Packet-wise proportioning followed by immediate longitudinal mixing

A fluid supply system adapted for metering two or more fluids in controlled proportions and for supplying a resultant mixture, the fluid supply system comprising:

• a plurality of solvent supply lines, each fluidically connected with a fluid source providing a respective fluid;
• a pumping unit comprising a reciprocating element adapted for intaking fluid supplied at an inlet of the pumping unit and for supplying the pressurized fluid at an outlet of the pumping unit, wherein the pumping unit is adapted for taking in fluids in defined proportions from selected solvent supply lines and for supplying a pressurized mixture of the fluids at its outlet;
• a proportioning valve interposed between the solvent supply lines and the inlet of the pumping unit, the proportioning valve adapted for modulating solvent composition by sequentially coupling selected ones of the solvent supply lines with the inlet of the pumping unit in the course of the fluid intake phase of the pumping unit;
• a mixing unit adapted for mixing subsequent sections of the fluids differing in at least one of chemical composition, specific gravity, or viscosity and wherein the mixing unit has an interior fluid accommodation volume of not more than the number of solvent supply lines multiplied by a volume of one fluid section provided by the proportioning valve.

A fluid supply system adapted for metering two or more fluids in controlled proportions and for supplying a resultant mixture, the fluid supply system comprising:

• a plurality of solvent supply lines, each fluidically connected with a fluid source providing a respective fluid;
• a pumping unit comprising a reciprocating element adapted for intaking fluid supplied at an inlet of the pumping unit and for supplying the pressurized fluid at an outlet of the pumping unit, wherein the pumping unit is adapted for taking in fluids in defined proportions from selected solvent supply lines and for supplying a pressurized mixture of the fluids at its outlet;
• a proportioning valve interposed between the solvent supply lines and the inlet of the pumping unit, the proportioning valve adapted for modulating solvent composition by sequentially coupling selected ones of the solvent supply lines with the inlet of the pumping unit;
• a mixing unit adapted for splitting the fluids supplied at an outlet of the proportioning valve or at one or a plurality of points downstream from the outlet of the proportioning valve into a plurality of fluid paths with different internal fluid flow delay characteristics and adapted for combining the fluid paths at one or a plurality of rejoining points to thereby mix the fluids in a longitudinal fashion, wherein the mixing unit is located downstream of the proportioning valve and upstream of the pumping unit.