Deflection-type refractometer with extended measurement range
AssigneePolymer Characterization , S.A.
InventorsAlberto Ortin Sebastian, Benjamin Monrabal Bas
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A deflection-type refractometer with extended measurement range having a light source generating a beam of light; a measuring cell with a sample chamber receiving a sample liquid; an optical sensor mounted on a movable platform for detecting the deflected beam of light; a driving unit configured to move the platform; a distance measurement unit for monitoring the displacement of the platform; a control unit configured to calculate the deflection of the beam of light based on the displacement of the platform and an output signal of the optical sensor to obtain a refractive index measure of the sample liquid using the calculated deflection.
Claims15
A deflection-type refractometer with extended measurement range for obtaining a refractive index measure of a flowing sample liquid, comprising:
- means for generating a beam of light, said means comprising a light source;
- a measuring cell comprising a sample chamber with inlet and outlet ports for receiving a flowing sample liquid, the measuring cell arranged such that the beam of light from the light source impinges on the sample chamber and is deflected after traversing two non-parallel faces of the sample chamber;
- an optical sensor mounted on a movable platform for detecting the deflected beam of light, wherein the optical sensor is a position sensing detector configured to output a signal indicating a relative position of the deflected beam of light with respect to the sensing area;
- a driving unit configured to move the platform;
- a distance measurement unit configured to measure the displacement of the platform to obtain a platform position;
- and
- a control unit comprising a data processing unit configured to:
- continuously calculate the deflection of the beam of light from the platform position combined with the relative position of the deflected beam of light on the optical sensor;
- and
- obtain a refractive index signal over time of the sample liquid using the calculated deflection.
A method for obtaining a refractive index measure of a flowing sample liquid, comprising:
- generating a beam of light;
- receiving a sample liquid in a sample chamber of a measuring cell with inlet and outlet ports for receiving a flowing sample liquid, the measuring cell being arranged such that the beam of light impinges on the sample chamber and is deflected after traversing two non-parallel faces of the sample chamber;
- moving a platform to detect the deflected beam of light using an optical sensor mounted on the platform, wherein the optical sensor is a position sensing detector configured to output a signal indicating a relative position of the deflected bean of light with respect to the sensing area;
- measuring the displacement of the platform to obtain a platform position;
- continuously calculating the deflection of the beam of light from the platform position combined with the relative position of the deflected bean of light on the optical sensor;
- and
- obtaining a refractive index signal over time of the sample liquid using the calculated deflection.
A gradient liquid chromatography method, comprising:
- pumping a mobile phase comprising a mix of two or more solvents into the reference chamber of a refractometer;
- dosing a solute into a chromatography column, the output of which is connected to the sample chamber of the refractometer;
- obtaining a refractive index signal over time of the sample liquid according to the method of 37.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.