations according to one embodiment, other embodiments may omit, add, reorder, and / or modify any of the operations illustrated in Figure 4. One or more of the operations illustrated in Figure 4 may be performed by the pump management system 102, one or more components included therein, and / or any implementation thereof.

[0038] In operation 402, the pump management system 102 may determine an operational mode for a mass spectrometer (e.g., mass spectrometer 104). The operational mode may define one or more operational parameters of the mass spectrometer that define how the mass spectrometer performs a particular analysis during operation and / or any other manner in which the mass spectrometer operates. For example, the one or more operational parameters may define a data acquisition rate associated with the mass spectrometer, a calibration frequency associated with the mass spectrometer, a gas flow rate associated with the mass spectrometer, a fragmentation voltage associated with the mass spectrometer, a resolution setting associated with the mass spectrometer, and / or any other characteristic associated with the mass spectrometer.

[0039] The pump management system 102 may determine an operating mode for the mass spectrometer in any suitable manner. For example, the pump management system 102 may obtain (e.g., receive, detect, or otherwise access) input data and determine an operating mode based on the input data. The input data may be provided by a user (e.g., a user interacting with a user interface associated with the mass spectrometer), one or more components within the mass spectrometer, and / or one or more instruments (e.g., gauges, sensors, etc.) configured to monitor one or more conditions associated with the mass spectrometer. For example, the input data may include data representing a predetermined operating mode for the mass spectrometer and / or one or more characteristics associated with the mass spectrometer (e.g., a data acquisition rate associated with the mass spectrometer, a calibration frequency associated with the mass spectrometer, a gas flow rate associated with the mass spectrometer, a fragmentation voltage associated with the mass spectrometer, a resolution setting associated with the mass spectrometer, etc.).

[0040] As mentioned, the input data used to determine the operating mode for the mass spectrometer may include user input data. For example, the user input data may represent a user selection of a particular operating mode for the mass spectrometer. To illustrate, a user may interact with a user interface and select a particular operating mode for the mass spectrometer from a list of predefined operating modes presented within the user interface. The user interface may be provided by an application executed by a computing device configured to control the mass spectrometer. The computing device may cause the mass spectrometer to operate in accordance with the selected operating mode.

[0041] Any number of operating modes may be included in the list of predefined operating modes from which a user can select. For example, the predefined operating modes may include different operating modes associated with different molecular sizes or types of samples analyzed by the mass spectrometer, one or more operating modes associated with bakeout processes that may be performed on one or more components of the mass spectrometer, one or more operating modes associated with different types of mass analysis processes that may be performed by the mass spectrometer, etc. Each of these operating modes may require or be otherwise optimized by different pressure levels within one or more vacuum stages generated by turbopumps associated with the mass spectrometer. Examples of this are described herein.

[0042] In some embodiments, the user input data used to determine the operating mode for the mass spectrometer may represent a user selection or setting of one or more parameters that define how the mass spectrometer operates. For example, a user may select a particular data acquisition rate for the mass spectrometer. The pump management system 102 may accordingly determine the operating mode based on the selected data acquisition rate.

[0043] In some embodiments, the operating mode may be determined by the pump management system 102 based on a determination that the mass spectrometer is to operate to perform a particular type of mass analysis process. For example, the pump management system 102 may determine that the mass spectrometer is to operate to perform a collision-based mass analysis process (e.g., a collision-induced dissociation process that induces fragmentation of selected ions in the gas phase). This particular process may require, or be otherwise optimized by, relatively high pressure levels in one or more vacuum stages generated by turbopumps associated with the mass spectrometer.

[0044] In some embodiments, the pump management system 102 may determine an operating mode for a mass spectrometer by identifying characteristics of a sample to be analyzed by the mass spectrometer. The sample characteristics may include any suitable characteristic of the sample, such as the molecular size of the sample (e.g., relatively large molecular size, relatively small molecular size, etc.), the physical state of the sample, the solubility level of the sample, the compositional class of the sample, the color of the sample, the hardness level of the sample, and / or the stability level of the sample. For example, the operating mode may be determined based on determining that the sample belongs to a particular compositional class, such as an oligonucleotide, a macromolecule, a polymer, an inorganic compound, and / or an environmental compound.

