COLUMN HEATER WITH ACTIVE PRE-HEATING

• US 20130052083A1
• Filed: 01/11/2011
• Published: 02/28/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/11/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Waters Technologies Corporation (Waters Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Waters Technologies Corporation (Waters Corporation)
• Inventors: Kirby, Peter, Lin, Tony A., Trudeau, Steven D.
• Granted Patent: US 9,453,824 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 422/70
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 1/142 using electric energy supply
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2030/3007 same temperature for whole column
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2030/3061 column or associated structural member used as heater
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 30/30 of temperature
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 30/54 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 2203/021 Heaters specially adapted for heating liquids
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 3/42 non-flexible

Abstract

To heat a flowing liquid, an apparatus includes a heater block assembly having a heater block made of thermally conductive material. The heater block assembly has a tube inlet, a tube outlet, and a tube path between the tube inlet and tube outlet. Tubing extends through the tube path from the tube inlet to the tube outlet. The tubing is in thermal communication with the heater block. A heater cartridge, in thermal communication with the heater block, is configured to provide heat to the heater block for transfer to liquid flowing through the tubing between the tube inlet and the tube outlet of the heater block assembly. Circuitry is in electrical communication with the heater cartridge to control a temperature of the heater block by controlling operation of the heater cartridge.

Claims

1. An apparatus for heating a flowing liquid, comprising:

a heater block assembly including a heater block made of thermally conductive material, the heater block assembly having a tube inlet, a tube outlet, and a tube path between the tube inlet and the tube outlet;

tubing extending through the tube path from the tube inlet to the tube outlet, the tubing being in thermal communication with the heater block;

a heater cartridge in thermal communication with the heater block, the heater cartridge configured to provide heat to the heater block for transfer to liquid flowing through the tubing between the tube inlet and the tube outlet of the heater block assembly; and

circuitry in electrical communication with the heater cartridge to control a temperature of the heater block by controlling operation of the heater cartridge.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a temperature sensor in thermal communication with the heater block to provide an indication of the temperature of the heater block, and wherein the circuitry is in electrical communication with the temperature sensor to determine therefrom the temperature of the heater block.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the tube path between the tube inlet and the tube outlet is serpentine through the heater block assembly.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein a length of the serpentine tube path is less than approximately two inches.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the tube path is entirely linear between the tube inlet and the tube outlet.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a column fitting configured to couple an end of the tubing that emerges from the tube outlet of the heater block assembly to an inlet port of a liquid chromatography column.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, further comprising a tube fitting configured to couple an opposite end of the tubing that enters the tube inlet of the heater block assembly to an outlet port of a sample manager.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the circuitry includes a resistor used by external electronic circuitry to recognize the apparatus.

9. A thermal module for pre-heating liquid flowing into a liquid chromatography column, comprising:

a column compartment configured to hold a liquid chromatography column, the column compartment having an elongated trough compartment with two ends, one of the two ends having an electrical socket; and

a pre-heater assembly plugged into the electrical socket at the one end of the trough compartment, the pre-heater assembly including;

a heater block assembly including a heater block made of thermally conductive material, the heater block having a tube inlet, a tube outlet, and a tube path between the tube inlet and tube outlet;

tubing extending through the tube path from the tube inlet to the tube outlet, the tubing being in thermal communication with the heater block;

a heater cartridge in thermal communication with the heater block, the heater cartridge configured to provide heat to the heater block for transfer to liquid flowing through the tubing between the tube inlet and the tube outlet of the heater block assembly; and

circuitry in electrical communication with the heater cartridge to control a temperature of the heater block by controlling operation of the heater cartridge.

10. The thermal module of claim 9, further comprising a column fitting configured to couple one end of the tubing that emerges from the tube outlet of the heater block assembly to an inlet port of a liquid chromatography column.

11. The thermal module of claim 10, further comprising a tube fitting configured to couple an opposite end of the tubing that enters the tube inlet of the heater block assembly to an outlet port of a sample manager.

12. The thermal module of claim 10, further comprising a temperature sensor in thermal communication with the heater block to provide an indication of the temperature of the heater block, and wherein the circuitry is in electrical communication with the temperature sensor to determine therefrom the temperature of the heater block.

13. The thermal module of claim 10, further comprising a second electrical socket disposed at the other end of the trough compartment and a trough slidable within the trough compartment, the trough configured to hold a liquid chromatography column and to cover an unused one of the two electrical sockets.

14. The thermal module of claim 10, wherein one end of the trough compartment has a groove for receiving the tubing.

15. The thermal module of claim 10, wherein the circuitry includes a resistor used by external electronic circuitry to recognize a presence of the pre-heater assembly in the thermal module.

16. The thermal module of claim 10, wherein the pre-heater assembly further comprises a leaf-spring carrier having a pair of opposing springy prongs, and wherein the heater block assembly is disposed between the prongs.

17. The thermal module of claim 16, further comprising a receptacle configured to snap into the electrical socket of the trough compartment and to receive the leaf-spring carrier.

18. A method of pre-heating a liquid flowing into a liquid chromatography column, the method comprising:

passing a fluidic sample-solvent composition through tubing that is in thermal communication with a heater block made of thermally conductive material such that heat from the heater block transfers to the fluidic sample-solvent composition as the fluidic sample-solvent composition passes through the tubing;

dynamically measuring current temperature of the heater block as the fluidic sample-solvent composition passes through the tubing; and

controlling the current temperature of the heater block in response to the dynamic measurement.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising moving heated fluidic sample-solvent composition out of the heater block into the liquid chromatography column.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the tube path is of sufficient length to heat the fluidic sample-solvent composition, when flowing in the tubing at a flow rate of approximately 2 mls per minute, from approximately 4 degrees Centigrade to approximately 90 degrees Centigrade.