Agilent Technologies, Inc.

Sam Wouters

Thomas Ortmann

Daniel Thielsch

Irina Spuling

Martin Seifried

A sample separation device includes a separation path and a control unit. The separation path is between a fluid drive and a sample separation unit, and is configured to inject a fluidic sample in an injector path into a mobile phase in the separation path driven by the fluid drive to the sample separation unit for chromatographically separating the fluidic sample. The control unit is configured to control blocking the injector path or at least a partial path thereof, generating an overpressure in the blocked injector path or the partial path thereof by a pressure source, and subsequently fluidically coupling the injector path or the partial path thereof to a region of lower pressure than the overpressure to generate an expansion stroke for releasing unwanted components from the injector path.

Operation of an injector of a sample separation device

An injector, for injecting a fluidic sample into a flow path between a fluid drive and a sample separation unit, includes a sample accommodation volume, a sample drive, and a fluidic valve switchable to selectively couple the volume with the flow path or decouple the volume from the flow path. In an injection switching state, the fluid drive, the separation unit and the sample drive are coupled by the valve so that fluid driven by the sample drive and flowing from the volume to the separation unit and further fluid driven by the fluid drive and flowing from the fluid drive to the separation unit are combined at a fluidic connection upstream of the separation unit. A control unit controls an outlet flow rate value according to which a combination of the mobile phase and the fluidic sample is driven through the separation unit.

Sample injection with fluidic connection between fluid drive unit and sample accommodation volume

An injector is configured for injecting a fluidic sample from an injector path into a mobile phase in a separation path between a fluid drive and a sample separation unit of a sample separation device. The injector includes a control unit configured for generating a first overpressure in a blocked first partial path of the injector path by a first pressure source, for generating a second overpressure in a blocked second partial path of the injector path by a second pressure source, for subsequently fluidically coupling the first partial path with the second partial path for generating an expansion stroke for releasing a gas bubble in the injector path, and for rinsing the released gas bubble from the injector path.

An injector, for injecting a fluidic sample into a flow path between a fluid drive and a sample separation unit, includes a sample accommodation volume, a sample drive, and a fluidic valve switchable to selectively couple the volume with the flow path or decouple the volume from the flow path. In an injection switching state, the fluid drive, the separation unit and the sample drive are coupled by the valve so that fluid driven by the sample drive and flowing from the volume to the separation unit and further fluid driven by the fluid drive and flowing from the fluid drive to the separation unit are combined at a fluidic connection upstream of the separation unit. A control unit controls a pressure of the fluid and/or the further fluid during injecting.

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Karlsruhe/Baden-Wuerttemberg, Germany

Sam Wouters