APPARATUS FOR REDUCING THE DISSOLVED GAS CONCENTRATION IN A LIQUID

• US 3,751,879 A
• Filed: 04/26/1971
• Issued: 08/14/1973
• Est. Priority Date: 04/26/1971
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Robert W. Allington
• Original Assignee: Robert W. Allington
• Inventors: Allington, Robert W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Zaharna, Samih N.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Burks, Richard W.
• Application Number:
  US05/137,381
• Time in Patent Office: 841 Days
• Field of Search: 55/16,158,189 117/161ZA 210/21-23,321,433,456
• US Class Current: 96/5
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 19/0031 by filtration
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 1/34 Purifying; Cleaning processes or apparatus for extracting or separating nucleic acids from biological samples C12N15/1003
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2001/4016 being a selective membrane, e.g. dialysis or osmosis
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2030/146 using membranes
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 30/34 of fluid composition, e.g. gradient G01N30/36 takes precedence

Abstract

Apparatus for reducing the dissolved gas concentration in a liquid, for example, a liquid flowing in chromatographic system, utilizing the ability of the gas dissolved in the liquid to pass through a gas permeable membrane. The liquid is exposed to one surface of the membrane and the opposite surface of the membrane is provided with a coating of gas-soluble substance for increasing the permeability of the membrane and thereby enhancing the permeation of the gas through the membrane. Further, in various embodiments of the invention, a chamber is provided opposite or surrounding the coated membrane and, in accordance with the teachings of the present invention, the chamber may be vented to the atmosphere, evacuated and sealed or communicated to a means for establishing a pressure in the chamber sufficiently lower than the pressure of the liquid exposed to the membrane such that the permeation of the gas through the membrane is enhanced. Additionally, the chamber may be provided with absorbent or adsorbent material for accommodating gas permeated through the membrane.

Claims

1. Gas removing apparatus comprising:

a housing having a plurality of openings formed therein;

tubular flow means within said housing having an inlet and outlet;

inlet means for connecting said flow means inlet to a chromatographic column having a solvent with gas dissolved therein through a path free of introduced, undissolved gas; and

outlet means for connecting the flow means outlet to an analyzing device;

said tubular flow means including membrane means for lowering the dissolved gas concentration of the solvent to a level below the saturation level of the gas in the solvent;

said membrane means including a membrane which is more permeable to the gas than to the solvent and a coat on said membrane in which said gas is soluble;

said membrane having a first side and a second side;

said first side being positioned to contact said solvent and said second side contacting said coat.

2. Gas removing apparatus according to claim 1 in which said coat is a film of liquid in which said gas is appreciably soluble.

3. Gas removing apparatus according to claim 2 in which said film of liquid is a film of light silicone.

4. Gas removing apparatus according to claim 2 in which said film of liquid is a film of a fluorosilicone liquid.

5. Gas removing apparatus according to claim 1 in which said coat is a film of solid silicone compound.

6. Gas removing apparatus according to claim 1 in which said coat is a film of solid fluorosilicone compound.

7. Gas removing apparatus according to claim 1 in which:

said housing further includes a compartment adjacent to the membrane;

said chromatographic apparatus further includes pressure means for creating a pressure in said compartment less than the pressure within said tubular flow means, whereby gas is removed from said solvent in said flow means.

8. Gas removing apparatus according to claim 7 further including pump means for evacuating said compartment to provide the pressure differential.

9. Gas removing apparatus according to claim 8 in which said membrane adjacent to said compartment is elongated and curved with a large surface area extending over a narrow section of said compartment.

10. Gas removing apparatus according to claim 9 in which the length of said flow means is large compared to its width.

11. Gas removing apparatus according to claim 10 in which said membrane is self-supporting and said pump means includes a means for creating a relatively large pressure differential in said cOmpartment.

12. Gas removing apparatus according to claim 10 in which said membrane is thin and said flow means further includes a porous member between said membrane and said compartment supporting said membrane thereover.

13. Gas removing apparatus according to claim 10 in which said coat is a film of liquid in which said gas is appreciably soluble.

14. Gas removing apparatus according to claim 13 in which said film of liquid is a film of light silicone.

15. Gas removing apparatus according to claim 13 in which said film of liquid is a film of fluorosilicone liquid.

16. Gas removing apparatus according to claim 10 in which said coat is a film of solid silicone compound.

17. Gas removing apparatus according to claim 10 in which said coat is a film of solid fluorosilicone compound.

18. Gas removing apparatus according to claim 1 in which:

said housing further includes a compartment adjacent to said membrane;

said compartment including means for sorbing said gas in said chamber.

19. Gas removing apparatus according to claim 18 in which said means for sorbing includes an absorbent material.

20. Gas removing apparatus according to claim 18 in which said means for sorbing includes adsorbent material.

21. Gas removing apparatus according to claim 19 in which said coat is a film of liquid in which said gas is appreciably soluble.

22. Gas removing apparatus according to claim 21 in which said film of liquid is a film of light silicone.

23. Gas removing apparatus according to claim 21 in which said film of liquid is a film of fluorosilicone liquid.

24. Gas removing apparatus according to claim 19 in which said coat is a film of solid silicone compound.

25. Gas removing apparatus according to claim 19 in which said coat is a film of solid fluorosilicone compound.

26. Gas removing apparatus according to claim 20 in which said coat is a film of liquid in which gas is appreciably soluble.

27. Gas removing apparatus according to claim 26 in which said film of liquid is a film of light silicone.

28. Gas removing apparatus according to claim 26 in which said film of liquid is a film of fluorosilicone liquid.

29. Gas removing apparatus according to claim 20 in which said coat is a film of solid silicone compound.

30. Gas removing apparatus according to claim 20 in which said coat is a film of solid fluorosilicone compound.