# US 2014/0150536 A1 · Column manager with a multi-zone thermal system for use in liquid chromatography > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0150536 A1 - Document ID: US20140150536A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/232,681 - Filed: 2012-08-16 - Published: 2014-06-05 - Earliest claimed: 2011-08-19 - Assignees: Waters Technologies Corporation - Inventors: Joshua A. Shreve; Maria Maillet - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140150536A1 ## CPC - G01N 30/30: of temperature - G01N 30/466: {with separation columns in parallel} - G01N 30/54: Temperature - G01N 30/6047: {with supporting means; Holders} - G01N 2030/027: {Liquid chromatography} - G01N 2030/303: {using peltier elements} - G01N 2030/8881: {Modular construction, specially adapted therefor} - G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q) ## Abstract A thermal system for use in a column manager of a liquid chromatography system comprises a plurality of spatially separated individually controlled thermoelectric chips. A column module houses a plurality of thermally conductive troughs. Each trough resides in a separate thermal zone to be thermally conditioned individually by one of the individually controlled thermoelectric chips. Each trough is adapted to hold one or more liquid chromatography columns therein. A plurality of spatially separated thermal bridges includes a first thermal bridge thermally coupling one of the thermoelectric chips to a first one of the plurality of troughs and a second thermal bridge of the plurality of thermal bridges thermally coupling another of the thermoelectric chips to a second one of the plurality of troughs. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A thermal system for use in a column manager of a liquid chromatography system, comprising: a plurality of spatially separated individually controlled thermoelectric chips; a column module housing a plurality of thermally conductive troughs, each trough residing in a separate thermal zone to be thermally conditioned individually by one of the individually controlled thermoelectric chips, each trough being adapted to hold one or more liquid chromatography columns therein; and a plurality of spatially separated thermal bridges, a first thermal bridge of the plurality of thermal bridges thermally coupling one of the thermoelectric chips to a first one of the plurality of troughs, and a second thermal bridge of the plurality of thermal bridges thermally coupling another of the thermoelectric chips to a second one of the plurality of troughs. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The thermal system of claim 1, further comprising: a heatsink thermally coupled to and shared by the plurality of spatially separated individually controlled thermoelectric chips; and a fan coupled to the heatsink, moving air over the heatsink. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The thermal system of claim 1, further comprising insulation disposed between neighboring thermoelectric chips to thermally isolate each thermoelectric chip from each neighboring thermoelectric chip. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The thermal system of claim 3, wherein a direction of thermal isolation of the thermoelectric chips is orthogonal to a direction of thermal isolation of the thermal zones. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The thermal system of claim 1, wherein each thermoelectric chip is capable of individually thermally conditioning the trough to which that thermoelectric chip is thermally coupled to a temperature in a range of approximately 4 to 90 degrees Centigrade. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The thermal system of claim 1, further comprising a pre-column solvent heater disposed adjacent to one end of each trough. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The thermal system of claim 1, wherein the first thermal bridge has an identical shape and size as the second thermal bridge and is physically connected to the column module in an inverse position with respect to the second thermal bridge. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The thermal system of claim 1, wherein each trough is surrounded on three sides by an outer shell for capturing moisture, the outer shell having a drain for channeling captured moisture out of the column module. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The thermal system of claim 8, wherein each outer shell has a plurality of apertures that exposes sections of the trough surrounded by that outer shell, each exposed section of each trough providing a contact region to which a given thermal bridge may physically and thermally couple; and wherein the column module has a panel that covers all but one exposed section of each trough. