Methods and apparatus for simultaneously treating a plurality of samples in a moist medium
AssigneeProlabo
InventorsJean-Jacques Baudet, Patrick Jacquault
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A plurality of samples in a moist medium are treated simultaneously in a microwave cavity. The samples are conducted into the cavity through apertures formed in an upper wall of the cavity. Each aperture is surrounded by a chimney configured to create a barrier opposing the propagation of microwaves from the cavity. The samples are introduced into receptacles which extend through the chimneys. Each receptacle can be supported on the chimney a lower end of the receptacle disposed within the cavity. Alternatively, the receptacles can be in the form of continuous tubes extending through upper and lower walls of the cavity in order to convey continuous flows of the sample.
Claims30
Apparatus for treating a plurality of samples simultaneously in a moist medium, comprising:
- a housing having a side wall, an upper wall, and a lower wall defining a cylindrical cavity having a vertical longitudinal axis, said upper wall including a plurality of apertures each sized to receive a receptacle in which a sample is to be introduced,
- microwave supplying means comprising a microwave generating means for generating microwaves, and a waveguide for guiding the microwaves into said cavity, said waveguide having a longitudinal axis and configured to guide the microwaves in a direction parallel to said axis, and
- a chimney extending coaxially from each of said apertures, and being of a predetermined height determined as a function of both a frequency of the microwaves and a cross-sectional area of the respective aperture, for forming an absorption barrier opposing a propagation of microwaves from said cavity, said chimney being configured to receive a respective receptacle.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.