JPS6330737B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a splitter used in a device combining a liquid chromatograph and a mass spectrometer.

A liquid chromatograph is a useful device for separating and analyzing a multi-component mixed sample, and in particular, when coupled with a mass spectrometer as a detection means, information regarding molecular weight and molecular structure can be obtained. By the way, the flow rate of the effluent from a liquid chromatograph is 0.1 to 10 ml/min for a high-performance liquid chromatograph, and about 10 μ/min for a micro liquid chromatograph.
On the other hand, the ion source of a mass spectrometer can normally only tolerate a flow rate of 1 to several μ/min due to its evacuation capacity. Therefore, a splitter is required to take out the effluent at an appropriate splitting ratio and send it to the ion source.

A splitter that has been conventionally used in many ways is, for example, as shown in Fig. 1, with a first pipe P1 carrying the effluent A, and a second pipe P1 carrying a predetermined proportion of the effluent to the ion source.
It has a structure in which a branch chamber B connects a pipe P2 and a third pipe P3 for discharging the remaining effluent to the outside via a flow control valve V. However, in such conventional splitters, the sample volume (dead volume) remaining in the pipe connecting the liquid chromatograph and the mass spectrometer becomes large, resulting in many undesirable effects.

The present invention has been made in view of this point,
The object of the present invention is to provide a splitter for a liquid chromatograph mass spectrometer that has a simple configuration and has an extremely small dead volume. The present invention will be explained in detail below using the drawings.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view showing the configuration of an embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, 1 is a first tube that carries the effluent A from the liquid chromatograph, and 2 is a second tube that carries the effluent to the ion source. Reference numeral 3 denotes a cylindrical body for coaxially connecting both tubes, into which the first tube 1 is inserted from one end, and the second tube 2 is inserted from the other end. The outer diameter of the second tube 2 is the same as that of the first tube 1.
The tip of the tube 2 is inserted into the tube 1. The effluent conveyed through pipe 1 therefore has a portion passing through pipe 2 and a portion passing through pipe 2.
It is divided into two parts: a part that passes through the outside of the 4 is a spacer for adjusting the outer diameter of the tube 2 to the inner diameter of the cylindrical body 3;
6 is a gasket for preventing liquid leakage, and 6 is a pressing ring for pressing the gasket 5 against the cylinder 3, the pipe 1, and the spacer 4.

Of the effluent divided into two parts as described above, the one that passes through the tube 2 is sent as is to the on-source, but the one that passes outside the tube 2 is sent to the outlet 7 provided in the center of the cylinder 3 and the other side. It is discharged to the outside of the cylinder via a third pipe 8 connected to the discharge port 7. Reference numeral 9 denotes a valve for adjusting the discharge amount, for example, a needle valve is used. By adjusting the valve 9 to vary the discharge rate, the flow rate of the effluent sent through the tube 2 to the ion source is adjusted accordingly.

With such a configuration, since the tube 2 is inserted into the tube 1, the dead volume at the splitter portion becomes almost zero. On the other hand, in the splitter shown in FIG. 1, the dead volume at the splitter portion is extremely large as shown by the shaded area, and it is easy to understand that the present invention is much superior.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the structure of a conventional splitter, and FIG. 2 is a sectional view showing the structure of an embodiment of the present invention. 1, 2: Pipe, 3: Cylindrical body, 4: Spacer, 5: Packing, 6: Pressing ring, 7: Discharge port, 8: Discharge pipe, 9: Valve.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1 The effluent from the liquid chromatograph carried through the first tube is transferred to the second tube connected to the ion source of the mass spectrometer and the third tube connected to the regulating valve.
The splitter is characterized in that the second pipe is inserted into the first pipe, and the effluent passing outside the second pipe is guided to the third pipe. A splitter in a liquid chromatograph mass spectrometer.