[0045] In some embodiments, the pump management system 102 may determine an operating mode for the mass spectrometer by determining that the mass spectrometer is to operate to perform a bakeout process for one or more components of the mass spectrometer. The bakeout process may include heating one or more components of the mass spectrometer to extremely high temperatures to remove contaminants such as water vapor, residual gases, and / or hydrocarbons. The pump management system 102 may determine that the mass spectrometer is to operate to perform a bakeout process by determining that one or more heaters associated with the mass spectrometer are enabled and / or in any other suitable manner.

[0046] The pump management system 102 may determine the operating mode for the mass spectrometer at any suitable time. For example, the operating mode may be determined before the mass spectrometer operates according to the operating mode (e.g., before the mass spectrometer is used to analyze a sample). In some examples, the operating mode may be determined during a temporary shutdown period of the mass spectrometer after the mass spectrometer begins operation and / or in real time while the mass spectrometer is analyzing a sample.

[0047] In operation 404, the pump management system 102 may set a pump speed of a turbopump (e.g., turbopump 106) used to generate one or more vacuum stages for the mass spectrometer based on the operating mode. As described above, pump speed may refer to any setting of a turbopump that determines the speed at which the turbopump generates one or more vacuum stages. For example, pump speed may be a setting (e.g., measured in revolutions per minute) that specifies the frequency at which one or more fan blades rotate within the turbopump to generate the vacuum stage.

[0048] In operation 406, the pump management system 102 may operate the turbo pump at a pump speed while the mass spectrometer is operating according to the operating mode. The pump management system 102 may operate the turbo pump at the pump speed in any suitable manner. For example, the pump management system 102 may transmit commands to the turbo pump to set the pump speed, adjust the operating power or voltage associated with the pump speed, and / or otherwise operate the turbo pump at the desired pump speed.

[0049] Various examples of determining an operating mode for a mass spectrometer, setting the pump speed of a turbo pump used to generate one or more vacuum stages for the mass spectrometer based on the operating mode, and operating the turbo pump at the pump speed will now be provided.

[0050] In some examples, the pump management system 102 may determine that the operating mode is a first operating mode (e.g., a "small molecule" mode or a "peptide mode") when the molecular size of a sample analyzed by the mass spectrometer is less than a threshold molecular size. In this case, high pressure levels in the first few vacuum stages of the mass spectrometer may not have a beneficial effect and may even cause problems (e.g., longer ion flight times, slower spectral acquisition rates, reduced performance of ion filters and detectors, etc.). Therefore, based on the operating mode being the first operating mode, the pump management system 102 may set the pump speed above a threshold pump speed, thereby causing the vacuum stages to have relatively low pressure levels (e.g., less than 150 mTorr in a first vacuum region after an atmospheric pressure inlet ion funnel associated with the mass spectrometer).

[0051] Alternatively, the pump management system 102 may determine that the operating mode is a second operating mode (e.g., "large molecule" mode) when the molecular size of the sample to be analyzed by the mass spectrometer exceeds a threshold molecular size. In this case, effective desolvation of these large ions may require a large voltage drop between the vacuum stages (e.g., "in-source dissociation"). To accommodate these large, fast-moving molecules, a relatively high gas pressure may be required in the downstream vacuum stage. Therefore, in this case, the pump speed may be set below the threshold pump speed, thereby causing the vacuum stage to have a relatively high pressure level (e.g., greater than 150 mTorr in the first vacuum region after the ion funnel of the atmospheric pressure inlet associated with the mass spectrometer).

[0052] As another example, if the pump management system 102 determines that the mass spectrometer is to operate to perform a bakeout process for one or more components of the mass spectrometer, the pump management system 102 may set the pump speed below a threshold pump speed, which may cause the pump to generate less heat from operating at a lower pump speed, thereby allowing other areas of the mass spectrometer to heat to elevated temperature levels during the bakeout process without exceeding any temperature limits internal to one or more components.

[0053] As another example, the pump management system 102 may determine that the mass spectrometer is to operate to perform a collision-based mass spectrometry process. As mentioned, this particular process may require or be otherwise optimized by a relatively high pressure level in one or more vacuum stages generated by a turbopump associated with the mass spectrometer. Therefore, the pump management system 102 may set the pump speed below a threshold pump speed.

[0054] In some examples, the pump management system 102 may additionally and / or alternatively monitor one or more conditions associated with the mass spectrometer while the mass spectrometer is in operation and adjust the pump speed of the turbo pump to account for changes in the one or more conditions.

