Chromatography system and constant temperature bath for chromatography

Abstract

To provide a chromatographic system capable of obtaining analysis results with high reproducibility without lowering usability and a chromatographic constant temperature oven.SOLUTION: A chromatographic system 300 includes a chromatographic constant temperature oven 100 and a chromatograph 200. The chromatographic constant temperature oven 100 includes a housing unit 110 and an air supply unit. The housing unit 110 accommodates the chromatograph 200. An opening 117 for access to the chromatograph 200 is formed in the housing unit 110. The air supply unit forms an air curtain 4 for closing the opening 117 of the housing unit 110.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a chromatograph system and a thermostat for a chromatograph.

Background Art

[0002] A chromatograph is known as an analyzer that separates substances contained in a sample into different components. For example, in the liquid chromatograph described in Patent Document 1, a eluent is supplied by an eluent supply means, and a sample is introduced into the eluent by a sample introduction means. The eluent containing the sample is introduced into a separation column. The sample passes through the separation column at different times for each component. Thereby, the sample is separated into components. The components eluted from the separation column are detected by a detection means.

[0003] In the analysis by a liquid chromatograph, the feeding stability of the eluent by the feeding means, the peak retention time by the separation column, and the baseline of the signal by the detection means change depending on the ambient temperature. Therefore, in Patent Document 1, one or more of the feeding means, the sample introduction means, the separation column, and the detection means are housed in the housing of a thermostat. Inside the housing, air heated by a heater is circulated by a fan. Thereby, the temperature inside the housing is maintained at a constant temperature.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] In the liquid chromatograph described in Patent Document 1, access to the liquid delivery means, sample introduction means, separation column, or detection means is restricted by the thermostat housing, resulting in reduced usability. Furthermore, opening and closing the thermostat housing each time the liquid delivery means, sample introduction means, separation column, or detection means is accessed causes temperature changes in the air inside the housing, reducing the reproducibility of the analytical results. This is because changes in temperature alter the density of the solvent, and even if the operation of the liquid delivery pump remains constant, the amount of solvent delivered changes.

[0006] In particular, in GPC (gel permeation chromatography) analysis, where molecular weight is calculated from peak retention time, the reproducibility of peak retention time is extremely important. Furthermore, when a differential refractive index (RI) detector is used as the detection method, the density of the eluent changes with changes in ambient temperature. In this case, the back pressure applied to the RI detector changes, causing the baseline to fluctuate significantly. Therefore, it becomes more difficult to obtain analytical results with high reproducibility.

[0007] The object of the present invention is to provide a chromatograph system and a constant temperature bath for chromatographs that can obtain analytical results with high reproducibility without compromising usability. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] One aspect of the present invention relates to a chromatograph system comprising a chromatograph and a constant temperature bath for a chromatograph, wherein the constant temperature bath for a chromatograph includes a housing portion that houses the chromatograph and has an opening for accessing the chromatograph, and an air supply portion that forms an air curtain that closes the opening of the housing portion.

[0009] Another aspect of the present invention relates to a constant temperature bath for a chromatograph, comprising a housing portion for housing the chromatograph and having an opening for accessing the chromatograph, and an air supply portion for forming an air curtain that closes the opening of the housing portion. [Effects of the Invention]

[0010] According to the present invention, analysis results can be obtained with high reproducibility without compromising usability. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0011] [Figure 1] This figure shows the configuration of a chromatograph system according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] Figure 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the configuration of the constant temperature bath. [Figure 3] This is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating the operation of the housing. [Figure 4] This is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the configuration of a constant temperature bath according to the first modified example. [Figure 5] This is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the configuration of a constant temperature bath according to the second modified example. [Figure 6] This is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the configuration of a constant temperature bath according to a third modified example. [Figure 7] This is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the configuration of a constant temperature bath according to the fourth modified example. [Figure 8] This is a diagram showing an example of an outside air intake section. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0012] (1) Configuration of the chromatograph system Hereinafter, a chromatograph system and a constant temperature bath for the chromatograph according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Figure 1 is a diagram showing the configuration of a chromatograph system according to one embodiment of the present invention. As shown in Figure 1, the chromatograph system 300 comprises a constant temperature bath for the chromatograph 100 (hereinafter simply referred to as the constant temperature bath 100) and a chromatograph 200.

[0013] The constant temperature bath 100 includes a housing 110 for housing the chromatograph 200. Details of the constant temperature bath 100 will be described later. In this example, the chromatograph 200 is a liquid chromatograph and includes a liquid delivery unit 210, a sample supply unit 220, a column oven 230, a detector 240, and a processing unit 250. The chromatograph 200 is also equipped with several (two in the example in Figure 1) solvent bottles 201, 202. Different solvents are stored in each of the solvent bottles 201, 202. The solvent may be aqueous or an organic solvent.

