System and method for performing a chromatography injection sequence using a single injection valve
AssigneeWaters Technologies Corporation
InventorSylvain Cormier
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A rotary valve used in chromatography includes a stator with a plurality of stator ports arranged on the stator. The stator further includes a stator groove connected at one end to a first stator port and terminating between the first stator port and a second stator port adjacent to the first stator port. A rotor, rotatably fitted to the stator, has a plurality of arcuate channels arranged in an asymmetrical pattern on the rotor. Each rotor channel connects to one or more of the stator ports. Different connections of the rotor channels to the stator ports produce at least three different positions for the injection valve. The three different positions provide a complete chromatography sample injection sequence using only a single valve.
Claims19
A sample manager comprising:
- a sample loop;
- and
- a single injection valve configured to (i) depressurize the sample loop, (ii) draw a sample into the sample loop, and (iii) inject the sample in the sample loop into a pressurized fluidic stream, the injection valve having a stator and a rotor rotatably fitted to the stator, the stator having a plurality of stator ports arranged on the stator, the stator further including a stator groove connected at one end to a first one of the stator ports and terminating at an opposite end between the first stator port and a second one of the stator ports adjacent to the first stator port, the first stator port being fluidically coupled to a source of the pressurized fluidic stream, the second stator port being fluidically coupled to a destination of the pressurized fluidic stream, the rotor having a plurality of rotor grooves arranged in an asymmetrical pattern on the rotor, each of the rotor grooves connecting to one or more of the stator ports,
- wherein one of the rotor grooves has a length sufficient to connect together four adjacent stator ports and wherein the injection valve has at least three different positions including a first position in which a first one of the rotor grooves connects the stator groove to the second stator port to enable the pressurized fluidic stream arriving at the first stator port to flow directly to the second stator port towards the destination while the sample loop depressurizes.
A method of completely performing a chromatography injection sequence using only a single rotary valve having a stator and a rotor rotatably fitted to the stator, the stator having a plurality of stator ports arranged on the stator, the stator further including a stator groove connected at one end to a first one of the stator ports, an opposite end of the stator groove terminating between the first stator port and a second one of the stator ports that is adjacent to the first stator port, a third one of the stator ports being connected to an inlet of a sample loop, a fourth one of the stator ports being connected to an outlet of the sample loop, the rotor having a plurality of rotor grooves arranged in an asymmetrical pattern on the rotor, each of the rotor grooves connecting to one or more of the stator ports, the method comprising:
- delivering a pressurized fluidic stream to the first stator port;
- fluidically coupling the second stator port to a destination of the pressurized fluidic stream;
- placing the rotary valve into a first position in which a first one of the rotor grooves connects the stator groove to the second stator port to cause the pressurized fluidic stream arriving at the first stator port to flow through the stator groove directly to the second stator port and towards the destination, while the first position of the rotary valve blocks the inlet and outlet of the sample loop, enabling the sample loop to depressurize;
- changing the rotary valve from the first position to a second position in which the first rotor groove connects the first stator port to the second stator port to cause the pressurized fluidic stream arriving at the first stator port to flow directly to the second stator port, while enabling a sample to be drawn into the sample loop;
- and
- changing the rotary valve, by turning the rotary valve one-half step, from the second position to a third position to redirect the pressurized fluidic stream arriving at the first stator port through the sample loop containing the sample before the pressurized fluidic stream flows to the second stator port towards the destination.
A rotary valve used in chromatography, comprising:
- a stator having a plurality of stator ports arranged on the stator, the stator further including a stator groove, one end of the stator groove connecting to a first one of the stator ports and an opposite end of the stator groove terminating between the first stator port and a second one of the stator ports adjacent to the first stator port;
- and
- a rotor rotatably fitted to the stator, the rotor having a plurality of rotor grooves arranged in an asymmetrical pattern on the rotor, each of the rotor grooves connecting to one or more of the stator ports, wherein one of the rotor grooves has a length sufficient to connect together four adjacent stator ports and wherein different connections of the rotor grooves to the stator ports produce at least three different positions for the rotary valve, the three different positions of the rotary valve providing a complete chromatography sample injection sequence using only a single valve.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.