[0055] To illustrate, Figure 5 shows another example method 500 for managing a turbo pump for a mass spectrometer. While Figure 5 shows example operations according to one embodiment, other embodiments may omit, add, reorder, and / or modify any of the operations shown in Figure 5. One or more of the operations shown in Figure 5 may be performed by pump management system 102, any one or more components included therein, and / or any implementation thereof.

[0056] In operation 502, the pump management system 102 may monitor conditions associated with the mass spectrometer while the mass spectrometer is in operation (e.g., while the mass spectrometer is operating according to an operating mode for analyzing a sample) using one or more instruments external to the turbopump used to generate one or more vacuum stages for the mass spectrometer.

[0057] The conditions may include any suitable type of condition associated with the mass spectrometer. For example, the conditions may include temperature levels associated with one or more components of the mass spectrometer and / or turbo pump. Additionally and / or alternatively, the conditions may include pressure levels in at least one of the one or more vacuum stages generated by the turbo pump. Additionally and / or alternatively, the conditions may include runtime durations associated with the mass spectrometer, error rates or events associated with the mass spectrometer (e.g., contamination events, incorrect calibration events, etc.), humidity levels associated with the turbo pump and / or one or more components of the mass spectrometer, etc.

[0058] As mentioned, the pump management system 102 may monitor conditions associated with the mass spectrometer using one or more instruments external to the turbopump (e.g., not contained within the turbopump). For example, the one or more instruments may include one or more sensors and / or gauges located within one or more components of the mass spectrometer. Additionally or alternatively, the one or more instruments may be external to the mass spectrometer. For example, the one or more instruments may include one or more sensors and / or gauges located within the environment (e.g., a laboratory) of the mass spectrometer. The one or more sensors and / or gauges may be configured to measure temperature, pressure levels, etc., as may be useful for a particular implementation.

[0059] In operation 504, the pump management system 102 may determine, based on the monitoring, that the condition changes beyond a threshold. The threshold may be selected based on one or more characteristics of the component associated with the condition. For example, the characteristics may include a maximum or ideal operating temperature and / or pressure level associated with the component.

[0060] In operation 506, the pump management system 102 may adjust the pump speed of a turbo pump used to generate one or more vacuum stages for the mass spectrometer while the mass spectrometer is operating based on the condition changing above a threshold.

[0061] For example, pump speed may be decreased based on a determination that a temperature level associated with a turbo pump and / or mass spectrometer increases above a threshold value, which may serve to reduce or otherwise regulate the temperature level, thereby preventing or minimizing downtime required to cool the instrument if the temperature level becomes too high.

[0062] In response, the pump speed may be increased based on a determination that the temperature level decreases beyond a threshold. For example, after decreasing the pump speed to help cool components of the mass spectrometer, the pump management system 102 may determine that the temperature level returns to within an acceptable range. The pump management system 102 may then increase the pump speed to the speed before the pump speed was decreased.

[0063] In some embodiments, adjusting the pump speed may include temporarily shutting down a turbo pump and / or other components of the mass spectrometer's vacuum system.

[0064] Although operation 506 is described as adjusting the pump speed based on a condition changing beyond a threshold, it should be understood that the pump speed may be adjusted based on a condition meeting any suitable criteria associated with the mass spectrometer. For example, the criteria may include one or more of a condition exceeding a threshold, a condition falling below a threshold, and / or a rate of change of a condition above a threshold. In some examples, the criteria may include a determination of whether a condition changes beyond a threshold within a particular period and / or operating session.

[0065] In some embodiments, the pump speed may be continuously adjusted over time based on the value of the condition. For example, the pump speed may be continuously decreased as the temperature level associated with the mass spectrometer increases. Similarly, the pump speed may be continuously increased as the temperature level decreases.

[0066] While method 500 is shown as including acts 502-506, it should be understood that method 500 may include any number of additional and / or alternative acts associated with managing a turbo pump for a mass spectrometer. In some embodiments, for example, the pump management system 102 may continue to monitor a condition associated with the mass spectrometer after the pump speed is adjusted. The pump management system 102 may determine that the condition reverses at least a portion of the change above a threshold. For example, if the condition increases above a threshold, the pump management system 102 may determine that the condition decreases by at least a portion of the threshold. In some embodiments, that portion may be the entire threshold, such that the pump management system 102 determines that the condition reverses the entire change (e.g., returns to the value before the change occurred).

[0067] The pump management system 102 may readjust the pump speed based on a determination that the conditions reverse at least a portion of the change. For example, the pump speed may be returned to the pump speed setting and / or value before the pump speed adjustment.

