Sampling system for a separation channel
OwnerAndreas Manzinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A sampling system for providing a sample plug 70 from a fluid sample, comprising: a flow channel through which a flow of a fluid sample is passed; plasma generators 12 and 14; and a control unit configured to drive the plasma generator 12 at a power level at which the fluid sample is modified by the plasma P1 and interrupt busy the plasma P1 for a period of time such as to allow a plug of the fluid sample to pass downstream thereof. The volume of the plug 70 is determined by the time period during which the plasma P1 is interrupted. With the plasma P1 being maintained, the components of the plug 70 separate on transit through a separation channel 10. These components pass through the second plasma P2, and the emissions generated are detected by an optical detector 16.
Claims23
A sampling system for providing a volume, as a sample plug, from a flow of a fluid sample, comprising:
- a flow channel through which a flow of a fluid sample is in use passed;
- a plasma generator for generating a plasma in the flow channel;
- and
- a control unit operably configured to drive the plasma generator at a power level at which the fluid sample passing therethrough is modified by the plasma and interrupt the plasma for a predeterminable period of time such as to allow a sample plug of the fluid sample to pass downstream thereof.
A method of providing a volume, as a sample plug, from a flow of a fluid sample, comprising the steps of:
- providing a sampling system comprising a flow channel and a plasma generator for generating a plasma in the flow channel;
- passing a flow of a fluid sample through the flow channel;
- generating a plasma in the flow channel at a power level to modify the fluid sample passing therethrough;
- and
- interrupting the plasma for a predeterminable period of time such as to allow a sample plug of the fluid sample to pass downstream thereof.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.