[0014] The liquid delivery unit 210 is, for example, a liquid delivery pump. The liquid delivery unit 210 pressurizes the solvent stored in one or both of the solvent bottles 201 and 202, selected by a switching valve (not shown), as the mobile phase. A degassing device (not shown) is interposed between the liquid delivery unit 210 and the solvent bottles 201 and 202. The sample supply unit 220 is, for example, an autosampler. The sample supply unit 220 introduces the sample to be analyzed, along with the mobile phase pressurized by the liquid delivery unit 210, into the separation column 231, which will be described later.

[0015] The column oven 230 adjusts the temperature of the internal space to a predetermined constant temperature. The separation column 231 is housed inside the column oven 230. The separation column 231 separates the sample introduced together with the mobile phase into components based on differences in chemical properties or composition. The detector 240 is, for example, an RI (differential refractive index) detector. The detector 240 detects the components of the sample separated by the separation column 231 and provides a detection signal indicating the detection intensity to the processing device 250.

[0016] The processing unit 250 includes, for example, a CPU and memory. The processing unit 250 may further include an operating unit operated by the user, or a display unit that displays analysis results, etc. The processing unit 250 controls the operation of the liquid delivery unit 210, the sample supply unit 220, the column oven 230, and the detector 240. The processing unit 250 also processes the detection signal provided by the detector 240 to generate a liquid chromatogram as an analysis result, which shows the relationship between the retention time and detection intensity of each component of the sample by the separation column 231.

[0017] (2) Configuration of the thermostat FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the configuration of the thermostat 100 in FIG. 1. As shown in FIG. 2, the thermostat 100 includes a housing part 110, a fan 120, a temperature sensor 130, and a temperature control part 140. The housing part 110 includes four side faces 111 to 114 and an upper face 115. The side faces 111 to 114 are installed on the installation surface 301 of the chromatograph system 300. The upper face 115 is provided above the side faces 111 to 114.

[0018] The inner space 116 is formed by the side faces 111 to 114, the upper face 115, and the installation surface 301. The side face 111 and the side face 112 face each other with the inner space 116 interposed therebetween. The side face 113 and the side face 114 face each other with the inner space 116 interposed therebetween. In the following description, is referred to as the front, and the opposite direction (the direction from the side face 111 toward the side face 112) is referred to as the rear.

[0019] An opening 117 is formed in the front face (in this example, the side face 111) of the housing part 110. The opening 117 is an opening for accessing the chromatograph 200. Therefore, the opening 117 has a size that allows at least a user to pass an arm through. In this example, in the vertical direction, the size of the opening 117 is greater than or equal to the size of the chromatograph 200, but the size of the opening 117 may be less than the size of the chromatograph 200.

[0020] The fan 120 is provided at the upper part of the back face (in this example, the side face 112) of the housing part 110. The position where the fan 120 is provided is not particularly limited. The fan 120 takes in the gas (outside air) outside the housing part 110 and forms an air curtain that closes the opening 117 by an air flow including the taken-in outside air. The path of the air flow will be described later.

[0021] The temperature sensor 130 is housed in the internal space 116. The temperature sensor 130 includes, for example, a thermistor and detects the temperature of the internal space 116. In this example, the temperature sensor 130 is positioned near the opening 117 in the internal space 116 and detects the temperature of the air curtain. The temperature detected by the temperature sensor 130 is provided to the temperature control unit 140.

[0022] The temperature control unit 140 includes, for example, a CPU and memory, and is housed in the internal space 116. The temperature control unit 140 may also be a PID control circuit. Alternatively, the temperature control unit 140 may be provided outside the housing 110. For example, the temperature control unit 140 may be implemented by the processing unit 250 of the chromatograph 200. In Figure 3 and subsequent figures described later, the temperature control unit 140 will not be shown. The temperature control unit 140 controls the operation of the fan 120 based on the temperature provided by the temperature sensor 130.

[0023] (3) Operation of the constant temperature bath Figure 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating the operation of the housing 110. As shown in Figure 3, the chromatograph 200 is housed in the internal space 116 of the housing 110. In this example, the chromatograph 200 includes multiple modules 260. Each module 260 is one of the liquid delivery unit 210, sample supply unit 220, column oven 230, detector 240, and processing unit 250 shown in Figure 1. Some modules 260 may also be degassers or mixers, etc., which are not shown.