[0068] In some embodiments, the pump management system 102 may manage multiple turbopumps used to generate multiple vacuum stages for a mass spectrometer. The pump management system 102 may selectively adjust any combination of turbopumps based on conditions. For example, the pump management system 102 may maintain the pump speed of one or more turbopumps while adjusting the pump speed of a particular turbopump (e.g., in operation 506). In some embodiments, one or more turbopumps may be associated with one or more pre-stages for a mass spectrometer than a particular turbopump. For example, one or more turbopumps may be associated with mass analyzer 306-1, while a particular turbopump is associated with mass analyzer 306-2.

[0069] In some embodiments, the pump management system 102 may monitor multiple conditions associated with the mass spectrometer. The pump management system 102 may determine when each of the multiple conditions changes beyond a respective threshold. For example, the pump management system 102 may determine when a temperature level associated with a first component of the mass spectrometer changes beyond a first threshold and when a temperature level associated with a second component of the mass spectrometer changes beyond a second threshold.

[0070] The pump management system 102 may adjust the pump speed of a turbo pump used to generate one or more vacuum stages for the mass spectrometer based on a number of conditions that change beyond respective thresholds during operation of the mass spectrometer. For example, the pump speed may be decreased based on a determination that a temperature level associated with a first component of the mass spectrometer increases beyond a first threshold and a temperature level associated with a second component of the mass spectrometer increases beyond a second threshold.

[0071] 6A shows an example configuration 600 for managing a turbo pump for a mass spectrometer. As shown, configuration 600 may include pump management system 102, mass spectrometer 104, and turbo pump 106. Configuration 600 may operate to perform various pump management functions as described herein, such as any of operations 402-406 of method 400 and / or operations 502-206 of method 500.

[0072] The pump management system 102 may include one or more modules for performing pump management functions. As shown, the pump management system 102 may include an operational mode module 602. The operational mode module 602 may be implemented by any suitable combination of hardware and / or software (e.g., by the processing facility 204). The operational mode module 602 may be configured to set a pump speed for the turbo pump 106 based on an operational mode of the mass spectrometer 104 (e.g., by performing operations 402-406). For example, as shown, the operational mode module 602 may receive input data 604. The input data 604 may include any type of input data as described herein, such as a user input indicating a selection of an operational mode for the mass spectrometer 104. The operational mode module 602 may determine the operational mode based on the input data 604. The operational mode module 602 may set a pump speed for the turbo pump 106 and operate the turbo pump 106 at the pump speed to generate one or more vacuum stages for the mass spectrometer 104.

[0073] 6B , the pump management system 102 may additionally and / or alternatively include a monitoring module 606. The monitoring module 606 may be implemented (e.g., by the processing facility 204) by any suitable combination of hardware and / or software. The monitoring module 606 may be configured to adjust the pump speed of the turbo pump 106 (e.g., by performing operations 502-506) based on conditions associated with the mass spectrometer 104 and / or the turbo pump 106. For example, as shown, the monitoring module 606 may receive status data from the turbo pump 106 and / or the mass spectrometer 104 while monitoring the turbo pump 106 and / or the mass spectrometer 104. The status data may indicate conditions associated with the turbo pump 106 and / or the mass spectrometer 104. The monitoring module 606 may determine that the conditions indicated by the status data change beyond a threshold (and / or otherwise meet one or more criteria). The monitoring module 606 may adjust the pump speed of the turbo pump 106 based on the determination. The turbo pump 106 may generate one or more stages of vacuum for the mass spectrometer 104 based on an adjusted pump speed.

[0074] In certain embodiments, one or more of the systems, components, and / or processes described herein may be implemented and / or executed by one or more appropriately configured computing devices. To this end, one or more of the systems and / or components described above may include or be implemented by any computer hardware and / or computer-implemented instructions (e.g., software) embodied on at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium configured to perform one or more of the processes described herein. In particular, system components may be implemented on one physical computing device or on two or more physical computing systems or devices. Thus, system components may include any number of computing device systems and devices and may employ any of several computer operating systems.

[0075] In certain embodiments, one or more of the processes described herein may be implemented, at least in part, as instructions embodied in a non-transitory computer-readable medium and executable by one or more computing devices. Generally, a processor (e.g., a microprocessor) receives instructions from a non-transitory computer-readable medium (e.g., a memory, etc.) and executes those instructions to thereby perform one or more processes, including one or more of the processes described herein. Such instructions may be stored and / or transmitted using any of a variety of known computer-readable media.

