Optics: measuring and testing – With plural diverse test or art
Patent
1997-10-27
1999-11-30
Kim, Robert H.
Optics: measuring and testing
With plural diverse test or art
356 73, 356246, G01N 2100
Patent
active
059952091
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
TECHNICAL FIELD
The invention relates to an apparatus for continuously measuring physical and chemical parameters in a fluid flow.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Liquid chromatography is a widely used technique for separation and analysis of chemical compounds. The basic principle of the chromatography technique is to let a test sample travel through a column containing a supporting medium, and there interact with substances of two different phases, namely a mobile phase and a stationary phase. Different sample components will interact to different degrees with the two phases, and those interacting more strongly with the stationary phase will eventually be lagging those preferring the mobile phase. The result is a separation of the test sample components during the passage of the column.
To detect the sample components as they leave the separation column, several detector techniques are employed.
So far, separate detectors have been used to detect different parameters of the sample components as they leave the separation column. If more when one parameter are to be measured, different detectors would have to be interconnected by means of e.g. a flexible tubing in order to carry out the measurement.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The object of the invention is to bring about an apparatus which makes it possible to measure more than one parameter in one and the same volume of a fluid flow.
This is attained by the apparatus according to the invention in that it comprises a single flow cell having a fluid interface for conducting the fluid through the flow cell, an electrical interface connected to at least one first means provided in the flow cell wall for measuring at least one first parameter of the fluid in the flow cell, and an optical interface for transmitting light into the flow cell and for receiving light from the flow cell to measure at least one second parameter of the fluid in the flow cell.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
The invention will be described more in detail below with reference to the appended drawing, on which
FIG. 1 is a plan view of an embodiment of a sensor chip for a flow cell according to the invention,
FIG. 2 is a schematic longitudinal sectional view of an embodiment of a flow cell according to the invention along line A--A as indicated on the sensor chip in FIG. 1, and
FIG. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view along of the flow cell in FIG. 2 along line B--B as indicated on the sensor chip in FIG. 1.
PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION
FIG. 2 is a schematic longitudinal sectional view of an embodiment of a flow cell 1 according to the invention along line A--A as indicated in FIG. 1.
In the flow cell 1, a flow channel 2 is defined between a sensor chip 3, a plan view of which is shown in FIG. 1, and a silicon wafer 4, which has been anisotropically etched with a KOH solution to produce the flow channel 2. As is well known per se, this etching process will produce a flow channel with sloped or inclined side-walls as apparent from FIGS. 2 and 3 if mask/substrate orientation and etchant are choosen correctly.
It is to be understood that the wafer 4 does not necessarily have to be a silicon wafer but that other materials are possible.
In the embodiment shown, the sensor chip 3 is transparent and made of quartz. However, the sensor chip 3 does not have to be made of quartz but other materials are also possible.
On the sensor chip 3 in FIG. 1, the bottom area of the flow channel 2 is denoted 5. That bottom area 5 of the flow channel 2 can also be termed the measurement area of the flow cell 1.
FIG. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the flow cell 1 according to the invention along line B--B as indicated on the sensor chip 3 in FIG. 1.
With reference to FIG. 3, fluid is introduced into the flow channel 2 through an inlet opening 6 in the sensor chip 3 by means of an inlet capillary tube 7 or other means. An outlet opening 8 for the fluid is indicated on the sensor chip 3 in FIG. 1, which outlet opening 8 is connected to an outlet capillary tube (not shown).
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REFERENCES:
patent: 4462962 (1984-07-01), Baba et al.
patent: 4555936 (1985-12-01), Scott
patent: 4883354 (1989-11-01), Sun et al.
patent: 5408313 (1995-04-01), Ponstingl et al.
patent: 5446531 (1995-08-01), Boyer et al.
Ekstrom Bjorn
Norlin Peter
Ohman Ove
Kim Robert H.
Pharmacia Biotech AB
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