[0024] Each module 260 includes a housing 261 and a fan 262. The housing 261 has a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape. The fan 262 is located inside the housing 261, on or near one end face. In the housing 261 of each module 260, the end face on which the fan 262 is located is the back, and the opposite end face is the front. One or more holes for airflow are formed on the front of the housing 261. Holes may also be formed on other end faces of the housing 261.

[0025] In the following description, the front and back of the housing 261 will be referred to as the front and back of the module 260, respectively. Each module 260 is placed in the internal space 116 with its front facing forward and its back facing backward. Multiple modules 260 may also be stacked in multiple layers (three layers in the example in Figure 3). In this case, the footprint of the constant temperature bath 100 can be reduced. In this example, solvent bottles 201 and 202 are placed on top of the uppermost module 260. This further reduces the footprint of the constant temperature bath 100.

[0026] When the chromatograph 200 is in operation, the fans 262 of each module 260 operate. In this case, air in front of the module 260 is drawn in through the holes on the front of the housing 261, and the internal air is released from the rear as exhaust 1 along with heat. The exhaust 1 released from the rear of the module 260 rises through the space between the rear of the module 260 and the side portion 112 of the housing 110, and reaches the front of the fan 120.

[0027] The fan 120 takes in outside air 2 from the housing 110 and supplies it to the internal space 116. In this example, the outside air 2 is supplied to the internal space 116 by the fan 120 in a nearly horizontal manner. As a result, an airflow 3 consisting of a mixture of the exhaust 1 from the front of the fan 120 and the outside air 2 is formed in the internal space 116. The airflow 3 is pushed forward by the fan 120, passing over the uppermost module 260, and then descends along the front of the multiple modules 260. This causes the airflow 3 to circulate. The airflow 3 descending along the front of the multiple modules 260 forms an air curtain 4 that closes the opening 117 of the housing 110.

[0028] The temperature sensor 130 detects the temperature of the air curtain 4. The temperature control unit 140 in Figure 2 controls the rotation speed of the fan 120 based on the temperature detected by the temperature sensor 130. In this case, the amount of outside air 2 taken in is adjusted, so that the temperature of the air curtain 4 is kept constant. Therefore, even if the temperature outside the constant temperature chamber 100 fluctuates greatly, the temperature fluctuation in the internal space 116 is suppressed to a certain level or lower.

[0029] (4) Effects In the chromatograph system 300 according to this embodiment, the entire chromatograph 200, including solvent bottles 201, 202 and connecting piping, is housed in a housing 110. An opening 117 is formed in the housing 110. With this configuration, the user can access the chromatograph 200 through the opening 117 without opening or closing the housing 110. The user can also visually check the state of the chromatograph 200 through the opening 117.

[0030] Access to the chromatograph 200 includes changing solvent bottles 201 and 202, attaching and detaching the rack of the sample supply unit 220, or operating the control panel of the processing unit 250. Visual confirmation of the status of the chromatograph system 300 includes visual confirmation of the remaining amount of mobile phase in solvent bottles 201 and 202, or visual confirmation of the display panel of the processing unit 250. In the vertical direction, the size of the opening 117 of the housing 110 may be greater than or equal to the size of the chromatograph 200. In this case, the user can more easily access the chromatograph 200 or visually confirm its status.

[0031] Since the opening 117 of the housing 110 is closed by the air curtain 4, the ambient air surrounding the chromatograph system 300 is restricted from entering the housing 110. Therefore, even if the ambient temperature around the chromatograph system 300 changes, the temperature change inside the housing 110 is small, and the impact on the analysis results is also small. As a result, analysis results can be obtained with high reproducibility without compromising usability.

[0032] Furthermore, the internal temperature of the housing 110 is detected by the temperature sensor 130. Based on the temperature detected by the temperature sensor 130, the temperature control unit 140 suppresses changes in the internal temperature of the housing 110 to a certain level or lower. With this configuration, even if the ambient temperature around the chromatograph system 300 changes, changes in the internal temperature of the housing 110 are further reduced. This improves the reproducibility of the analysis results.

[0033] In this embodiment, temperature control is performed by adjusting the amount of outside air 2 taken in. In this case, an air curtain 4 can be easily formed while maintaining the temperature inside the housing 110. Furthermore, the amount of outside air 2 taken in is adjusted by controlling the rotation speed of the fan 120. This allows the amount of outside air 2 taken in to be adjusted with a simple configuration.

[0034] Furthermore, an airflow 3, consisting of a mixture of exhaust gas 1 from the chromatograph 200 and outside air 2 drawn in by the fan 120, is formed by the fan 120 and circulated inside the housing 110. The airflow 3 that closes the opening 117 becomes an air curtain 4. In this case, the heat contained in the exhaust gas 1 from the chromatograph 200 is used as a heat source for temperature control inside the housing 110. This reduces the cost required for temperature control. Since each module 260 of the chromatograph 200 includes a fan 262 that discharges exhaust gas 1 from the rear, the airflow 3 can be circulated inside the housing 110 with a simple configuration.