[0076] A computer-readable medium (also referred to as a processor-readable medium) includes any non-transitory medium that participates in providing data (e.g., instructions) that may be read by a computer (e.g., by a processor of a computer). Such media may take many forms, including, but not limited to, non-volatile and / or volatile media. Non-volatile media may include, for example, optical or magnetic disks and other persistent memory. Volatile media may include, for example, dynamic random access memory ("DRAM"), which typically constitutes main memory. Common forms of computer-readable media include, for example, disks, hard disks, magnetic tape, any other magnetic medium, compact disc read-only memory ("CD-ROM"), digital video discs ("DRAM"). disc, "DVD," any other optical medium, random access memory ("RAM"), programmable read-only memory ("PROM"), erasable programmable read-only memory ("EPROM"), FLASH-EEPROM, any other memory chip or cartridge, or any other tangible medium from which a computer can read.

[0077] 7 illustrates an exemplary computing device 700 that may be specifically configured to perform one or more of the operations, methods, and processes described herein. Any of the systems, computing devices, and / or other components described herein may be implemented by computing device 700.

[0078] As shown in Figure 7, computing device 700 may include a communication interface 702, a processor 704, a storage device 706, and an input / output ("I / O") module 708 communicatively coupled to each other via a communication infrastructure 710. While an exemplary computing device 700 is shown in Figure 7, the components illustrated in Figure 7 are not intended to be limiting. In other embodiments, additional or alternative components may be used. The components of computing device 700 shown in Figure 7 will now be described in further detail.

[0079] The communication interface 702 may be configured to communicate with one or more computing devices. Examples of the communication interface 702 include, but are not limited to, a wired network interface (such as a network interface card), a wireless network interface (such as a wireless network interface card), a modem, an audio / video connection, and any other suitable interface.

[0080] The processor 704 generally represents any type or form of processing unit capable of processing data and / or interpreting, executing, and / or directing the execution of one or more of the instructions, processes, and / or operations described herein. The processor 704 may perform operations by executing computer-executable instructions 712 (e.g., applications, software, code, and / or other executable data instances) stored on the storage device 706.

[0081] The storage device 706 may include one or more data storage media, devices, or configurations and may employ any type, form, and combination of data storage media and / or devices. For example, the storage device 706 may include, but is not limited to, any combination of non-volatile and / or volatile media described herein. Electronic data, including the data described herein, may be temporarily and / or permanently stored in the storage device 706. For example, data representing computer-executable instructions 712 configured to direct the processor 704 to perform any of the operations described herein may be stored in the storage device 706. In some examples, the data may be located in one or more databases residing in the storage device 706.

[0082] I / O module 708 may include one or more I / O modules configured to receive user input and provide user output. One or more I / O modules may be used to receive input for a single virtual experience. I / O module 708 may include any hardware, firmware, software, or combination thereof that supports input and output capabilities. For example, I / O module 708 may include hardware and / or software for capturing user input, including, but not limited to, a keyboard or keypad, a touchscreen component (e.g., a touchscreen display), a receiver (e.g., an RF or infrared receiver), a motion sensor, and / or one or more input buttons.

[0083] The I / O module 708 may include one or more devices for presenting output to a user, including, but not limited to, a graphics engine, a display (e.g., a display screen), one or more output drivers (e.g., a display driver), one or more audio speakers, and one or more audio drivers. In a particular embodiment, the I / O module 708 is configured to provide graphical data to a display for presentation to a user. The graphical data may represent one or more graphical user interfaces and / or any other graphical content, as may be useful for a particular implementation.

[0084] In the foregoing description, various exemplary embodiments have been described with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, it will be apparent that various modifications and changes may be made thereto, and additional embodiments may be implemented, without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims. For example, certain features of one embodiment described herein may be combined with or substituted for features of other embodiments described herein. Accordingly, the specification and drawings should be considered in an illustrative, and not a restrictive, sense.

[0085] The advantages and features of the present disclosure can be further explained by the following description.

[0086] Example 1. A method comprising: determining, by a pump management system, an operating mode for a mass spectrometer; setting, by the pump management system, a pump speed of a turbo pump used to generate one or more vacuum stages for the mass spectrometer based on the operating mode; and operating, by the pump management system, the turbo pump at the pump speed while the mass spectrometer operates according to the operating mode.

