Method and apparatus for the quantitative enrichment of volatile compounds by capillary distillation
AssigneeEppendorf-Netheler-Hinz GmbH
InventorGunter Giesselmann
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Abstract
A quantitative enrichment of volatile compounds from substances of the macro- to submicro field in a short time is realized by capillary distillation in a system which includes an evaporator vessel, on the bottom of which one or more filter plates are provided and which is connected to a condensing vessel by means of a capillary tube. The presence of filter plate(s) guarantees a uniform and constant boiling which facilitates the quantitative isolation of the volatile compounds.
Claims26
A method of quantitative enrichment of volatile compounds from at least one of liquid and suspended liquid substances, a processed amount of which lies in a macro-to-submicro range and which includes a volatile compound, by capillary distillation, said method comprising the steps of:
- placing a predetermined amount of the at least one of liquid and suspended liquid substances into an evaporator having a bottom and at least one filter plate provided on the bottom for producing a continuous and constant stream of steam bubbles during boiling;
- heating the at least one of the liquid and suspended liquid substances to a boiling temperature to boil the at least one of liquid and suspended liquid substances, forming the continuous constant stream of steam bubbles, whereby the volatile compound is evaporated from the at least one liquid and suspended liquid substances;
- transferring the evaporated volatile compound from the evaporator to a condensing vessel via a capillary tube;
- and
- condensing the volatile compound in the condensing vessel;
- wherein the transferring step includes transferring the volatile compound via the capillary tube having an inside diameter in a range of 0.20-0.53 mm, and wherein the placing step includes placing the predetermined amount of the at least one of liquid and suspended liquid substances into the evaporator with the at least one filter plate having a pore size between 40 and 250 .mu.m and covering at least 25% of the bottom of the evaporator.
An apparatus for the quantitative enrichment of volatile compounds from at least one of liquid and suspended substances, a processed amount of which lies in a macro- to sub-micro range and which contains the volatile compound by capillary distillation of the volatile compound, the apparatus comprising:
- an evaporator having a bottom;
- at least one filter plate provided on the bottom of the evaporator for producing a continuous and constant stream of steam bubbles during boiling;
- a condensing vessel;
- and a capillary tube for connecting the evaporator and the condensing vessel,
- wherein the capillary tube has an inside diameter of between 0.20 and 0.53 mm, and the at least one filter plate has a pore size of between 40 and 250 .mu.m, and
- wherein the filter plate has a surface covering at least 25% of the bottom of the evaporator.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.