METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR FLUID INJECTION

• US 3,695,281 A
• Filed: 11/16/1970
• Issued: 10/03/1972
• Est. Priority Date: 11/16/1970
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Technicon Instruments Corporation
• Original Assignee: Luis P. Leon
• Inventors: Leon, Luis P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nilson, Robert G.
• Application Number:
  US05/089,753
• Time in Patent Office: 687 Days
• Field of Search: 137/1,13,154,602,604 23/23A,253A 73/53,423A 259/4 356/179,181
• US Class Current: 137/1
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 11/00 Multiple-way valves, e.g. mixing valves; Pipe fittings incorporating such valves
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/0318 Processes
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/2931 Diverse fluid containing pressure systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/87571 Multiple inlet with single outlet

Abstract

A fluid injection device for incorporation in automated apparatus for the quantitative analysis of a substance transported in a flowing liquid stream segmented by gas bubbles or other immiscible fluid segments. The device includes a body defining an elongated fluid passageway portion. One end of the passageway portion provides an inlet for fluid or gas under pressure through a tube extending into the passageway portion from the last-mentioned end toward the other end thereof, which tube has a discharge end portion received axially within the passageway portion. An inlet for unsegmented liquid under pressure communicates with the passageway portion, upstream of the aforementioned discharge end portion of the tube, providing for axial injection of gas into the stream of liquid flowing from the liquid inlet toward the other end of the passageway portion. By varying the resistance to liquid flow in the area around the discharge end of the tube the size of the bubbles injected into the liquid stream may be changed.

Claims

1. A fluid injection device for a continuous-flow sample analysis system utilizing at least one segmented liquid stream in a utilization conduit, comprising:

a first unobstructed fluid passageway conduit for laminar liquid flow therethrough, having an inlet and having an outlet connected to said utilization conduit, a second unobstructed fluid passageway conduit extending a distance inwardly into a portion of said first fluid passageway conduit of uniform diameter, having an outlet axially directed within said portion of said first fluid passageway conduit in a direction toward and terminating short of said first passageway conduit outlet, said second passageway conduit having an inlet without said first passageway conduit, said inlet of said first passageway conduit being adapted to receive a stream of unsegmented liquid, said inlet of said second passageway conduit being adapted to receive a stream of segmenting fluid immiscible with said liquid, and said outlet of said first passageway conduit being adapted to discharge segmented liquid, and means in said first conduit, downstream from said second conduit outlet, creating a predetermined resistance to flow of said fluid from the last-mentioned outlet, thereby determining the size and frequency of the segments of said immiscible fluid.

2. A method of injecting a fluid into a stream of liquid immiscible therewith for utilization in a sample analysis system comprising:

flowing a first stream constituted by a liquid under pressure on a path toward an analysis utilization conduit, injecting axially into said first stream a second stream flowing in the same direction as said first stream to segment the latter, which second stream is constituted by a fluid under pressure which is immiscible with said liquid, and creating by confinement a predetermined resistance to flow of said first stream in the area where said second stream is injected into said first stream, thereby determining the size and frequency of the segments in said first stream.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein:

there is provided a conduit for said second stream having an inlet and having an outlet, and said first stream is flowed along and around the outlet portion of the last-mentioned conduit.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein said second stream is injected concentrically into said first stream.

5. A method of injecting a fluid into a stream of liquid immiscible therewith for utilization in a sample analysis system comprising:

flowing a first stream constituted by a liquid under pressure on a path toward an analysis utilization conduit, injecting axially into said first stream a second stream flowing in the same direction as said first stream to segment the latter, which second stream is constituted by a gas under pressure which is immiscible with said liquid, and creating by confinement a predetermined resistance to flow of said first sTream in the area where said second stream is injected into said first stream, thereby determining the size and frequency of the segments in said first stream.