Solid-Phase Extraction Viscosity Feedback Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current solid-phase extraction apparatuses face challenges in maintaining consistent liquid-permeation speed across adsorbing, cleaning, and eluting steps due to varying viscosities of sample solutions, leading to inaccuracies in measurement component collection rates and processing abilities.

Innovation Solution

A solid-phase extraction apparatus that incorporates a viscosity measurement unit to monitor pressure inside the solution feed pipe, allowing for precise control of liquid-permeation speed in each step by adjusting pressure based on measured viscosity, ensuring consistent processing and improved accuracy.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If pressurized air is introduced into the solid-phase extraction cartridge to carry out pressurizing extraction, then the liquid-permeation speed can be increased and processing ability is improved, but the collection rate of measurement components becomes unstable due to viscosity variations in sample solutions

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprocessing abilityVSAvoidcollection rate stability
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a feedback control mechanism where the pressure control unit continuously monitors and adjusts the internal pressure of the solid-phase extraction cartridge based on the actual extraction process conditions. This feedback loop ensures that despite variations in sample solution viscosity, the liquid-permeation speed remains within the optimal range for maintaining stable collection rates, thus resolving the contradiction between improved productivity and maintained reliability

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements dynamic pressure control where the pressure applied to the sample solution is not fixed but is continuously adjusted during the extraction process. The pressure control unit modifies the internal pressure in real-time based on feedback signals, allowing the system to adapt to changing viscosity conditions and maintain optimal liquid-permeation speed throughout the extraction process, thereby ensuring stable collection rates while maintaining high processing ability

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Productivity

If the liquid-permeation speed is increased to improve processing ability, then more samples can be processed faster, but the adsorption efficiency decreases leading to inaccurate measurement component collection

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprocessing abilityVSAvoidcollection rate accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs dynamic pressure control to adjust the liquid-permeation speed during the extraction process. Rather than using a fixed high speed that would compromise adsorption efficiency, the system continuously modulates the pressure to maintain the liquid-permeation speed within an optimal range that balances both processing ability and adsorption efficiency, ensuring accurate measurement component collection while maintaining high productivity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the pressure parameter dynamically during the extraction process. The pressure control unit adjusts the internal pressure of the cartridge based on feedback, thereby controlling the liquid-permeation speed to remain within optimal boundaries. This parameter adjustment ensures that the system operates at conditions that maximize both processing speed and adsorption efficiency, resolving the contradiction between productivity and measurement precision

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

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 approach enables stable and accurate collection rates of measurement components by maintaining constant liquid-permeation speed, enhancing the overall analysis accuracy and processing ability regardless of sample solution viscosity.

Implementation Method 1

incorporates a viscosity measurement unit to monitor pressure inside the solution feed pipe

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPressure measurement:

Implementation Method 2

solid-phase extraction is carried out by introducing pressurized air into the solid-phase extraction cartridge

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPressure-driven flow: Pressure Gradient

Implementation Method 3

introducing pressurized air into the solid-phase extraction cartridge

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectGas compression: Gas Compressor

Implementation Method 4

If the affinity between a measurement component and the surface of the solid-phase extraction material is high when the sample solution passes through the solid-phase extraction material, the measurement component of the sample solution is selectively adsorbed

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectAdsorption: Adsorption

Data Source

PatentEP2730909B1Solid phase extraction device and viscosity measurement device
Publication Date: 2018.08.08 HITACHI HIGH TECH CORP
  • EP2730909B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2730909B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2730909B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A solid-phase extraction apparatus capable of carrying out highly accurate solid-phase extraction by automatically controlling liquid-permeation speeds in an adsorbing step, a cleaning step, and an eluting step of the solid-phase extraction in order to improve the accuracy of the collection rate of a measurement component(s) also in measurement of each of sample solutions respectively having different viscosities and to ensure a certain processing ability. The solid-phase extraction apparatus includes a sample dispensing unit 5 that dispenses a sample solution 1, a solid-phase extraction unit 6 that carries out a solid-phase extraction process of applying a pressure to the sample solution 1 dispensed by the sample dispensing unit 5 and extracting the measurement component from the sample solution 1, and a converting unit that measures the viscosity of the sample solution 1 and determines the pressure to be applied to a solid-phase extraction cartridge based on the information of the measured viscosity of the sample solution 1.