Process and device for the vaporization injection of liquid samples in gas chromatographic analysis apparatuses

A process for the introduction of a liquid sample dissolved in a liquid solvent into an apparatus for gas chromatographic analysis comprising the steps of:

• providing a vaporization chamber positioned upstream of a gas chromatographic column, said vaporization chamber including a gas feeding duct, an outlet line, and an exhaust duct;
• feeding a carrier gas into said vaporization chamber through said gas feeding duct;
• maintaining the temperature within said vaporization chamber at a temperature at least equal to the boiling temperature of said solvent at operating pressure;
• cutting off or significantly reducing the flow of carrier gas feeding into said vaporization chamber through said gas feeding duct;
• introducing said sample dissolved in said solvent into said vaporization chamber at a first injection position within said vaporization chamber;
• evaporating at least part of said liquid solvent whereby vapors obtained from said evaporating liquid solvent are caused to flow from said first injection position toward said exhaust duct, thereby separating at least a part of said solvent from said sample;
• exhaust from said vaporization chamber through said exhaust duct at least a part of said solvent vapors;
• cutting off or significantly reducing the flow of said exhausting solvent vapors through said exhaust duct;
• and
• restoring said flow of carrier gas feeding into said vaporization chamber through said gas feeding duct and displacing said sample from said vaporization chamber into said gas chromatographic column through said outlet line.