Thermal modulator

A thermal modulator for a chromatographic system, the thermal modulator comprising:

• a chamber defining an internal portion;
• a capillary disposed within the chamber, the capillary having an input, an output, and an elongate body extending between the input and the output;
• a cold finger having a first portion in thermal contact with a portion of the elongate body to define a capillary trapping zone, wherein the first portion of the cold finger extends to a second portion that is situated external to the chamber;
• a heater in thermal contact with the capillary trapping zone and configured to transfer heat to the trapping zone;
• a thermal buffer configured to buffer a rate of heat transfer from the heater into the cold finger and thereby retain the heat within the capillary trapping zone;
• a cooling device arranged external to the chamber and thermally connected to the second portion of the cold finger to define a primary conduction zone, wherein the cooling device is configured to generate a cooling temperature zone at the primary conduction zone;
• and
• a controller configured to selectively alternate the trapping zone between a cooling temperature and an injection temperature by alternating the heater between an off state and an on state at a user defined frequency and using the cooling device together with its engagement with the cold finger,
• wherein the thermal buffer is a polyimide.

A thermal modulator for a chromatographic system, the thermal modulator comprising:

• a chamber defining an internal portion;
• a capillary disposed within the chamber, the capillary having an input, an output, and an elongate body extending between the input and the output;
• a cold finger having a first portion in thermal contact with a portion of the elongate body to define a capillary trapping zone, wherein the first portion of the cold finger extends to a second portion that is situated external to the chamber;
• a heater in thermal contact with the capillary trapping zone and configured to transfer heat to the trapping zone;
• a thermal buffer configured to buffer a rate of heat transfer from the heater into the cold finger and thereby retain the heat within the capillary trapping zone;
• a cooling device arranged external to the chamber and thermally connected to the second portion of the cold finger to define a primary conduction zone, wherein the cooling device is configured to generate a cooling temperature zone at the primary conduction zone;
• and
• a controller configured to selectively alternate the trapping zone between a cooling temperature and an injection temperature by alternating the heater between an off state and an on state at a user defined frequency and using the cooling device together with its engagement with the cold finger,
• wherein the thermal buffer is an auxiliary heater disposed between the cooling device and the trapping zone, and wherein the thermal buffer includes a heat element at least partially surrounded by a substrate, and further wherein a thermal conductivity of the substrate increases when a temperature of the substrate decreases such that the substrate acts as a thermal valve between the trapping zone and the cooling device.

A thermal modulator for a chromatographic system, the thermal modulator comprising:

• a chamber defining an internal portion;
• a capillary disposed within the chamber, the capillary having an input, an output, and an elongate body extending between the input and the output;
• a cold finger having a first portion in thermal contact with a portion of the elongate body to define a capillary trapping zone, wherein the first portion of the cold finger extends to a second portion that is situated external to the chamber;
• a heater in thermal contact with the capillary trapping zone and configured to transfer heat to the trapping zone;
• a thermal buffer configured to buffer a rate of heat transfer from the heater into the cold finger and thereby retain the heat within the capillary trapping zone;
• a cooling device arranged external to the chamber and thermally connected to the second portion of the cold finger to define a primary conduction zone, wherein the cooling device is configured to generate a cooling temperature zone at the primary conduction zone;
• a controller configured to selectively alternate the trapping zone between a cooling temperature and an injection temperature by alternating the heater between an off state and an on state at a user defined frequency and using the cooling device together with its engagement with the cold finger;
• and
• an auxiliary heater disposed along the cold finger and including a heating element at least partially surrounded by a substrate.

A thermal modulator for a chromatographic system, the thermal modulator comprising:

• a chamber defining an internal portion;
• a capillary disposed within the chamber, the capillary having an input, an output, and an elongate body extending between the input and the output;
• a cold finger having a first portion in thermal contact with a portion of the elongate body to define a capillary trapping zone, wherein the first portion of the cold finger extends to a second portion that is situated external to the chamber;
• a heater in thermal contact with the capillary trapping zone and configured to transfer heat to the trapping zone;
• a thermal buffer configured to buffer a rate of heat transfer from the heater into the cold finger and thereby retain the heat within the capillary trapping zone;
• a cooling device arranged external to the chamber and thermally connected to the second portion of the cold finger to define a primary conduction zone, wherein the cooling device is configured to generate a cooling temperature zone at the primary conduction zone;
• a controller configured to selectively alternate the trapping zone between a cooling temperature and an injection temperature by alternating the heater between an off state and an on state at a user defined frequency and using the cooling device together with its engagement with the cold finger;
• and
• a flow concentrator disposed around a length of the second portion of the cold finger and configured to provide a secondary conduction zone with the cooling device.