[0087] Example 2. The method of example 1, wherein determining an operating mode for the mass spectrometer includes determining that the operating mode is a first operating mode when a molecular size of a sample analyzed by the mass spectrometer is less than a threshold molecular size, and determining that the operating mode is a second operating mode when a molecular size of a sample analyzed by the mass spectrometer is greater than the threshold molecular size, and wherein setting the pump speed includes setting the pump speed above the threshold pump speed for the first operating mode and setting the pump speed below the threshold pump speed for the second operating mode.

[0088] Example 3. The method of any of the preceding examples, wherein determining the operating mode occurs before the mass spectrometer operates in accordance with the operating mode.

[0089] Example 4. The method of any of the preceding examples, further comprising obtaining, by the pump management system, input data provided by a user, and wherein determining the operating mode for the mass spectrometer is based on the input data provided by the user.

[0090] Example 5. The method of any of the preceding examples, wherein obtaining input data includes detecting a user selection of a particular operating mode from a list of predefined operating modes presented within a user interface provided by an application executed by a computing device configured to control the mass spectrometer.

[0091] Example 6. The method of any of the preceding examples, wherein determining the mode of operation for the mass spectrometer is based on determining that the mass spectrometer will operate to perform a collision-based mass analysis process.

[0092] Example 7. The method of any of the preceding examples, wherein determining the mode of operation for the mass spectrometer is based on a sample analyzed by the mass spectrometer that includes an oligonucleotide.

[0093] Example 8. The method of any of the preceding examples, wherein determining an operating mode for the mass spectrometer is based on determining that the mass spectrometer will operate to perform a bakeout process for one or more components of the mass spectrometer, and wherein setting the pump speed includes setting the pump speed to be below a threshold pump speed.

[0094] Example 9. The method of any of the preceding examples, further including: monitoring, by a pump management system, a condition associated with the mass spectrometer while the mass spectrometer is operating according to the operating mode; determining, by the pump management system based on the monitoring, that the condition changes beyond a threshold; and adjusting, by the pump management system, a pump speed while the mass spectrometer is operating based on the condition changing beyond the threshold.

[0095] Example 10. The method of any of the preceding examples, wherein the condition includes a temperature level associated with at least one of the turbopump or the one or more components of the mass spectrometer.

[0096] Example 11. The method of any of the preceding examples, wherein determining that the condition changes beyond a threshold value includes determining that the temperature level increases beyond a threshold value, and adjusting the pump speed includes decreasing the pump speed.

[0097] Example 12. The method of any of the preceding examples, wherein the condition includes a pressure level in at least one of the one or more vacuum stages.

[0098] Example 13. The method of any of the preceding examples, wherein determining that the condition changes beyond a threshold value includes determining that the pressure level increases beyond a threshold value, and adjusting the pump speed includes increasing the pump speed.

[0099] Example 14. The method of any of the preceding examples, wherein the pump speed specifies the frequency at which one or more fan blades rotate within the turbopump to generate one or more vacuum stages.

[0100] Example 15. A method comprising: monitoring, by a pump management system, a condition associated with a mass spectrometer while the mass spectrometer is in operation, using one or more instruments external to a turbopump used to generate one or more vacuum stages for the mass spectrometer; determining, by the pump management system based on the monitoring, that the condition changes beyond a threshold; and adjusting, by the pump management system, a pump speed of the turbopump based on the condition changing beyond the threshold and while the mass spectrometer is in operation.

[0101] Example 16. The method of any of the preceding examples, wherein the condition includes a temperature level associated with at least one of the turbopump or the one or more components of the mass spectrometer.

[0102] Example 17. The method of any of the preceding examples, wherein determining that the condition changes beyond a threshold value includes determining that the temperature level increases beyond a threshold value, and adjusting the pump speed includes decreasing the pump speed.

[0103] Example 18. The method of any of the preceding examples, wherein the condition includes a pressure level in at least one of the one or more vacuum stages.

[0104] Example 19. The method of any of the preceding examples, further comprising determining, by the pump management system, an operating mode for the mass spectrometer, and adjusting the pump speed is further based on the operating mode.

[0105] Example 20. A system comprising: a mass spectrometer configured to analyze molecules of a sample; and a computing device communicatively coupled to the mass spectrometer and configured to execute a process, the process including: determining an operating mode for the mass spectrometer; setting a pump speed of a turbo pump used to generate one or more vacuum stages for the mass spectrometer based on the operating mode; and operating the turbo pump at the pump speed while the mass spectrometer operates according to the operating mode.

