Liquid Chromatography Sample Tray Temperature Averaging
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Solution Overview
Problem
Temperature variations within the sample compartment of liquid chromatography systems can cause unacceptable variations in sample temperatures, degrading analysis results and affecting accuracy and repeatability.
Innovation Solution
An apparatus featuring a thermally controllable sample compartment with a thermo-electric cooler, a tray drive for moving a sample tray, and a control module that coordinates the tray and needle drives to maintain temperature uniformity by averaging sample temperatures during loading operations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If thermoelectric cooling is used to cool the sample compartment below ambient temperature, then the overall temperature level is improved, but temperature uniformity across different locations deteriorates due to airflow restrictions
Solution Approach 1:
The sample tray is made movable along a defined path within the sample compartment, allowing dynamic repositioning of samples during the temperature averaging period. This dynamic movement enables samples to experience different temperature zones, thereby averaging out temperature variations and achieving uniform temperature distribution across all sample positions.
2Device complexity
If samples are kept stationary in fixed positions, then the device complexity is reduced, but temperature variation among samples increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements a movable sample tray that can be repositioned along a defined path during temperature averaging periods. This dynamic element, controlled by a tray drive mechanism coordinated with the needle drive, allows samples to traverse different thermal zones without requiring complex active temperature control for each sample position, thus achieving temperature uniformity with moderate added complexity.
3Stability of the object's composition
If the sample tray is moved during temperature averaging, then temperature uniformity is improved, but the time required for sample loading operations increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements periodic temperature averaging operations that occur during idle periods between sample loading cycles. The sample tray is moved along its defined path during these temperature averaging periods when no sample loading is taking place, thus achieving temperature uniformity without extending the actual sample loading time. The control module coordinates the tray drive and needle drive to ensure that temperature averaging occurs only when the sample loading sequence is not active.
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 apparatus effectively reduces temperature differences among samples, ensuring accurate and repeatable chromatographic measurements by averaging sample temperatures and maintaining them within a limited range.
Implementation Method 1
The sample compartment may be cooled to a temperature below the ambient temperature using thermoelectric cooling
Data Source
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AI summary
Described is an apparatus for reducing a temperature variation of a liquid chromatography sample. A tray drive using at least one of linear or rotational motion moves a sample tray along a path inside a sample compartment of the liquid chromatography system. A control module coordinates the movement of the sample tray by the tray drive and the movement of a sample needle by a needle drive so that any sample in the sample tray can be injected into the mobile phase of the system during a sample load operation. The tray drive is also used to move the sample tray along the path during a temperature averaging period when no loading occurs. Differences in sample temperatures due to variations in the air temperature at different locations inside the sample compartment are reduced, leading to more accurate and repeatable chromatographic measurement results.