Chromatography Bubble Trap with Permanent Opening for Degassing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional preparative HPLC systems face challenges in transferring gradient formation and process conditions to different dimensions and designs, with gas liberation during eluent gradient formation affecting NIR measurements and column integrity, and existing bubble traps inadequately degas eluents due to pressure constraints.
Innovation Solution
A chromatography system with a bubble trap having a permanent opening at its highest point, allowing adjustable degassing and excess liquid removal, and featuring two NIR detectors for continuous gradient monitoring and column integrity assessment, enabling flexible operation across various column dimensions and designs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional bubble traps under pressure are used, then the mixing circuit can maintain pressure, but the bubble traps cannot fulfil a complete degassing function
Solution Approach 1:
The system separates the bubble trap from the high-pressure mixing circuit by introducing a depressurization device. This segmentation allows the bubble trap to operate at low pressure for effective degassing, while the mixing circuit maintains high pressure for proper gradient formation. The bubble trap and mixing circuit are divided into independent pressure zones.
Solution Approach 2:
A depressurization device acts as an intermediary between the high-pressure mixing circuit and the low-pressure bubble trap. This intermediary component enables pressure transition, allowing eluent to be depressurized before entering the bubble trap for degassing, then repressurized before returning to the mixing circuit.
2Ease of operation
If gradient formation is controlled only by pump delivery volumes, then pump operation is simple, but volume contraction effects are not taken into consideration
Solution Approach 1:
The system incorporates NIR detectors that continuously monitor the actual gradient formation in the mixing circuit. This feedback information is used to detect and compensate for volume contraction effects, ensuring accurate gradient delivery despite changes in eluent composition and temperature.
Solution Approach 2:
The system replaces purely mechanical pump-based gradient control with an optical measurement system (NIR detection). This substitution enables real-time monitoring and compensation of volume contraction effects that cannot be detected by mechanical means alone.
3Stability of the object's composition
If gas is liberated during gradient formation, then eluent composition changes, but NIR measurement upstream of the column is adversely affected
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary degassing of the eluent in the bubble trap before the eluent enters the mixing circuit and undergoes gradient formation. By removing dissolved gases in advance, the system prevents gas liberation during gradient formation that would interfere with NIR measurements.
Solution Approach 2:
The bubble trap extracts and removes dissolved gases from the eluent through continuous degassing. This extraction of harmful gas components prevents their interference with subsequent NIR measurements and gradient formation processes.
4Reliability
If conventional preparative HPLC systems are built individually for certain dimensions, then each system is optimized for specific dimensions, but gradient formation is not transferable to different dimensions
Solution Approach 1:
The system introduces universal components including a bypass line with flow meter and control valve that can be used across different system configurations and dimensions. The NIR monitoring and feedback control mechanism provides a universal method for ensuring gradient accuracy regardless of system scale.
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables parameter adjustment and scaling by incorporating controllable valves and flow meters in the bypass line. This allows gradient parameters to be modified and optimized for different column dimensions while maintaining the same underlying gradient formation mechanism.
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
This solution ensures reproducible and stable gradient formation, improved column robustness, and continuous monitoring of system and column quality, allowing for timely adjustments and maintenance, thereby enhancing process reliability and quality.
Implementation Method 1
the liberation of gas dissolved in the eluent during gradient formation
Implementation Method 2
one upstream of the chromatography column and one downstream of the chromatography column
Data Source
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AI summary
A chromatography system comprising a mixing circuit or a mixing chamber, a bubble trap, a concentration detector and one or more pumps, characterized in that the bubble trap has a permanent opening at its highest point is described herein. Furthermore, a chromatography system is described, characterized in that it contains two concentration detectors the first of which is located in the mixing circuit or the mixing chamber and the second is located downstream of the main pump.