[0035] (5) Variant (a) First variation Figure 4 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the configuration of the constant temperature bath 100 according to the first modification. As shown in Figure 4, the constant temperature bath 100 in this example further includes an auxiliary curtain 150. The auxiliary curtain 150 is attached to the side portion 111 of the housing portion 110 and closes the opening 117. A weight may be provided at the bottom of the auxiliary curtain 150.

[0036] In this configuration, the opening 117 is closed by the auxiliary curtain 150, but the user can access the chromatograph 200 or view its status by lifting the auxiliary curtain 150. Therefore, temperature fluctuations in the internal space 116 can be reduced with minimal reduction in usability. In addition, since the airflow 3 descends along the auxiliary curtain 150, the air curtain 4 that closes the opening 117 can be formed more easily.

[0037] The auxiliary curtain 150 may be made of a light-transmitting material. In this case, the user can more easily see the state of the chromatograph 200 without having to lift the auxiliary curtain 150. If the internal space 116 is dark and it is difficult to see the state of the chromatograph 200, a lighting device may be provided in the internal space 116.

[0038] The specific material for the auxiliary curtain 150 may be polytetrafluoroethylene or acrylic. If the auxiliary curtain 150 is made of acrylic, its surface may be treated with an anti-corrosion coating. Alternatively, the opening 117 may be closed by a sliding shutter such as a fume hood instead of the auxiliary curtain 150.

[0039] (b) Second variation Figure 5 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the configuration of the constant temperature bath 100 according to the second modification. The differences between the constant temperature bath 100 according to the second modification and the constant temperature bath 100 according to the first modification in Figure 4 will be explained. As shown in Figure 5, the auxiliary curtain 150 in this example is shorter in the vertical direction than the auxiliary curtain 150 in the first modification. Therefore, the lower part of the opening 117 is exposed from the auxiliary curtain 150. The vertical size of the opening 117 exposed from the auxiliary curtain 150 may be larger than or equal to the size through which a user can put their arm (for example, 15 cm).

[0040] Here, the effect on the sample supply unit 220 when the ambient temperature changes is smaller than the effect on the other modules 260. Also, the frequency with which the user accesses the sample supply unit 220, such as attaching and detaching the rack, is greater than the frequency with which the user accesses the other modules 260. Therefore, in this example, the sample supply unit 220 is positioned as the lowest module 260, and the other sample supply units 220 are stacked on top of it.

[0041] With this arrangement, at least a portion of the sample supply unit 220 does not overlap horizontally with the auxiliary curtain 150. Therefore, the user can access the sample supply unit 220 by passing their arm through the opening 117 without having to lift the auxiliary curtain 150. Furthermore, as described above, the effect of temperature changes on the sample supply unit 220 is small, so even if the sample supply unit 220 does not overlap horizontally with the auxiliary curtain 150, the reproducibility of the analysis results due to temperature changes is hardly reduced. This makes it possible to obtain analysis results with high reproducibility while improving usability.

[0042] In this example, the sample supply unit 220 is located at the bottom, but the embodiment is not limited to this. The sample supply unit 220 may be located at any position. In this case as well, the auxiliary curtain 150 may be installed so as not to overlap the sample supply unit 220 horizontally.

[0043] (c) Third variation Figure 6 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the configuration of a constant temperature bath 100 according to a third modified example. As shown in Figure 6, the constant temperature bath 100 in this example further includes an auxiliary heater 160. In this example, the auxiliary heater 160 is a film heater in which a heating wire is sealed in a film made of polyethylene terephthalate, but it may be another type of heater. Also, in this example, the auxiliary heater 160 is placed on the air path, but it may be placed at any position in the internal space 116.

[0044] The auxiliary heater 160 heats the gas in the internal space 116. This allows the temperature in the internal space 116 to be maintained at a desired value even when the amount of heat released from the multiple modules 260 along with the air is small. In Figure 2, the temperature control unit 140 controls the operation of the fan 120 based on the temperature provided by the temperature sensor 130, but the embodiment is not limited to this. If the constant temperature bath 100 includes the auxiliary heater 160, the temperature control unit 140 may control the operation of the auxiliary heater 160 based on the temperature provided by the temperature sensor 130. In this case, the temperature in the internal space 116 can be controlled more easily.

