Atomic Absorption Instrument Internal Fluid Delivery System
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional atomic absorption instruments often require complex external hosing arrangements for delivering combustible mixtures, which are difficult to handle, prone to leakage, and unsightly, posing operational challenges.
Innovation Solution
An internal fluid delivery system with a mixing apparatus that combines fuels and oxidants within an internal chamber, eliminating the need for external hoses by using internal passageways to deliver the combustible mixture to the burner, enhancing user friendliness and reducing leakage issues.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If external hosing arrangements are used to deliver combustible mixture, then fluid delivery function is achieved, but device complexity and leakage risk increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates the fluid delivery function into the instrument housing by creating internal passageways within the housing structure itself. The housing serves dual purposes: providing structural support and acting as the fluid delivery conduit. This merging of functions eliminates the need for separate external hoses and connections, thereby reducing leakage risk and simplifying the overall device complexity.
2Ease of operation
If external hoses are used for fluid delivery, then flexibility in connection is achieved, but ease of operation deteriorates due to handling difficulty
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the fluid delivery function from external hoses and relocates it into the instrument housing. By removing the external hosing system and integrating the passageways internally, the patent eliminates the handling difficulties associated with external hoses while maintaining the necessary fluid delivery capability. This extraction improves ease of operation by eliminating cumbersome external connections.
3Device complexity
If internal passageways are used for fluid delivery, then device complexity is reduced, but manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the housing structure and fluid delivery passageways into a single integrated component. By molding or machining the passageways directly into the housing during the primary manufacturing process, the patent eliminates the need for separate assembly steps involving external hoses and connections. While this approach requires precision in the housing fabrication, it simplifies the overall system by reducing the number of parts and assembly operations.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The internal fluid delivery system simplifies the process of producing a combustible mixture, reduces the complexity and risk of leakage associated with external hoses, and provides a more user-friendly operation by integrating the mixing and delivery of fuels and oxidants within the instrument.
Implementation Method 1
The fluids are combined in an internal chamber of the mixing apparatus and delivered to the burner
Implementation Method 2
The burner outputs the combustible mixture to maintain a flame in which the sample is vaporized and element(s) of interest are atomized
Implementation Method 3
A nebulizer can produce a fine mist of sample droplets
Implementation Method 4
Atomic spectroscopy instruments can determine the presence and concentration of elements in liquid samples based on absorption, scattering, emission, or fluorescence by atoms
Data Source
AI summary
An atomic absorption instrument has a burner and a mixing apparatus for delivering a combustible mixture to the burner. The mixing apparatus includes a mixing chamber assembly having a plurality of internal delivery passageways. An end cap assembly holds a nebulizer closes a mixing chamber. The end cap assembly has a plurality of internal feed passageways through which fluid from the internal delivery passageways flows into the mixing chamber. Latch mechanisms couple the end cap assembly to the mixing chamber assembly. The latch mechanisms can be operated to remove the end cap assembly.