Temperature control device for an nmr sample tube

Abstract

Temperature control device () for an NMR sample tube (), wherein multiple interleaved, concentric flow channels () for temperature control fluid extending coaxially with respect to a cylindrical interior space () for holding the NMR sample tube are constituted around said interior space (), wherein said temperature control device is constituted such that it is closed toward the interior space in an axial end region () and, an axial end region () at the opposite end thereto, open to the interior space for inserting the NMR sample tube into said interior space (), wherein, in a counter flow region (GB), adjacent flow channels () are interconnected through a fluid passage () at one axial end in such a way that the direction of a fluid flow in the flow channels of the counter flow region is reversed with respect to the corresponding adjacent flow channel in the counter flow region, wherein the outermost flow channel () of the counter flow region has a fluid inlet () at one axial end, and wherein the innermost flow channel () of the counter flow region has a fluid passage () to the interior space at one axial end that faces toward the axial end region that is closed, is characterized in that at least one of the flow channels, in particular, the outermost flow channel () of the temperature control device and/or the next outermost flow channel () of the temperature control device has a fluid outlet () at one axial end, through which at least part (MS) of the temperature-controlling fluid flow that is conveyed along the outermost flow channel () of the temperature control device can escape from the temperature control device without passing through all of the flow channels of the counter-low region. With this invention, temperature control of an NMR sample tube can be ensured with low temperature gradients, while achieving a high temperature control performance.