Control system and program for liquid chromatograph

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10401334-B2
Application number	US-201213549699-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 16, 2012
Priority date	Jul 15, 2011
Publication date	Sep 3, 2019
Grant date	Sep 3, 2019

Abstract

The present invention aims at reducing the time required for a series of analyses in the sequential performance of gradient analyses under a variety of conditions. To this end, in a control apparatus for controlling the operation of a liquid chromatograph having a gradient analysis function in which a mobile phase composed of a plurality of mixed solvents is used and a chromatograph analysis is performed while the mixture ratio of the solvents is temporally changed, the liquid chromatograph is controlled so as to continuously change the mixture ratio of the solvents from an initial mixture ratio to a final mixture ratio when performing a sample analysis; and as to perform, before the sample analysis, a preparatory liquid supply in which the mixture ratio of the solvents is continuously changed from the initial mixture ratio to the final mixture ratio at a rate higher than that in the sample analysis.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A control apparatus for controlling an operation of a liquid chromatograph that has a gradient analysis function in which a chromatograph analysis is performed while a mixture ratio of a plurality of solvents composing a mobile phase is temporally changed, the control apparatus comprising:
a) an analysis controller programmed to control the liquid chromatograph so as to continuously change the mixture ratio of the solvents from an initial mixture ratio to a final mixture ratio when performing a sample analysis; and
b) a preparatory liquid supply controller programmed to control the liquid chromatograph so as to perform, before the sample analysis, a preparatory liquid supply in which the mixture ratio of the solvents is continuously changed from the initial mixture ratio to the final mixture ratio at a rate higher than that in the sample analysis so that a time required to perform the preparatory liquid supply is reduced.

2. The control apparatus for a liquid chromatograph according to claim 1 , further comprising:
c) an analysis result storing unit programmed to store each analysis result of a plurality of gradient analyses in one data file; and
d) an automatic data file naming unit programmed to assign a file name which includes at least a column name, names of the solvents, the initial mixture ratio, or the final mixture ratio used in each of the gradient analyses to a data file containing a result of that gradient analysis.

3. A non-transitory computer readable media recording a program for making a computer function as the analysis controller and the preparatory liquid supply controller according to claim 1 .

4. A control apparatus for controlling an operation of a liquid chromatograph that has a gradient analysis function in which a chromatograph analysis is performed while a mixture ratio of a plurality of solvents composing a mobile phase is temporally changed, the control apparatus comprising:
a) an analysis controller programmed to control the liquid chromatograph so as to change the mixture ratio of the solvents when performing a sample analysis, from a first mixture ratio, in which an elution capability of the mobile phase is lowest in the sample analysis, to a second mixture ratio, in which the elution capability of the mobile phase is highest in the sample analysis, and then again to the first mixture ratio, the first mixture ratio and the second mixture ratio being defined by a user; and
b) a preparatory liquid supply controller programmed to control the liquid chromatograph so as to perform, before the sample analysis, a preparatory liquid supply in which the mixture ratio of the solvents is changed from the first mixture ratio, which is a same as in the sample analysis, to the second mixture ratio, which is a same as in the sample analysis, and then again to the first mixture ratio, wherein:
if a plurality of sample analyses are performed and if a kind of column, kinds of solvents, the first mixture ratio, and the second mixture ratio used in two successively performed sample analyses are a same, the preparatory liquid supply controller is programmed to omit the preparatory liquid supply between the two sample analyses, and
if at least one of the kind of column, kinds of solvents, the first mixture ratio, and the second mixture ratio used in two successively performed sample analyses is not the same, the preparatory liquid supply controller is programmed to perform the preparatory liquid supply between the two sample analyses in a manner so that a time required to perform the preparatory liquid supply before the sample analysis is reduced with respect to a time required to perform the sample analysis.

5. The control apparatus for a liquid chromatograph according to claim 4 , further comprising:
c) an analysis result storing unit programmed to store each result of multiple gradient analyses in one data file; and
d) an automatic data file naming unit programmed to assign a file name which includes at least one of either a column name or names of the solvents used in each of the gradient analyses, a mixture ratio of the solvents at a point of initiation of a process of continuously changing the mixture ratio of the solvents in each of the gradient analyses, or a mixture ratio of the solvents at a point of termination of that process in each of the gradient analyses, to a data file containing a result of that gradient analysis.

6. A non-transitory computer readable media recording a program for making a computer function as the analysis controller and the preparatory liquid supply controller according to claim 4 .

7. The control apparatus for a liquid chromatograph according to claim 4 , further comprising:
c) an analysis result storing unit programmed to store each result of multiple gradient analyses in one data file; and
d) an automatic data file naming unit programmed to assign a file name which includes at least a column name used in each of the gradient analyses to a data file containing a result of that gradient analysis.

8. The control apparatus for a liquid chromatograph according to claim 1 , wherein all conditions other than the rate at which the mixture ratio of the solvents is continuously changed from the initial mixture ratio to the final mixture ratio are the same between the sample analysis and the preparatory liquid supply.

9. The control apparatus for a liquid chromatograph according to claim 1 , wherein:
the analysis controller and the preparatory liquid supply controller are programmed to perform, when performing the sample analysis and the preparatory liquid supply, respectively, a gradient process in which the mixture ratio of the solvents is continuously changed from the initial mixture ratio to the final mixture ratio, a washing process in which an inside of a column of the liquid chromatograph is washed after the gradient process, and an equilibration process in which the inside of the column of the liquid chromatograph is equilibrated after the washing process,
the analysis controller is programmed to control the liquid chromatograph so as to perform, when performing the sample analysis, the gradient process in which the mixture ratio of the solvents is continuously changed from the initial mixture ratio to the final mixture ratio,
the preparatory liquid supply controller is programmed to perform, when performing the preparatory liquid supply, the gradient process in which the mixture ratio of the solvents is continuously changed from the initial mixture ratio to the final mixture ratio,
the preparatory liquid supply controller is programmed to perform the gradient process at the rate higher than the analysis controller, and
each of the analysis controller and the preparatory liquid supply controller is programmed to perform the washing process and the equilibration process at a same rate.

Assignees

• Ohashi Hiroshi
• Yamaguchi Tadayuki
• Terada Hidetoshi
• Shimadzu Corp

Inventors

• Ohashi Hiroshi
• Yamaguchi Tadayuki
• Terada Hidetoshi

Classifications

• G01N30/8651

  Recording, data aquisition, archiving and storage · CPC title

• G01N30/34 Primary

  of fluid composition, e.g. gradient (G01N30/36 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G01N30/8693

  Models, e.g. prediction of retention times, method development and validation · CPC title

• B01D15/203

  Equilibration or regeneration · CPC title

• G01N2030/8804

  automated systems · CPC title