Apparatus and system for active heat transfer management in ESI ion sources
AssigneeThermo Finnigan LLC
InventorsOleg Silivra, Mark E. Hardman
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An electrospray ion source comprises: a needle capillary comprising a spray tip end and an opposite end; a nebulizing gas channel parallel to the needle capillary; an auxiliary gas channel parallel to the needle capillary; a heater parallel to a length of the auxiliary gas channel; a thermally conductive heat transfer member parallel to a length of the needle capillary and disposed between the needle capillary and the heater, said heat transfer member having a first end adjacent to the spray tip end of the needle capillary and a second end opposite to the first end; and a cooled heat sink member in thermal contact with the second end of the heat transfer member.
Claims14
An electrospray ion source comprising:
- a needle capillary comprising a spray tip end and an opposite end;
- a nebulizing gas channel parallel to the needle capillary;
- a heater parallel to a length of the auxiliary gas channel;
- a thermally conductive heat transfer member parallel to a length of the needle capillary and disposed between the needle capillary and the heater, said thermally conductive heat transfer member comprising:
- a tube or sleeve having an inner surface defining a passageway within which the needle capillary and the nebulizing gas channel are disposed, the tube or sleeve having a first end adjacent to the spray tip end of the needle capillary, a second end opposite to the first end and an outer surface;
- an internal chamber within a wall of the tube or sleeve and disposed between the outer surface and the inner surface of the tube or sleeve;
- and
- a liquid melt enclosed within the internal chamber, configured to establish, during operation, convection within the melt, thereby increasing a rate of heat transfer from the first end to the second end of the tube or sleeve;
- a cooled heat sink member in direct thermal contact with the second end of the heat transfer member;
- and
- an auxiliary gas channel parallel to the needle capillary, and disposed between the heat transfer member and the heater.
A system comprising:
- an electrospray ion source comprising:
- a needle capillary comprising a spray tip end and an opposite end;
- a nebulizing gas channel parallel to the needle capillary;
- a heater parallel to a length of the auxiliary gas channel;
- a thermally conductive heat transfer member parallel to a length of the needle capillary and disposed between the needle capillary and the heater, said thermally conductive heat transfer member comprising:
- a tube or sleeve having an inner surface defining a passageway within which the needle capillary and the nebulizing gas channel are disposed, the tube or sleeve having a first end adjacent to the spray tip end of the needle capillary, a second end opposite to the first end and an outer surface;
- an internal chamber within a wall of the tube or sleeve and disposed between the outer surface and the inner surface of the tube or sleeve;
- and
- a liquid within the internal chamber;
- and
- a liquid melt enclosed within the internal chamber, configured to establish, during operation, convection within the melt, thereby increasing a rate of heat transfer from the first end to the second end of the tube or sleeve;
- a cooled heat sink member in direct thermal contact with the second end of the heat transfer member;
- and
- an auxiliary gas channel parallel to the needle capillary, and disposed between the heat transfer member and the heater;
- a temperature sensor adjacent to the needle capillary;
- and
- a temperature controller electrically coupled to the temperature sensor and to the heater.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.