Ionization Probe Localized Heating for Compact Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional ionization probes for atmospheric pressure ionization mass spectrometry often have user-touchable parts that can become excessively hot, requiring bulky thermal insulation to prevent burns, which increases the probe's size.
Innovation Solution
The ionization probe design includes an annular assist gas channel with a heater positioned only around the nozzle tip, where high-temperature assist gas is efficiently discharged to promote solvent gasification without heating the probe base, allowing for reduced size and safe operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If high temperature drying gas is used to promote solvent gasification, then ionization efficiency is improved, but the probe base becomes excessively hot requiring bulky thermal insulation
Solution Approach 1:
The heater is designed to heat only the assist gas in the heating section rather than the entire probe, creating a localized high-temperature zone. This allows the probe base to remain cool while still achieving effective solvent gasification, thus improving ionization efficiency without requiring bulky thermal insulation throughout the entire probe structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The probe is divided into distinct functional sections: a heating section with the heater for solvent gasification, and a probe base section that remains cool. This segmentation allows the heating function to be isolated to a specific region, enabling efficient ionization while keeping the user-contact portions of the probe at safe temperatures without requiring extensive thermal insulation.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If thermal insulation is added to prevent burns, then safety is improved, but the probe size increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of providing thermal insulation throughout the entire probe, the invention applies heating only to the assist gas in the heating section. This creates a localized high-temperature zone that does not propagate to the probe base, eliminating the need for bulky thermal insulation while still ensuring user safety through inherent thermal isolation of the heating zone.
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 configuration effectively prevents the probe base from overheating, eliminating the need for large thermal insulation and minimizing the probe's size while maintaining high ionization efficiency and analysis sensitivity.
Implementation Method 1
an annular heater arranged in said assist gas channel
Implementation Method 2
high temperature drying gas is used in addition to the nebulizer gas in order to promote the gasification of solvent from the atomized sample drops
Data Source
AI summary
In the ionization probe, an assist gas nozzle, coaxial with a nozzle, is provided around a nozzle that discharges a liquid sample. A housing inside which is formed an annular assist gas channel is provided around the assist gas nozzle. A gas inlet for introducing gas into the assist gas heating channel and gas outlet for feeding gas from channel to assist gas nozzle are provided at opposite locations across the center of the channel. Gas introduced into the assist gas heating channel is heated by a substantially annular heater, and high temperature gas is discharged through gas discharge hole of the assist gas nozzle. The heater and the channel through which high temperature gas flows are arranged solely at the tip part of the ionization probe, so thermal insulation of the probe base part can be easily accomplished.