Porous membrane sensor assembly

Abstract

The present invention relates a sensor assembly for analyzing a complex fluid sample. The sensor assembly comprises a sample chamber for holding the complex fluid sample, the sample chamber being defined by chamber walls and having an inlet and an outlet defining a direction of flow from the inlet towards the outlet for fluid handling in the sample chamber. The sample chamber comprises a first sample space and a second sample space. The second sample space comprises a porous membrane sensor element for detecting an analyte in a continuous fraction of the complex fluid sample. The porous membrane sensor element comprises a porous membrane with a front side defining a sensor surface for contacting the fluid sample, the sensor surface facing towards the second sample space, the porous membrane comprising pores extending from respective openings at the sensor surface into the porous membrane. The pores are configured with regard to the analyte for diffusive fluid communication with the second sample space. The sample chamber further comprises a flow-perturbing element arranged upstream of the second sample space, between the first sample space and the second sample space.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.