A thermal modulator for a chromatographic system, the thermal modulator comprising:

• a chamber defining an internal portion;
• a capillary disposed within the chamber, the capillary having an input, an output, and an elongate body extending between the input and the output;
• a cold finger having a first portion in thermal contact with a portion of the elongate body to define a capillary trapping zone, wherein the first portion of the cold finger extends to a second portion that is situated external to the chamber;
• a heater in thermal contact with the capillary trapping zone and configured to transfer heat to the trapping zone;
• a thermal buffer configured to buffer a rate of heat transfer from the heater into the cold finger and thereby retain the heat within the capillary trapping zone;
• a cooling device arranged external to the chamber and thermally connected to the second portion of the cold finger to define a primary conduction zone, wherein the cooling device is configured to generate a cooling temperature zone at the primary conduction zone;
• a controller configured to selectively alternate the trapping zone between a cooling temperature and an injection temperature by alternating the heater between an off state and an on state at a user defined frequency and using the cooling device together with its engagement with the cold finger;
• a heat exchange block in thermal engagement with the first portion of the cold finger and comprising a material having a low thermal conductivity coefficient;
• and
• an insulator disposed within the chamber and about an end of the first portion of the cold finger, the insulator configured to transfer heat to the first portion of the cold finger.

A thermal modulator for a chromatographic system, the thermal modulator comprising:

• a chamber defining an internal portion;
• a capillary disposed within the chamber, the capillary having an input, an output, and an elongate body extending between the input and the output;
• a cold finger having a first portion in thermal contact with a portion of the elongate body to define a capillary trapping zone, wherein the first portion of the cold finger extends to a second portion that is situated external to the chamber;
• a heater in thermal contact with the capillary trapping zone and configured to transfer heat to the trapping zone;
• a thermal buffer configured to buffer a rate of heat transfer from the heater into the cold finger and thereby retain the heat within the capillary trapping zone;
• a cooling device arranged external to the chamber and thermally connected to the second portion of the cold finger to define a primary conduction zone, wherein the cooling device is configured to generate a cooling temperature zone at the primary conduction zone;
• a controller configured to selectively alternate the trapping zone between a cooling temperature and an injection temperature by alternating the heater between an off state and an on state at a user defined frequency and using the cooling device together with its engagement with the cold finger;
• and
• a heat exchange block in thermal engagement with the first portion of the cold finger and comprising a material having a low thermal conductivity coefficient,
• wherein the heat exchange block defines a channel and the capillary extends through the channel, and wherein the thermal buffer lines the channel and defines an elongate tubular body having an outer surface in direct thermal contact with a surface of the channel of the heat exchange block and a second surface in direct thermal contact with the heater.

A thermal modulator for a chromatographic system, the thermal modulator comprising:

• a chamber defining an internal portion;
• a capillary disposed within the chamber, the capillary having an input, an output, and an elongate body extending between the input and the output;
• a cold finger having a first portion in thermal contact with a portion of the elongate body to define a capillary trapping zone, wherein the first portion of the cold finger extends to a second portion that is situated external to the chamber;
• a heater in thermal contact with the capillary trapping zone and configured to transfer heat to the trapping zone;
• a thermal buffer configured to buffer a rate of heat transfer from the heater into the cold finger and thereby retain the heat within the capillary trapping zone;
• a cooling device arranged external to the chamber and thermally connected to the second portion of the cold finger to define a primary conduction zone, wherein the cooling device is configured to generate a cooling temperature zone at the primary conduction zone;
• a controller configured to selectively alternate the trapping zone between a cooling temperature and an injection temperature by alternating the heater between an off state and an on state at a user defined frequency and using the cooling device together with its engagement with the cold finger;
• and
• a heat exchange block in thermal engagement with the first portion of the cold finger and comprising a material having a low thermal conductivity coefficient,
• wherein the heat exchange block comprises a material selected from the group consisting of alumina, quartz glass, borosilicate glass, silica, silicon carbide, high temperature silicone elastomer, and PTFE.