[0045] (d) Fourth variation In the constant temperature bath 100 shown in Figures 3 to 6, the fan 120 operates as an outside air intake unit that takes in outside air 2 and as an air supply unit that forms an airflow 3, but the embodiment is not limited to this. The outside air intake unit and the air supply unit may be provided separately. In this case, the temperature inside the internal space 116 can be controlled more easily. Figure 7 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the configuration of a constant temperature bath 100 according to a fourth modification. As shown in Figure 7, the fan 120 is provided on the side surface 111 of the housing 110 and operates as an air supply unit.

[0046] Furthermore, the constant temperature chamber 100 is further equipped with an outside air intake section 170. The outside air intake section 170 is provided, for example, above the fan 120 on the upper surface 115 of the housing section 110. The outside air intake section 170 takes in outside air 2 from above the housing section 110 and supplies it to the internal space 116 below. The outside air intake section 170 also has a slit with a variable opening ratio. The outside air intake section 170 adjusts the amount of outside air 2 taken in by changing the opening ratio of the slit.

[0047] Figure 8 shows an example of an outside air intake section 170. As shown in Figure 8, the outside air intake section 170 includes a fixed plate 171 and a movable plate 172. Each of the fixed plate 171 and the movable plate 172 has a rectangular shape. In Figure 8, a hatch pattern is provided on the fixed plate 171 and a dot pattern is provided on the movable plate 172 for easier visibility.

[0048] The fixed plate 171 has a plurality of slits 173 that extend in the width direction and are arranged in the longitudinal direction. The movable plate 172 has a plurality of slits 174 that correspond to each of the plurality of slits 173 in the fixed plate 171. The movable plate 172 is provided so as to overlap the fixed plate 171 and can slide longitudinally relative to the fixed plate 171 by an actuator (not shown).

[0049] The overlapping region between each slit 173 and its corresponding slit 174 forms the slit of the outside air intake section 170. As the movable plate 172 slides longitudinally relative to the fixed plate 171, the overlapping region between each slit 173 and its corresponding slit 174 changes. This changes the opening ratio of the slits in the outside air intake section 170.

[0050] In the upper example of Figure 8, approximately half of the area of ​​each slit 173 overlaps with the corresponding slit 174. In this case, the slit opening ratio is 50%. In the middle example of Figure 8, each slit 173 completely overlaps with the corresponding slit 174. In this case, the slit opening ratio is 100%. In the lower example of Figure 8, each slit 173 does not overlap with the corresponding slit 174 at all. In this case, the slit opening ratio is 0%. Thus, the slit opening ratio can be adjusted within the range of 0 to 100%.

[0051] As shown in Figure 7, when the chromatograph 200 is in operation, the fan 262 of each module 260 operates. In this case, air in front of the module 260 is drawn in through the holes on the front of the housing 261, and the internal air is released from the rear as exhaust 1 along with heat. The exhaust 1 released from the rear of the module 260 rises through the space between the rear of the module 260 and the side portion 112 of the housing 110, then passes over the uppermost module 260 and reaches the space between the fan 120 and the outside air intake 170.

[0052] The fan 120 forms an airflow 3 consisting of a mixture of the upper exhaust 1 and the outside air 2. The formed airflow 3 is pushed downward by the fan 120 and descends along the front of the multiple modules 260. This causes the airflow 3 to circulate. The airflow 3 descending along the front of the multiple modules 260 forms an air curtain 4 that closes the opening 117 of the housing 110.

[0053] The temperature sensor 130 detects the temperature of the air curtain 4. The temperature control unit 140 in Figure 2 controls the opening ratio of the slits in the outside air intake unit 170 based on the temperature detected by the temperature sensor 130. In this case, the amount of outside air 2 taken in is adjusted, thereby maintaining a constant temperature for the air curtain 4. Therefore, even if the temperature outside the constant temperature bath 100 fluctuates greatly, the temperature fluctuation in the internal space 116 is suppressed to a certain level or lower.

[0054] In the fourth modified example, the positions of the outside air intake section 170 and the fan 120 are not limited. The outside air intake section 170 may be provided on a side surface other than the top surface 115 of the housing section 110. The fan 120 may be provided on a side surface other than the side surface 111 of the housing section 110, or at any position in the internal space 116. In addition, a fan other than the fan 120 may be provided instead of the outside air intake section 170. In this case, the amount of outside air 2 taken in is adjusted by controlling the rotation speed of the fan.

[0055] As described above, various modifications can be made to the constant temperature bath 100. Furthermore, the above modifications may be implemented in combination. For example, the auxiliary curtain 150 in Figure 4 or Figure 5 may be provided on the constant temperature bath 100 in Figure 6 or Figure 7. When the auxiliary curtain 150 in Figure 5 is provided on the constant temperature bath 100, the sample supply unit 220 may be arranged as the lowest module 260. Also, the auxiliary heater 160 in Figure 6 may be provided on the constant temperature bath 100 in Figure 7.