Claims

1. determining, by a pump management system, an operating mode for the mass spectrometer; setting, by the pump management system based on the operating mode, a pump speed of a turbo pump used to generate one or more vacuum stages for the mass spectrometer; operating the turbo pump at the pump speed with the pump management system while the mass spectrometer is operating according to the operating mode. method.

2. Determining the mode of operation for the mass spectrometer comprises: determining that the mode of operation is a first mode of operation if a molecular size of a sample analyzed by the mass spectrometer is less than a threshold molecular size; determining that the mode of operation is a second mode of operation if the molecular size of the sample analyzed by the mass spectrometer is greater than the threshold molecular size; Setting the pump speed comprises: setting the pump speed above a threshold pump speed for the first mode of operation; setting the pump speed below the threshold pump speed for the second mode of operation. The method of claim 1.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the determining the operating mode occurs before the mass spectrometer operates according to the operating mode.

4. obtaining, by the pump management system, input data provided by a user; determining the operating mode for the mass spectrometer is based on the input data provided by the user. The method of claim 1.

5. 5. The method of claim 4, wherein the acquiring the input data comprises detecting the user's selection of a particular operating mode from a list of predefined operating modes presented within a user interface provided by an application executed by a computing device configured to control the mass spectrometer.

6. determining, by the pump management system, that the mass spectrometer will be operated to perform a particular type of mass spectrometry process; determining the operating mode for the mass spectrometer is based on the determination that the mass spectrometer will operate to perform the particular type of mass analysis process. The method of claim 1.

7. identifying, by the pump management system, a characteristic of the sample to be analyzed by the mass spectrometer; determining the operating mode for the mass spectrometer based on the identifying the characteristic. The method of claim 1.

8. determining the operating mode for the mass spectrometer based on determining that the mass spectrometer operates to perform a bakeout process for one or more components of the mass spectrometer; setting the pump speed includes setting the pump speed below a threshold pump speed. The method of claim 1.

9. monitoring, by the pump management system, conditions associated with the mass spectrometer while the mass spectrometer is operating according to the operating mode; determining, by the pump management system based on the monitoring, that the condition changes beyond a threshold; and adjusting, by the pump management system, the pump speed while the mass spectrometer is operating based on the condition changing beyond the threshold. The method of claim 1.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the condition includes a temperature level associated with at least one of the turbopump or one or more components of the mass spectrometer.

11. determining that the condition has changed beyond the threshold includes determining that the temperature level has increased beyond the threshold; adjusting the pump speed includes decreasing the pump speed. The method of claim 10.

12. The method of claim 9 , wherein the condition comprises a pressure level in at least one of the one or more vacuum stages.

13. determining that the condition has changed beyond the threshold includes determining that the pressure level has increased beyond the threshold; adjusting the pump speed includes increasing the pump speed. The method of claim 12.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the pump speed specifies a frequency at which one or more fan blades rotate within the turbopump to generate the one or more vacuum stages.

15. monitoring conditions associated with the mass spectrometer while the mass spectrometer is operating with a pump management system using one or more devices external to a turbopump used to generate one or more vacuum stages for the mass spectrometer; determining, by the pump management system based on the monitoring, that the condition changes beyond a threshold; and adjusting, by the pump management system, a pump speed of the turbo pump while the mass spectrometer is operating based on the condition changing beyond the threshold. method.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the condition includes a temperature level associated with at least one of the turbopump or one or more components of the mass spectrometer.

17. determining that the condition changes beyond a threshold includes determining that the temperature level increases beyond the threshold; adjusting the pump speed includes decreasing the pump speed.

17. The method of claim 16.

18. The method of claim 15 , wherein the condition comprises a pressure level in at least one of the one or more vacuum stages.

19. determining, by the pump management system, an operating mode for the mass spectrometer; adjusting the pump speed is further based on the operating mode.

16. The method of claim 15.

20. a mass spectrometer configured to analyze molecules of the sample; a computing device communicatively coupled to the mass spectrometer and configured to execute a process, the process comprising: determining an operating mode for the mass spectrometer; setting a pump speed of a turbo pump used to generate one or more vacuum stages for the mass spectrometer based on the mode of operation; operating the turbo pump at the pumping speed while the mass spectrometer is operating according to the operating mode. system.

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