Suppressor device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10048233-B2
Application number	US-201213674738-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 12, 2012
Priority date	Nov 12, 2012
Publication date	Aug 14, 2018
Grant date	Aug 14, 2018

Abstract

An apparatus for detecting analytes in a liquid sample may include an elongated primary channel through which an ionic species flows, the primary channel extending through a primary channel member, a first regenerant channel through which a regenerant flows, the first regenerant channel extending adjacent to the primary channel and being formed in a first block, a first charged barrier having exchangeable ions capable of passing ions of only one charge, positive or negative, and of blocking bulk liquid flow, the first charged barrier disposed between the primary channel member and the first block for separating the primary channel from the first regenerant channel, and a first sealing member disposed between the first charged barrier and the first block defining the first regenerant channel.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for use in detecting analytes in a liquid sample, the apparatus comprising:
a primary channel member including a primary channel through which an eluent including an ionic species flows, the primary channel extending through the primary channel member;
a first block disposed on a first side of the primary channel member and including a first compartment having a first peripheral wall and a first shelf protruding from a bottom of the first compartment, a first groove being formed in the first block between the first peripheral wall and the first shelf, and including a first regenerant channel through which a regenerant flows, the first regenerant channel extending adjacent to the primary channel and being formed in the first compartment in the first block;
a first charged barrier having exchangeable ions capable of passing ions of only one charge, positive or negative, and of blocking bulk liquid flow, the first charged barrier disposed between the primary channel member and the first block for separating the primary channel from the first regenerant channel;
a first sealing member received in the first groove formed in the first block for sealing at least one of a first surface of the primary channel member and the first regenerant channel, wherein the first sealing member defines the peripheral shape of the first regenerant channel on the first block;
a second block disposed on a second side of the primary channel member and including a second compartment having, a second peripheral wall and a second shelf protruding from a bottom of the second compartment, a second groove being formed in the second block between the second peripheral wall and the second shelf, and including a second regenerant channel extending adjacent to the primary channel and being formed in the second compartment in the second block;
a second charged barrier having exchangeable ions capable of passing ions of only one charge, positive or negative, and of blocking bulk liquid flow, the second charged barrier disposed between the primary channel member and the second block for separating the primary channel from the second regenerant channel; and
a second sealing member received in the second groove formed in the second block for sealing at least one of a second surface of the primary channel member and the second regenerant channel,
wherein the second sealing member defines the peripheral shape of the second regenerant channel on the second block,
wherein the first sealing member directly seals the first regenerant channel and indirectly seals the first surface of the primary channel member by biasing the first charged barrier against the primary channel member, and wherein the second sealing member directly seals the second regenerant channel and indirectly seals the second surface of the primary channel member by biasing the second charged barrier against the eluent channel member.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the primary channel member is a plate.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the primary channel member is formed of polyether ether ketone (PEEK).

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first sealing member is disposed between the first charged barrier and the first block.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first block is formed of a polymer.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first block is formed of PEEK.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first sealing member is formed of a material selected from the group consisting of ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM) rubbers, thermoplastic elastomers, polypropylene, polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), and combinations thereof.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first regenerant channel is configured to have a substantially hexagonal shape.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first regenerant channel is configured to include a fluidic area that substantially matches a fluidic area of the primary channel.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the eluent flows through the primary channel in a first direction and the regenerant flows through the first regenerant channel in a second direction that is substantially opposite to the first direction.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the primary channel member, the first charged barrier and the first block include coaxial holes for facilitating alignment of the first charged barrier relative to the regenerant channel.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a first screen for enhancing ion exchange, the first screen disposed within the first regenerant channel.

13. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein
the primary channel includes an eluent inlet at one end and with an eluent outlet at the other end thereof;
the first regenerant channel includes an first regenerant inlet at one end and with a first regenerant outlet at the other end thereof; and
the second regenerant channel includes a second regenerant inlet at one end and with a second regenerant outlet at the other end thereof,
wherein the eluent inlet and the eluent outlet are independent from the first regenerant inlet and the first regenerant outlet and from the second regenerant inlet and the second regenerant outlet.

14. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising first and second electrodes in electrical communication with the first regenerant channel and the second regenerant channel, respectively, for enhancing ionic transport between the primary channel and the regenerant channels.

15. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising first and second external blocks for structurally supporting the apparatus.

16. An ion chromatography system, comprising:
a separation column;
an apparatus in accordance with claim 1 , the apparatus in fluidic communication with the separation column to receive an eluted liquid from the separation column; and
a detector in fluidic communication with the apparatus to detect desired ions in the eluted fluid from the apparatus.

17. The ion chromatography system of claim 16 , further comprising:
a pump to move a liquid from a reservoir; and
a sample injection device to introduce a sample into the liquid,
wherein the sample injection device is in fluidic communication with the separation column for delivering the liquid with the sample to the separation column.

18. An apparatus for use in detecting analytes in a liquid sample, the apparatus comprising:
a primary channel member including a primary channel through which an eluent including an ionic species flows, the primary channel extending through the primary channel member;
a first block disposed on a first side of the primary channel member and including a first flat surface that faces the primary channel, a first compartment is defined within the first flat surface and the first compartment is open toward the primary channel;
a first charged barrier having exchangeable ions capable of passing ions of only one charge, positive or negative, and of blocking bulk liquid flow, the first charged barrier disposed between the primary channel member and the first block;
a first O-ring disposed within the first compartment and extending around a periphery of the first compartment, the first O-ring forming a seal with the first charged barrier in an assembled state of the apparatus and thereby defining a peripheral shape of a first regenerant channel, through which a regenerant flows, between the first charged barrier and the first block, the first regenerant channel extending adjacent to the primary channel;
a second block disposed on a second side

Assignees

• Dionex Corp

Inventors

• Srinivasan Kannan
• Kuse Glenn M
• Lin Rong
• Bhardwaj Sheetal

Classifications

• B01D15/36

  involving ionic interaction, e.g. ion-exchange, ion-pair, ion-suppression or ion-exclusion · CPC title

• B01D15/367

  Ion-suppression · CPC title

• G01N30/92

  Construction of the plate · CPC title

• G01N30/02 Primary

  Column chromatography · CPC title

• B29K2071/00

  Use of polyethers {, e.g. PEEK, i.e. polyether-etherketone or PEK, i.e. polyetherketone or derivatives thereof}, as moulding material · CPC title