[0056] (6) Other embodiments (a) In the above embodiment, the airflow 3 is circulated in the internal space 116 of the housing 110, but the embodiment is not limited thereto. As long as an air curtain 4 is formed that closes the opening 117 of the housing 110, the airflow 3 does not have to be circulated in the internal space 116 of the housing 110. Therefore, the module 260 may be arranged so that the fan 262 faces in any direction.

[0057] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the air curtain 4 is formed to flow from top to bottom, but the embodiment is not limited to this. The direction in which the air curtain 4 flows is not particularly limited. Therefore, the air curtain 4 may be formed to flow from bottom to top.

[0058] Alternatively, the air curtain 4 may be formed to flow from side portion 113 to side portion 114, or from side portion 114 to side portion 113. Furthermore, the upper region of the opening 117 may be closed by a first air curtain flowing from side portion 113 to side portion 114, and the lower region of the opening 117 may be closed by a second air curtain flowing from side portion 114 to side portion 113. The first air curtain and the second air curtain may circulate with each other.

[0059] (b) In the above embodiment, the constant temperature bath 100 includes a temperature sensor 130 and a temperature control unit 140, but the embodiment is not limited thereto. If the temperature change inside the housing 110 is sufficiently small, the constant temperature bath 100 does not need to include a temperature sensor 130 and a temperature control unit 140.

[0060] (c) In the above embodiment, the housing portion 110 includes four side portions 111 to 114 and a top portion 115, but the embodiment is not limited thereto. The shape of the housing portion 110 is not particularly limited as long as the housing portion 110 houses the chromatograph 200 and an opening 117 is formed in the housing portion 110. Therefore, the housing portion 110 does not have to include four side portions 111 to 114 and a top portion 115.

[0061] (d) In the above embodiment, the chromatograph 200 is composed of a plurality of modules 260, but the embodiment is not limited thereto. The chromatograph 200 may be an integrated unit.

[0062] (e) In the above embodiment, the constant temperature bath 100 may be distributed as a separate product that does not include the chromatograph 200. In this case, a user who acquires the constant temperature bath 100 will constitute a chromatograph system 300 by housing their own chromatograph 200 in the constant temperature bath 100.

[0063] Here, the dimensions of the chromatograph 200 vary depending on the type of chromatograph 200. In particular, when the chromatograph 200 is composed of multiple modules 260, the dimensions of the chromatograph 200 vary widely depending on the type and number of modules 260. Therefore, the dimensions of the housing section 110 appropriate for housing the chromatograph 200 differ for each chromatograph 200.

[0064] Therefore, the housing 110 may be distributed in a form in which its dimensions can be changed. For example, the housing 110 may be distributed in the form of multiple (e.g., four) support columns and a sheet. The length of each support column can be adjusted by adding extensions to the legs, etc. Also, the size and shape of the sheet can be adjusted by processing such as cutting.

[0065] With this configuration, the user can adjust the length and spacing of the multiple support columns according to the dimensions of the chromatograph 200 to be housed. Furthermore, the user can form the side sections 111-114 and the top section 115 by attaching sheets of appropriate size and shape between and on top of the multiple support columns. This allows for the creation of a housing section 110 of appropriate dimensions to accommodate the chromatograph 200.

[0066] (7) Appearance Those skilled in the art will understand that the above-described exemplary embodiments are specific examples of the following embodiments.

[0067] (Article 1) A chromatographic system relating to one aspect is: Chromatography and, Equipped with a constant temperature bath for chromatography, The aforementioned constant temperature bath for the chromatograph is A housing portion that houses the chromatograph and has an opening for accessing the chromatograph, The system may also include an air supply unit that forms an air curtain to close the opening in the housing.

[0068] In this chromatograph system, the entire chromatograph is housed within a casing. The casing has an opening, allowing the user to access the chromatograph through the opening without having to open or close the casing. Furthermore, the user can visually inspect the chromatograph's status through the opening.

[0069] Furthermore, since the opening in the housing is closed by an air curtain, the ambient air surrounding the chromatograph system is restricted from entering the housing. Therefore, even if the temperature around the chromatograph system changes, the temperature change inside the housing is small, and the impact on the analysis results is also small. As a result, analysis results can be obtained with high reproducibility without compromising usability.

[0070] (Article 2) In the chromatographic system described in Article 1, The aforementioned constant temperature bath for the chromatograph is A temperature sensor for detecting the internal temperature of the housing portion, The system may further include a temperature control unit that suppresses changes in the internal temperature of the housing to a certain level or lower based on the temperature detected by the temperature sensor.