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The thermal system of claim 1, further comprising a thermostat thermally coupled to one of the thermal bridges and included in an electrical circuit of the thermoelectric chip coupled to that thermal bridge. ### Claim 11 A liquid chromatography system, comprising: a column manager receiving a solvent composition to be delivered to a liquid chromatography column, the column manager including a thermal system providing a multi-zone thermal environment for a plurality of liquid chromatography columns, the thermal system comprising: a plurality of spatially separated individually controlled thermoelectric chips; a column module housing a plurality of thermally conductive troughs, each trough residing in a separate thermal zone to be thermally conditioned individually by one of the individually controlled thermoelectric chips, each trough being adapted to hold one or more liquid chromatography columns therein; and a plurality of spatially separated thermal bridges, a first thermal bridge of the plurality of thermal bridges thermally coupling one of the thermoelectric chips to a first one of the plurality of troughs, and a second thermal bridge of the plurality of thermal bridges thermally coupling another of the thermoelectric chips to a second one of the plurality of troughs. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The liquid chromatography system of claim 11, wherein the thermal system further comprises: a heatsink thermally coupled to and shared by the plurality of spatially separated individually controlled thermoelectric chips; and a fan coupled to the heatsink, moving air over the heatsink. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The liquid chromatography system of claim 11, wherein the thermal system further comprises insulation disposed between neighboring thermoelectric chips to thermally isolate each thermoelectric chip from each neighboring thermoelectric chip. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The liquid chromatography system of claim 13, wherein a direction of thermal isolation of the thermoelectric chips is orthogonal to a direction of thermal isolation of the thermal zones. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The liquid chromatography system of claim 11, wherein each thermoelectric chip is capable of individually thermally conditioning the trough to which that thermoelectric chip is coupled to a temperature in a range of approximately 10 to 90 degrees Centigrade. ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) The liquid chromatography system of claim 11, wherein the thermal system further comprises a pre-column solvent heater disposed adjacent to one end of each trough. ### Claim 17 (depends on 11) The liquid chromatography system of claim 11, wherein the first thermal bridge of the thermal system has an identical shape and size as the second thermal bridge of the thermal system and is physically connected to the column module in an inverse position with respect to the second thermal bridge. ### Claim 18 (depends on 11) The liquid chromatography system of claim 11, wherein each trough is surrounded on three sides by an outer shell for capturing moisture, the outer shell having a drain for channeling captured moisture out of the column module. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The liquid chromatography system of claim 18, wherein each outer shell has a plurality of apertures that exposes sections of the trough surrounded by that outer shell, each exposed section of each trough providing a contact region to which a given thermal bridge may physically and thermally couple; and wherein the column module has a panel that covers all but one exposed section of each trough. ### Claim 20 (depends on 11) The liquid chromatography system of claim 11, wherein the thermal system further comprises a thermostat thermally coupled to one of the thermal bridges and included in an electrical circuit of the thermoelectric chip coupled to that thermal bridge. ### Claim 21 (depends on 11) The liquid chromatography system of claim 11, further comprising insulation disposed between neighboring thermoelectric chips. ### Claim 22 A method for providing a multi-zone thermal environment for liquid chromatography columns, comprising: individually controlling each thermoelectric chip of a plurality of spatially separated thermoelectric chips; installing one or more liquid chromatography columns within each compartment of a plurality of adjacent thermally isolated compartments; physically and thermally coupling one of the thermoelectric chips to a first one of the plurality of compartments and another of the thermoelectric chips to a second one of the plurality of compartments; and thermally conditioning each compartment independently of each other compartment in response to individually controlling the thermoelectric chip thermally coupled to that compartment. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) The method of claim 22, further comprising sharing a heatsink by the plurality of spatially separated individually controlled thermoelectric chips. ### Claim 24 (depends on 22) The method of claim 22, further comprising thermally isolating each thermoelectric chip from each neighboring thermoelectric chip. ### Claim 25 (depends on 22) The method of claim 22, wherein each thermoelectric chip is capable of individually thermally conditioning the trough to which that thermoelectric chip is thermally coupled to a temperature in a range of approximately 4 to 90 degrees Centigrade. ### Claim 26 (depends on 22) The method of claim 22, further comprising measuring temperature at a location between each compartment and the thermoelectric chip thermally conditioning that compartment.