Abstract: A method for interfacing LC or SFC chromatographic equipment with a mass spectrometer, comprises the steps of: positioning at least one conductive element adjacent said column end; positioning said column end and said conductive element at a preselected distance from the mass spectrometer ion source; and connecting said conductive element to a high voltage source and grounding said ion source, or vice versa.

Abstract: An injector with a vaporization chamber for gas chromatographic apparatus includes a heater to heat the chamber and a pierceable septum to seal an end of the chamber. At least a heat conducting element is removably mounted between the septum and the heater. One or more elements are positioned adjacent to the septum and are in fluid communication with a source of carrier gas and a discharge outlet. The elements define paths with forced run for washing the septum and for feeding the vaporization chamber.

Abstract: The present invention relates to devices and processes for the introduction of a liquid sample into an apparatus for gas chromatographic analysis. A sample is injected into a vaporization chamber positioned upstream of a gas chromatographic column. The vaporization chamber is equipped with a means to feed a carrier gas selectively into the chamber, the chamber being kept at a temperature at least equal to the boiling temperature of the solvent at the operating pressure. A separation is effectuated between the sample and its carrier solvent, the solvent vapor is exhausted through an exhaust duct. Thereafter, the flow of carrier gas is restored to the chamber and the separated solvent is exhausted from the chamber through a separate outline into a gas chromatographic column.

Abstract: A process and an apparatus for performing analyses in liquid chromatography, by means of a pump capable of drawing a fluid and injecting it at high pressure, through at least a control valve, into a separation column. To obtain maximum precision as required by the analysis, before each analysis or each group of analyses, or with respect to each fluid used, a pump stroke is performed with the pump delivery side shut off in order to record and memorize the characteristics of compressibility of the fluid. These characteristics are kept into consideration in the subsequent operative stages to obtain an exactly constant delivery of the feed pump to the separation column.

Abstract: The functions of a gas chromatograph depending on the advancement stage of the analysis can be at least partly controlled by detecting the data relating to the carrier feeding conditions (pressure and/or flow) in a position upstream the injection point of the sample to be analyzed, and by measuring the variations occurring in the conditions after the sample injection. This method is particularly convenient for the analysis of samples with high volumes of eluent, and one of its preferred embodiments foresees the use of a pressure sensor in a point of the carrier feeding duct or, alternatively, of a flow sensor positioned between two points of the feeding duct.

Abstract: This invention concerns a method and a device to perform the adjustment of the cooling temperature of a trap for samples in an apparatus of gas chromatographic analysis. The method according to the invention is characterized in that the cooling fluid flow fed to the trap is adjusted by varying the vacuum caused by a suction device downstream the trap, which is capable of sucking the cooling fluid from a vessel upstream the trap itself.The device according to the invention is characterized in that it comprises a suction means placed downstream the trap and connected by means of a first duct to an end of the trap itself, the other end of the trap being connected, by a second duct, to a vessel containing the refrigerating fluid.

Abstract: A process and an apparatus for performing analyses in liquid chromatography, by ways of a pump capable of drawing a fluid and injecting it at high pressure, through at least a control valve, into a separation column.To obtain maximum precision as required by the analysis, before each analysis or each group of analyses, or with respect to each fluid used, a pump stroke is performed with the pump delivery side shut off in order to record and store the characteristics of compressibility of the fluid. These characteristics are kept into consideration in the subsequent operative stages to obtain an exactly constant delivery of the feed pump to the separation column.

Abstract: The invention concerns a method and an equipment for the simulated distillation, by means of gas chromatography, of petroleum products, capable of characterizing also high boiling products, exceeding C55, over 600.degree. C. TBP. A chromatograph is used with a capillary column having a length less than or equal to 10 m, containing an immobilized non polar polydimethylsilicon gum stationary phase with a film thickness less than or equal to 0.2 .mu.m. The sample is introduced through a non vaporizing direct cold on-column injection and the eluted sample is detected by means of a FID detector. The column oven is operated in temperature programming conditions up to temperatures exceeding 400.degree. (up to 430.degree.-450.degree. C.).

Abstract: This invention concerns a chamber for chromatographic analyses, in which capillary columns, in particular columns of fused silica, are thermally conditioned. The chamber comprises a thermally insulated space which can be perfectly sealed towards the outside and which houses means for heating the air and at least a fan for air circulation inside said space. In order to make the air flow going to the column(s) within the chamber as homogeneous and stable as possible from the thermal viewpoint the heating means are positioned on the suction side of the fan or of each fan, so to cause a perfect mixing of cold and hot fluid flow threads or lines in correspondence with the fan itself, and thereby obtain a uniform and stable air current from the fan towards the column.

Abstract: A device for heating sample containing vials, in a gas-chromatographic apparatus provided with an automatic sampler, which includes a shroud in which a depression is made by a fan which sucks external air and conveys it under pressure into a Venturi tube shaped duct. This depression causes more external air to be sucked through separate openings of the shroud and to follow a different path along the resistors, the sampler, the tray and the vials and to be eventually exhausted through the vent together with air coming from the fan duct.

