Device and method for changing solution conditions in serial flow

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11835500-B2
Application number	US-201515518658-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 13, 2015
Priority date	Oct 13, 2014
Publication date	Dec 5, 2023
Grant date	Dec 5, 2023

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a device and method for changing the conditions of a solution flowing in a serial path. In particular, disclosed herein is a device that includes a chemical reactor, a first system, and a second system that are each serial to one another. Each of the first system and the second system include a mixing chamber, a solvent reservoir, a solvent pump, and one or more detectors. Also disclosed herein is a method for changing the condition of a solution that includes flowing a liquid sample in a path, serially mixing the sample with at least two discrete solvents while it flows through the path, and detecting the condition of the sample after it is mixed with each solvent.

First claim

I claim:

1. A device 100 comprising:
(a) a sample reservoir 101 containing a sample comprising a polymer or a colloid, the sample reservoir 101 comprising a sample reservoir outlet conduit 101 c;
(b) a first system 110 comprising:
(i) a first mixing chamber 111 adapted to contain a first mixing chamber solution, the first mixing chamber comprising a sample inlet 111 a , a first solvent inlet 111 b , and a first mixing chamber outlet conduit 111 c;
(ii) a first sample pump 112 in fluid communication with the sample reservoir 101 and the first mixing chamber 111 , the first sample pump 112 adapted to deliver the sample from the sample reservoir 101 through the sample reservoir outlet conduit 101 c into the sample inlet 111 a of the first mixing chamber 111 ;
(iii) a first solvent reservoir 113 containing a first solvent, the first solvent reservoir 113 comprising a first solvent reservoir outlet conduit 113 c , wherein the first solvent changes a first condition of the sample in the first mixing chamber solution, the first condition being selected from the group consisting of ionic strength, pH value, surfactant content, and solvent polarity;
(iv) a first solvent pump 114 in fluid communication with the first solvent reservoir 113 and the first mixing chamber 111 , the first solvent pump 114 adapted to deliver the first solvent from the first solvent reservoir 113 though the first solvent reservoir outlet conduit 113 c into the first solvent inlet 111 b of the first mixing chamber 111 ; and
(v) a first detector train 115 comprising a first detector train inlet, a first detector train outlet, a first detector 115 a between the first detector train inlet and the first detector train outlet, and a first additional detector 115 b between the first detector train inlet and the first detector train outlet, wherein the first detector train 115 is in fluid communication with the first mixing chamber 111 through the first mixing chamber outlet conduit 111 c of the first mixing chamber 111 and the first detector train inlet of the first detector train 115 , the first detector 115 a is configured to detect a property of the first mixing chamber solution, and the first additional detector 115 b is configured to detect a property of the first mixing chamber solution;

(c) a second system 120 serial to, and downstream of, the first system 110 , the second system 120 comprising:
(i) a second mixing chamber 121 connected to the first detector train 115 outlet and adapted to contain a second mixing chamber solution, the second mixing chamber 121 comprising a second mixing chamber inlet 121 a , a second solvent inlet 121 b , and a second mixing chamber outlet conduit 121 c , the second mixing chamber 121 in fluid communication with the first detector train outlet;
(ii) a second solvent reservoir 123 containing a second solvent that is different from the first solvent, the second solvent reservoir 123 comprising a second solvent reservoir outlet conduit 123 c , wherein the second solvent changes a second condition of the first mixing chamber solution in the second mixing chamber solution, the second condition being different from the first condition and being selected from the group consisting of ionic strength, pH value, surfactant content, and solvent polarity;
(iii) a second solvent pump 124 in fluid communication with the second solvent reservoir 123 and the second mixing chamber 121 , the second solvent pump 124 adapted to deliver the second solvent from the second solvent reservoir 123 through the second solvent reservoir outlet conduit 123 c into the second solvent inlet 121 b of the second mixing chamber 121 ; and
(iv) a second detector train 125 comprising a second detector train inlet, a second detector train outlet, a second detector 125 a between the second detector train inlet and the second detector train outlet, and a second additional detector 125 b between the second detector train inlet and the second detector train outlet, wherein the second detector train 125 is in fluid communication with the second mixing chamber 121 through the second mixing chamber outlet conduit 121 c of the second mixing chamber 121 and the second detector train inlet of the second detector train 125 , the second detector 125 a is configured to detect a property of the second mixing chamber solution, and the second additional detector 125 b is configured to detect a property of the second mixing chamber solution; and

(d) a sample detector 105 configured to detect a property of the sample, the sample detector 105 being in fluid communication with the sample reservoir 101 and the first mixing chamber 111 .

2. The device of claim 1 , further comprising a third system 130 serial to, and downstream of, the second system 120 , the third system 130 comprising:
(i) a third mixing chamber 131 connected to the second detector train 125 outlet and adapted to contain a third mixing chamber solution, the third mixing chamber 131 comprising a third mixing chamber inlet 131 a , a third solvent inlet 131 b , and a third mixing chamber outlet conduit 131 c , the third mixing chamber in fluid communication with the second detector train outlet;
(ii) a third solvent reservoir 133 containing a third solvent that is different from the first solvent and second solvent, the third solvent reservoir 133 comprising a third solvent reservoir outlet conduit 133 c , wherein the third solvent changes a third condition of the second mixing chamber solution in the third mixing chamber solution, the third condition being different from the first and second conditions and being selected from the group consisting of ionic strength, pH value, surfactant content, and solvent polarity;
(iii) a third solvent pump 134 in fluid communication with the third solvent reservoir 133 and the third mixing chamber 131 , the third solvent pump 134 adapted to deliver the third solvent from the third solvent reservoir 133 through the third solvent reservoir outlet conduit 133 c into the third solvent inlet 131 b of the third mixing chamber 131 ; and
(iv) a third detector train 135 comprising a third detector train inlet, a third detector train outlet, a third detector 135 a between the third detector train inlet and the third detector train outlet, and a third additional detector 135 b between the third detector train inlet and the third detector train outlet, wherein the third detector train 135 is in fluid communication with the third mixing chamber 131 through the third mixing chamber outlet conduit 131 c of the third mixing chamber 131 and the third detector train inlet of the third detector train 135 , the third detector 135 a is configured to detect a property of the third mixing chamber solution, and the third additional detector 135 b is configured to detect a property of the third mixing chamber solution.

3. The device of claim 2 , further comprising a fourth system 140 serial to, and downstream of, the third system 130 , the fourth system 140 comprising:
(i) a fourth mixing chamber 141 connected to the third detector train 135 outlet and adapted to contain a fourth mixing chamber solution, the fourth mixing chamber 141 comprising a fourth mixing chamber inlet 141 a , a fourth solvent inlet 141 b , and a fourth mixing chamber outlet conduit 141 c , the fourth mixing chamber in fluid communication with the third detector train outlet;
(ii) a fourth solvent reservoir 143 containing a fourth solvent that is different from the first solvent, second solvent, and third solvent, the fourth solvent reservoir 143 comprising a fourth solvent reservoir outlet

Assignees

• Administrators Of The Tulane Educational Fund
• The Administrators Of The Tulane Educational Fund

Inventors

• Reed Wayne F

Classifications

• G01N30/78 Primary

  using more than one detector · CPC title

• B01F33/811 Primary

  in two or more consecutive, i.e. successive, mixing receptacles or being consecutively arranged · CPC title

• B01F35/2132

  Concentration, pH, pOH, p(ION) or oxygen-demand (B01F35/2133 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B01F35/2133

  Electrical conductivity or dielectric constant of the mixture · CPC title

• B01F35/7176

  using pumps · CPC title