title: Stepper motor controlled micro gas valve inlet system for gas chromatography.
abstract: A novel gas valve inlet system for gas chromatography is described. The device incorporates a capillary sample gas delivery tube containing a small orifice in its side from which sample vapor continuously flows. A precision micro stepper motor is used to translate the sample delivery tube parallel to its axis so that the orifice passes by the end of the fused silica separation column. The inlet end of the column and the sample delivery tube are housed in a pressurized injection port which also contains purge flows to vent sample between injections. Two operating modes are described. In the sweep mode, the orifice sweeps past the column end at a constant, adjustable velocity. In the park mode, the orifice is parked in front of the column end for a software selectable time. Injection sample size and bandwidth are adjustable. Bandwidths (σ) as small as a few milliseconds make the inlet suitable for high-speed gas chromatography as well as conventional GC.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nowak
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gorsuch
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sacks