[0071] This configuration reduces internal temperature fluctuations within the casing, even when the ambient temperature around the chromatograph system changes. This, in turn, improves the reproducibility of the analysis results.

[0072] (Article 3) In the chromatographic system described in Article 2, The aforementioned constant temperature bath for the chromatograph is The housing further includes an outside air intake section that takes in outside air, The temperature control unit may control the outside air intake unit to adjust the amount of outside air taken in, thereby suppressing changes in the temperature inside the housing to a certain level or lower.

[0073] In this case, an air curtain can be easily formed while maintaining the internal temperature of the housing.

[0074] (Article 4) In the chromatographic system described in Article 3, The aforementioned outside air intake section includes a first fan, The temperature control unit may adjust the amount of outside air taken in by the outside air intake unit by controlling the rotation speed of the first fan.

[0075] In this case, the amount of outside air taken in can be adjusted with a simple configuration.

[0076] (Section 5) In the chromatographic system described in Section 3, The aforementioned outside air intake section has a slit with a variable opening ratio. The temperature control unit may adjust the amount of outside air taken in by the outside air intake unit by controlling the opening ratio of the slit.

[0077] In this case, the amount of outside air taken in can be adjusted with a simple configuration.

[0078] (Article 6) In the chromatographic system described in any one of paragraphs 3 to 5, The air supply unit may form the air curtain by circulating a mixture of exhaust gas from the chromatograph and outside air taken in by the outside air intake unit inside the housing.

[0079] In this case, the heat contained in the exhaust from the chromatograph can be used as a heat source for temperature control inside the enclosure. This reduces the cost required for temperature control.

[0080] (Section 7) In the chromatographic system described in Section 6, The chromatograph may include a second fan that discharges exhaust air in the direction opposite to the opening of the housing.

[0081] In this case, the mixed gas can be circulated inside the housing with a simple configuration.

[0082] (Paragraph 8) In the chromatographic system described in paragraph 6 or 7, The aforementioned constant temperature bath for the chromatograph is The system may further include an auxiliary heater for heating the gas inside the housing.

[0083] In this case, even if the amount of heat contained in the exhaust from the chromatograph system is small, the internal temperature of the housing can be maintained at any desired value.

[0084] (Section 9) In the chromatographic system described in Section 2, The aforementioned constant temperature bath for the chromatograph is The housing section includes an outside air intake section for taking in outside air, The system further includes an auxiliary heater for heating the gas inside the housing, The air supply unit forms the air curtain by circulating a mixture of exhaust gas from the chromatograph and outside air taken in by the outside air intake unit inside the housing. The temperature control unit may suppress changes in the internal temperature of the housing to a certain level or lower by controlling the amount of heating by the auxiliary heater.

[0085] In this case, the temperature inside the housing can be easily adjusted. Furthermore, since the heat contained in the exhaust from the chromatograph can be used as a heat source for temperature control inside the housing, the cost of temperature control can be reduced. Moreover, even if the amount of heat contained in the exhaust from the chromatograph system is small, the temperature inside the housing can be maintained at a desired value.

[0086] (Paragraph 10) In the chromatographic system described in any one of paragraphs 1 to 9, The aforementioned constant temperature bath for the chromatograph is The system may further include an auxiliary curtain that closes the opening in the housing.

[0087] In this case, the opening of the housing is physically closed, further reducing changes in internal temperature. Furthermore, an air curtain to close the opening can be formed more easily. Additionally, the user can access the chromatograph or visually inspect its status by lifting the auxiliary curtain. As a result, analytical results can be obtained with higher reproducibility without significantly reducing usability.

[0088] (Section 11) In the chromatographic system described in Section 10, The auxiliary curtain may be made of a light-transmitting material.

[0089] In this case, the user can visually check the state of the chromatograph without having to lift the auxiliary curtain.

[0090] (Paragraph 12) In the chromatographic system described in paragraph 10 or 11, The auxiliary curtain does not obstruct a portion of the opening of the housing portion. The chromatograph may have a sample supply unit positioned horizontally to overlap with the opening that is not blocked by the auxiliary curtain.

[0091] In this case, the sample supply unit does not overlap horizontally with the auxiliary curtain. Therefore, the user can access the sample supply unit without lifting the auxiliary curtain. Here, since the effect of temperature changes on the sample supply unit is small, even if the sample supply unit does not overlap horizontally with the auxiliary curtain, the reproducibility of the analytical results due to temperature changes is hardly reduced. This improves usability while obtaining analytical results with high reproducibility.

