Pressure decoupling fluid drive unit from flow path for pressure adjustment of sample accommodation volume

A sample separation apparatus for separating a fluidic sample, the sample separation apparatus comprising:

• a fluid drive arrangement comprising a plurality of fluid drive units for driving a mobile phase along a flow path to a sample separation unit;
• a sample accommodation volume configured to accommodate the fluidic sample and being configured to be selectively fluidically coupleable with the flow path or fluidically decoupleable from the flow path;
• and
• a control unit configured to control respective operations of the fluid drive units, and to control a pressure decoupling of at least one fluid drive unit of the plurality of fluid drive units from the flow path in one operation mode of the sample separation apparatus, wherein the at least one fluid drive unit is controlled to be an at least partially pressure-decoupled fluid drive unit,
• and wherein the control unit is further configured to control an operation of the at least partially pressure-decoupled fluid drive unit, the operation comprising at least one of:
• pressurizing the sample accommodation volume before fluidically coupling the sample accommodation volume with the flow path, wherein the pressurizing is done while at least one other fluid drive unit of the plurality of fluid drive units is operating;
• de-pressurizing the sample accommodation volume after fluidically coupling the sample accommodation volume with the flow path, for preparing a subsequent intake of fluidic sample in the sample accommodation volume, wherein the de-pressurizing is done while at least one other fluid drive unit of the plurality of fluid drive units is operating.