Gas separation device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2025161844-A1
Application number	US-202318839618-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 10, 2023
Priority date	Mar 11, 2022
Publication date	May 22, 2025
Grant date	—

Abstract

A gas separation device for use in combination with a liquid chromatography system is provided. The gas separation device includes a housing defining a fluid flow path between an outer surface and an inner surface. The fluid flow path includes an inlet portion, a diffuser portion, a recombination portion, and an outlet portion. Any gas bubbles contained within the fluid are trapped within the diffusor portion when fluid flow is in a forward direction. Fluid flow through the gas separation device is reversable so as to remove the trapped gas bubbles from within the gas separation device. In this operation state, the fluid is delivered from the gas separation device into the waste stream to ensure that gas bubbles leave the liquid chromatography system. The gas separation device may exhibit an air trapping effectiveness ratio (ATER) between 0.001 mb −1 and 0.51 mb −1 during forward direction fluid flow.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A gas separation device, comprising:
a housing defining a fluid flow path between an outer surface and an inner surface, the housing having an inlet in communication with the fluid flow path and an outlet in communication with the fluid flow path, the housing being operable to permit fluid flow in a forward direction from the inlet to the outlet and in a reverse direction from the outlet to the inlet, and the fluid flow path defining a fluid path volume and having:
an inlet portion arranged to receive fluid from the inlet during fluid flow in the forward direction through the housing, the inlet portion defining an inlet portion volume;
a diffuser portion arranged to receive fluid from the inlet portion during fluid flow in the forward direction through the housing, the diffuser portion defining a diffuser portion volume;
a recombination portion arranged to receive fluid from the diffuser portion during fluid flow in the forward direction through the housing, the recombination portion defining a recombination portion volume;
an outlet portion arranged to receive fluid from the recombination portion during fluid flow in the forward direction through the gas separation device, the outlet portion defining an outlet portion volume; and
wherein the gas separation device is configured to exhibit an air trapping effectiveness ratio (ATER) that is between 0.001 mL −1 and 0.51 mL −1 during fluid flow in the forward direction through the housing.

2 . The gas separation device of claim 1 , wherein the gas separation device is configured to exhibit a transition volume that is less than or equal to 5 times the value of the fluid flow path volume during fluid flow in the forward direction through the housing.

3 . The gas separation device of claim 1 , wherein the gas separation device further includes one fluid flow path exiting the outlet.

4 . The gas separation device of claim 1 , wherein the gas separation device further includes a manifold in fluid communication with the outlet, the manifold dividing fluid exiting the outlet into a plurality of fluid flow paths.

5 . The gas separation device of claim 4 , wherein the plurality of fluid flow paths includes at least two fluid paths.

6 . The gas separation device of claim 1 , wherein the inlet portion volume and the diffuser portion volume together are between 10% to 75% of the fluid path volume.

7 . The gas separation device of claim 1 , wherein a first average fluid velocity used to determine the ATER is defined by a velocity of fluid flowing through the inlet and a second average fluid velocity used to determine the ATER is defined by a velocity of fluid flowing through the diffuser portion.

8 . The gas separation device of claim 7 , wherein the ATER is defined by the ratio of the second average fluid velocity to the first average fluid velocity divided by the diffuser portion volume.

9 . The gas separation device of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the inner surface and the outer surface at the diffuser portion defines a generally domed longitudinal profile.

10 . The gas separation device of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the inner surface and the outer surface at the diffuser portion defines a generally flat longitudinal profile.

11 . The gas separation device of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the inner surface and the outer surface at the diffuser portion defines a conical or frustoconical profile.

12 . The gas separation device of claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the housing is translucent or transparent such that a gas volume in the diffuser portion is able to be viewed through the housing.

13 . The gas separation device of claim 1 , wherein the recombination portion is defined by a plurality of discrete channels extending between the inner surface and the outer surface of the fluid flow path.

14 . The gas separation device of claim 1 , wherein the recombination portion is defined by an annular channel extending between the inner surface and the outer surface of the fluid flow path.

15 . The gas separation device of claim 1 , wherein the recombination portion is defined by the inner surface and the outer surface of the fluid flow path having a concentric configuration.

16 . A fluid system comprising:
a gas separation device having a housing defining a fluid flow path between an outer surface and an inner surface, the housing having an inlet in communication with the fluid flow path and an outlet in communication with the fluid flow path, the housing being operable to permit fluid flow in a forward direction from the inlet to the outlet and in a reverse direction, and the fluid flow path defining a fluid path volume; a fluid source coupled to the inlet of the gas separation device; and
at least one chromatography device including an inlet coupled to the outlet of the gas separation device, the fluid source configured to deliver a forward flow through the gas separation device and the chromatography device and the chromatography device operable to permit a reverse flow through the chromatography device; and
wherein the gas separation device is configured to exhibit an air trapping effectiveness ratio (ATER) that is between 0.001 mL −1 and 0.51 mL −1 during forward flow through the housing.

17 . The system of claim 16 , wherein a first average fluid velocity used to determine the ATER is defined by a velocity of fluid flowing through the inlet and a second average fluid velocity used to determine the ATER is defined by a velocity of fluid flowing through the diffuser portion, and wherein the ATER is defined by the ratio of the second average fluid velocity to the first average fluid velocity divided by the diffuser portion volume.

18 . The system of claim 16 , wherein the chromatography device comprises a total volume defined by volume between a fluid inlet of the chromatography device and a fluid outlet of the chromatography device, and wherein the fluid flow volume of the gas separation device is less than or equal to 50% of the total volume of the chromatography device.

19 . The system of claim 16 , wherein the gas separation device is configured to exhibit a transition volume that is less than or equal to 5 times the value of the fluid flow path volume of the gas separation device during forward flow through the housing.

20 . The system of claim 16 , wherein the gas separation device further includes a manifold in fluid communication with the at least one outlet, the manifold dividing fluid exiting the outlet into a plurality of fluid flow paths.

21 . The system of claim 16 , wherein the fluid flow path includes an inlet portion arranged to receive fluid from the inlet during forward flow through the housing, a diffuser portion arranged to receive fluid from the inlet portion during forward flow through the housing, the diffuser portion defining a diffuser portion volume, a recombination portion arranged to receive fluid from the diffuser portion during forward flow through the housing, and an outlet portion arranged to receive fluid from the recombination portion during forward flow through the gas separation device.

22 . The system of claim 21 , wherein at least a portion of one or both of the inner surface and the outer surface of the fluid flow path defining the diffuser portion is translucent or transparent such that a gas bubble may be observed within the diffuser portion.

23 . A method for trapping and releasing a volume o

Assignees

• Gore & Ass

Inventors

• Mcmanaway Michael C
• Hashemisohi Hasan
• Zukor Kenneth S

Classifications

• B01D15/125

  Pre-filtration · CPC title

• B01D19/0042

  modifying the liquid flow (B01D19/0021 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G01N30/34 Primary

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

• B01D15/16

  relating to the conditioning of the fluid carrier · CPC title

• G01N30/6004 Primary

  end pieces · CPC title