[0092] (Paragraph 13) In the chromatographic system described in any one of paragraphs 1 to 12, In the vertical direction, the size of the opening in the housing portion may be greater than or equal to the size of the chromatograph.

[0093] In this case, the user can more easily access the chromatograph or visually inspect its condition.

[0094] (Clause 14) A constant temperature bath for chromatography in other embodiments is: A constant temperature bath for chromatography used in chromatography, A housing portion that houses the chromatograph and has an opening for accessing the chromatograph, The housing may also include an air supply unit that forms an air curtain to close the opening of the housing.

[0095] This constant-temperature chamber for chromatography allows for obtaining highly reproducible chromatographic analysis results without compromising usability. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0096] 1…Exhaust, 2…Outside air, 3…Airflow, 4…Air curtain, 100…Constant temperature bath, 110, 261…Housing section, 111~114…Side section, 115…Top section, 116…Internal space, 117…Opening, 120, 262…Fan, 130…Temperature sensor, 140…Temperature control section, 150…Auxiliary curtain, 160…Auxiliary heater, 170…Outside air intake section, 171…Fixed plate, 172…Movable plate, 173, 174…Slit, 200…Chromatograph, 201, 202…Solvent bottle, 210…Liquid delivery section, 220…Sample supply section, 230…Column oven, 231…Separation column, 240…Detector, 250…Processing section, 260…Module, 300…Chromatography system, 301…Mounting surface

Claims

1. Chromatography and, Equipped with a constant temperature bath for chromatography, The aforementioned constant temperature bath for the chromatograph is A housing portion that houses the chromatograph and has an opening for accessing the chromatograph, A chromatograph system including an air supply unit that forms an air curtain to close the opening of the housing portion.

2. The aforementioned constant temperature bath for the chromatograph is A temperature sensor for detecting the internal temperature of the housing portion, The chromatograph system according to claim 1, further comprising a temperature control unit that suppresses changes in the internal temperature of the housing to a certain level or less based on the temperature detected by the temperature sensor.

3. The aforementioned constant temperature bath for the chromatograph is The housing further includes an outside air intake section that takes in outside air, The chromatograph system according to claim 2, wherein the temperature control unit controls the outside air intake unit to adjust the amount of outside air taken in, thereby suppressing changes in the temperature inside the housing to a certain level or lower.

4. The aforementioned outside air intake section includes a first fan, The chromatograph system according to claim 3, wherein the temperature control unit adjusts the amount of outside air taken in by the outside air intake unit by controlling the rotation speed of the first fan.

5. The aforementioned outside air intake section has a slit with a variable opening ratio. The chromatograph system according to claim 3, wherein the temperature control unit adjusts the amount of outside air taken in by the outside air intake unit by controlling the opening ratio of the slit.

6. The chromatograph system according to any one of claims 3 to 5, wherein the air supply unit forms the air curtain by circulating a mixed gas of exhaust from the chromatograph and outside air taken in by the outside air intake unit inside the housing.

7. The chromatograph system according to claim 6, wherein the chromatograph includes a second fan that discharges exhaust air in the direction opposite to the opening of the housing.

8. The aforementioned constant temperature bath for the chromatograph is The chromatograph system according to claim 6, further comprising an auxiliary heater for heating the gas inside the housing.

9. The aforementioned constant temperature bath for the chromatograph is The housing section includes an outside air intake section for taking in outside air, The system further includes an auxiliary heater for heating the gas inside the housing, The air supply unit forms the air curtain by circulating a mixture of exhaust gas from the chromatograph and outside air taken in by the outside air intake unit inside the housing. The chromatograph system according to claim 2, wherein the temperature control unit controls the amount of heating by the auxiliary heater to suppress changes in the temperature inside the housing to a certain level or lower.

10. The aforementioned constant temperature bath for the chromatograph is The chromatograph system according to any one of claims 1 to 5 and 9, further comprising an auxiliary curtain for closing the opening of the housing portion.

11. The chromatograph system according to claim 10, wherein the auxiliary curtain is formed of a light-transmitting material.

12. The auxiliary curtain does not obstruct a portion of the opening of the housing portion. The chromatograph system according to claim 10, wherein the chromatograph has a sample supply unit positioned horizontally overlapping with the opening that is not blocked by the auxiliary curtain.

13. The chromatograph system according to any one of claims 1 to 5 and 9, wherein in the vertical direction, the size of the opening in the housing is greater than or equal to the size of the chromatograph.

14. A constant temperature bath for chromatography used in chromatography, A housing portion that houses the chromatograph and has an opening for accessing the chromatograph, A constant temperature bath for a chromatograph, comprising an air supply unit that forms an air curtain to close the opening of the housing portion.

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