SYSTEM AND METHOD OF PRESSURE-CONTROLLED SPLITTING OF A CHEMICAL SAMPLE
First Claim
1. A method, comprising:
- transferring a sample from an injector source of a system to a first compression volume;
increasing pressure in the system at a steady rate while splitting the sample into a first portion that is transferred to a column of the system and a second portion that is transferred to a second compression volume of the system, wherein the first compression volume, the second compression volume, and the column are coupled by a tee;
separating chemical compounds of the sample from one another as a first portion of the sample moves through the column; and
conducting chemical analysis of the first portion of the sample with a detector.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Pressure-controlled splitting can be used to inject a chemical sample from an injection source to a detector (e.g., a mass spectrometer) for chemical analysis (e.g., gas chromatography or gas chromatography-mass spectrometry) with reduced peak widths. For example, the sample is first transferred to a first compression volume; then pressure in the system is increased to compress the sample to split it between a second compression volume and a column. The fraction of the sample split to the column can have reduced peak widths compared to the peak widths prior to compression and splitting yet can maintain the same peak height to preserve high sensitivity for trace level analysis. This portion of the sample can traverse the column and elute to the detector for analysis with reduced chemical noise. Faster injection rates can allow faster analysis times, as less separation of chemicals is needed before the sample reaches the detector.
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18 Claims
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1. A method, comprising:
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transferring a sample from an injector source of a system to a first compression volume; increasing pressure in the system at a steady rate while splitting the sample into a first portion that is transferred to a column of the system and a second portion that is transferred to a second compression volume of the system, wherein the first compression volume, the second compression volume, and the column are coupled by a tee; separating chemical compounds of the sample from one another as a first portion of the sample moves through the column; and conducting chemical analysis of the first portion of the sample with a detector. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A system, comprising:
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an injector source; a first compression volume fluidly coupled to the injector source at a first end of the first compression volume; a second compression volume; a column; a tee fluidly connecting a second end of the first compression volume, the second compression volume, and the column; a detector; and an electronic pressure controller configured to; transfer a sample from an injector source of a system to a first compression volume; and increase pressure in the system at a steady rate while splitting the sample between a second compression volume and a column, wherein; the column is configured to separate chemical compounds of the sample from one another as a first portion of the sample moves through the column, and the detector is configured to conduct chemical analysis of the first portion of the sample. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification