Perkinelmer Health Sciences, Inc.

Samuel Tolley

Andrew Tipler

Chad Kingston

Certain configurations are described of column heaters that can be used in gas chromatography applications to provide individual heating zones along a gas chromatography column. The column heater may comprise a plurality of inductive elements that can be used to provide heating zones. A thermally conductive support can be used with the gas chromatography column and the inductive elements if desired. The column heater can be used to provide a travelling wave, a thermal gradient or other heating profiles.

Heaters and their use in temperature gradient and traveling wave chromatography

A gas chromatographic system includes a gas chromatographic (GC) subsystem and an autosampler. The autosampler includes a carrier including a plurality of seats and a plurality of sample holders disposed in respective ones of the seats. Each of the sample holders includes: a container defining a chamber configured to hold a sample; and visible indicium on the container; wherein the container is positioned in its seat such that the visible indicium is visible. The autosampler further includes an optical sensor, a controller, at least one mirror, and a sampling system. The optical sensor is configured to read the visible indicia and to generate an output signal corresponding thereto. The controller is configured to receive the output signal. The at least one mirror is arranged and configured to simultaneously reflect images of the visible indicia of a set of the sample holders in the seats to the optical sensor. The sampling system to configured to extract an analyte from at least one of the sample holders and transfer the extracted analyte to the GC subsystem.

Autosamplers and gas chromatographic systems and methods including same

According to embodiments of the technology, an automated thermal desorption system includes a sample tube including a chamber to contain an analyte, visible indicia on the sample tube, a thermal desorption apparatus, and a sample tube monitoring system. The thermal desorption apparatus is configured to receive the sample tube and includes a heating device. The heating device is configured to heat the sample tube in the thermal desorption apparatus and thereby desorb the analyte from the sample tube. The sample tube monitoring system includes: an optical sensor configured to read the visible indicia on the sample tube and to generate an output signal corresponding thereto; and a controller configured to receive the output signal corresponding to the visible indicia from the optical sensor and to determine an orientation of the sample tube with respect to the thermal desorption apparatus based on the output signal.

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Hamden, CT, United States of America

Samuel Tolley