Rapid equilibrator for water isotope analysis
AssigneeABB Schweiz AG
InventorsJ. Brian Leen, Doug S. Baer, Susan L. Fortson-Gardner
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Technologies for rapid equilibration for water isotope analysis are disclosed. In at least one illustrative embodiment, a vaporizer may include an injection block that defines a chamber and a septum positioned over an inlet of the chamber to seal the chamber. The chamber may be configured to be fluidly coupled to a pump to develop a vacuum within the chamber, and the septum may be configured to receive a needle that is inserted into the chamber. A thermally conductive wool may be positioned within the chamber and may be configured to receive a tip of the needle.
Claims18
A vaporizer comprising:
- an injection block that defines a chamber, wherein the chamber is configured to be fluidly coupled to a pump to develop a vacuum within the chamber,
- a septum positioned over an inlet of the chamber to seal the chamber, the septum configured to receive a needle that is inserted into the chamber,
- a first thermally conductive wool positioned within the chamber and configured to receive a tip of the needle, and
- a second thermally conductive wool positioned outside of the chamber, the second thermally conductive wool configured to be heated to heat a portion of the needle that is not inserted into the chamber.
A method of vaporizing a water sample, the method comprising:
- heating an injection block to heat a first thermally conductive wool positioned within a vacuum chamber defined in the injection block, the first thermally conductive wool including at least one of a metallic material or a diamond coating,
- heating a second thermally conductive wool positioned outside of the vacuum chamber,
- inserting a needle through a septum such that a tip of the needle is positioned within the vacuum chamber,
- inserting the needle through the second thermally conductive wool such that a portion of the needle positioned outside of the vacuum chamber is positioned within the second thermally conductive wool when the needle is inserted through the septum,
- advancing the tip of the needle into the first thermally conductive wool, and
- injecting the water sample from the needle into the vacuum chamber.
A vaporizer comprising:
- an injection block that defines a chamber, wherein the chamber is configured to be fluidly coupled to a pump to develop a vacuum within the chamber,
- an atomizer nozzle from which an atomized sample is introduced into the chamber, and
- thermally conductive wool positioned within the chamber and configured to receive the atomized sample, wherein the injection block further defines an outlet sized to direct vapors generated in the chamber to a detector, the detector being configured to identify isotope concentrations in the atomized sample.
A vaporizer comprising:
- an injection block that defines a chamber, wherein the chamber is configured to be fluidly coupled to a pump to develop a vacuum within the chamber,
- a septum positioned over an inlet of the chamber to seal the chamber, the septum configured to receive a needle that is inserted into the chamber,
- a first electrical terminal positioned within the chamber and configured to make electrical contact with the needle at a first location when the needle is inserted through the septum, wherein the first electrical terminal is a spring force terminal, and
- a second electrical terminal configured to make electrical contact with the needle at a second location to flow a current through at least a portion of the needle.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.