Liquid Chromatography Mobile Phase Storage with Pressure Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional liquid chromatography devices waste a significant amount of mobile phase eluant when replacing the container, as the remaining eluant is disposed of along with the container, leading to inefficiency and unnecessary waste.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a gas transfer pump and a storage chamber with a liquid level detector, allowing the eluant to be completely used by reducing pressure in the storage chamber and ensuring continuous supply to the injection valve, with a check valve to prevent excessive negative pressure and a discharge pipe design to manage bubbles.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a large volume mobile phase container is used to achieve successive analysis of multiple samples, then the productivity is improved, but a large amount of unused eluant is wasted when the container is replaced
Solution Approach 1:
The mobile phase container is divided into two separate containers: a large-volume container for storing the main eluant supply and a small-volume storage chamber for the actual analysis process. This segmentation allows the large container to be refilled without disrupting analysis, while the small chamber ensures complete eluant utilization.
Solution Approach 2:
A storage chamber acts as an intermediary between the large mobile phase container and the injection valve. This intermediate chamber receives eluant from the large container and supplies it to the analysis system, allowing the large container to be replaced or refilled without wasting remaining eluant.
2Reliability
If the mobile phase container is replaced when eluant level is low, then the reliability of continuous analysis is maintained, but the remaining eluant is disposed of together with the container
Solution Approach 1:
The system separates the mobile phase storage into a large refillable container and a small analysis chamber. The large container can be replaced when empty without affecting the analysis chamber, which still contains usable eluant. This eliminates the need to discard remaining eluant when replacing containers.
Solution Approach 2:
The storage chamber is pre-filled with eluant from the large container before analysis begins. When the large container is replaced, the storage chamber already contains sufficient eluant to continue analysis, eliminating waste of remaining eluant.
3Loss of substance
If a gas transfer pump is used to reduce pressure in the storage chamber for complete eluant utilization, then the loss of substance is reduced, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
A gas transfer pump is used to create negative pressure in the storage chamber, which draws remaining eluant from the large container into the storage chamber and then into the analysis system. This pneumatic approach is simpler than mechanical pumping methods and effectively retrieves residual eluant.
Solution Approach 2:
The pressure parameter in the storage chamber is dynamically changed by the gas transfer pump to create a pressure gradient that drives eluant flow. By controlling pressure changes, the system maximizes eluant recovery without requiring complex mechanical intervention.
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 the eluant is used completely, preventing waste and maintaining efficient sample analysis even during container replacement, stabilizing the eluant supply and preventing excessive pressure issues.
Implementation Method 1
a gas transfer pump connected to an upper portion of the storage chamber for discharging gas in the storage chamber to outside to reduce pressure in the storage chamber to allow the liquid in the container to be introduced into the storage chamber
Data Source
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AI summary
A liquid chromatography device A includes a column 1 containing a filler, an injection valve 4 capable of introducing a sample into the column 1 and also capable of introducing a liquid mobile phase into the column 1, and a mobile phase feeder 3 for feeding the liquid mobile phase from a mobile phase container B containing the liquid mobile phase to the column 1 via the injection valve 4. Between the mobile phase container B and the injection valve 4 is provided a storage chamber 5 for temporarily storing the liquid mobile phase sent from the mobile phase container B. The device further includes a liquid level detection sensor for detecting the liquid level of the liquid mobile phase in the storage chamber 5. This structure allows the liquid for use in analysis to be used completely without being wasted.