Abstract: The invention concerns a method and an equipment for the simulated distillation, by means of gas chromatography, of petroleum products, capable of characterizing also high boiling products, exceeding C55, over 600 C TBP. A chromatograph is used with a capillary column having a length less than or equal to 10 m, containing an immobilized non polar polydimethylsilicon gum stationary phase with a film thickness less than or equal to 0.2 .mu.m. The sample is introduced through a non vaporizing direct cold on-column injection and the eluted sample is detected by means of a FID detector. The column oven is operated in temperature programming conditions up to temperatures exceeding 400 (up to 430-450 C.).

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and device for direct non-vaporizing on column-injection of samples containing high boiling point and/or medium volatile compounds, in gas chromatographic analysis on capillary column. For reasons of economy, the oven containing the column is maintained at a temperature very mcuh higher than the boiling point of the solvent, while the initial part of the column (at least 10 cm) is cooled during the injection. The quantity of sample and solvent injected is related to the length of the cooled section of the column.

Abstract: A method for performing porosimetric analyses and apparatus therefor are disclosed. In particular, a method for performing porosimetric anaylses by the so-called mercury method is disclosed, wherein volumetric variations of mercury placed in a vessel are recorded. These variations are due to mercury penetration into the pores of a solid sample placed in the vessel under the mercury pressure variations. In the method disclosed, additional porosimetric information is obtained by reducing the pressure from a maximum value as a predetermined function of time. For example, the pressure reduction can be at a constant rate. Simultaneously, volume variations of the mercury exiting the sample pores are detected as the pressure decreases.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an automatic sampling apparatus for sample injection into a gas chromatographic column. In order to allow automatic injection with a non-vaporizing direct on-column injector, the apparatus includes a switch valve, an on-column injector, and a pre-column each having a passage with a diameter greater than 0.5 mm for receiving the injection syringe. The present invention also relates to a device provided with a series of small arms for driving the needle during injection, a switch valve constructed and arranged in a manner to prevent any contamination of the injector by the sample during the injection step, as well as an injection method which can be used with the apparatus and switch valve.

Abstract: The invention relates to a direct on column non-vaporizing injector for gas chromatographic analyses and comprising an accessory device capable of allowing injection with sample vaporization and possible splitting. The accessory device is formed by a tubular element which, at one end, can be fixed to the injector body coaxially to the passage for the injection syringe needle, while its opposite end is closed by an insert provided with an axial hole in which the gas chromatographic capillary column head is pneumatically inserted, said insert being provided with at least one other hole for splitting the vaporized sample. The tubular element houses a vaporization tube which under conditions of thermal exchange with heating means, is pneumatically connected to said passage for the injection syringe needle and to said insert holes and receives the upper end of the gas chromatogaphic column.

Abstract: An apparatus for controllably and reproducibly introducing, small amounts of a liquid sample into chromatographic systems, especially high resolution gas chromatographic systems with cold injection, thin-layer chromatographic systems and high resolution liquid chromatographic systems, in order to obtain sampling extremely reduced in volume and presenting maximum reliability and reproducibility, uses a sample container having a pipette-like or nozzle-like outlet neck of very small diameter. The liquid placed in the container is submitted to at least one pressure pulse which is controlled in duration and/or amplitude in order to determine emission of a corresponding and controlled quantity of liquid from the outlet neck.

Abstract: The invention relates to a mercury porosimeter, of the type in which the quantity of mercury which has penetrated into the pores of the substance to be analyzed is determined by measuring capacity variations in a cylindrical condenser, the inner armature of which consists of the mercury present in the capillary of a penetrometer containing the substance to be analyzed, the penetrometer being housed inside an autoclave. The porosimeter according to the invention is characterized in that the outer armature of the condenser is fixed to the autoclave body, in that the condenser dielectric is formed by the penetrometer capillary and by the oil introduced into the autoclave to transmit pressure variations to mercury, and in that said oil has the same dielectric constant as the glass forming the penetrometer capillary.

Abstract: The invention relates to a modified-flame thermionic detector for gas chromatographs, of the type including a burner nozzle, an excitation electrode and a collecting electrode. The electrical connections of the nozzle and the excitation electrode can be changed at the operator's will, together with the spatial position of the excitation electrode with respect to the flame and the collector, to find out the presence of certain compounds, leaving all other conditions of analysis performance and detector supply unaltered. This allows obtaining chromatograms of unknown samples under different conditions of the detector configuration, to put into evidence the presence of certain compounds in the sample by comparing peaks of chromatograms obtained under said different operating conditions of the detector.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for controllably and reproducibly introducing small amounts of a liquid sample into chromatographic systems, especially high resolution gas chromatographic systems and thin-layer chromatographic systems, order to obtain sampling extremely reduced in volume and presenting maximum reliability and reproducibility, uses a sample container having a pipette-like or nozzle-like outlet neck of very small diameter. The liquid placed in the container is submitted to at least one pressure pulse which is controlled in time and/or amplitude in order to determine emission of a corresponding and controlled quantity of liquid from the outlet neck. The pressure pulse can be a pneumatic pulse directly applied to the liquid sample in the container, or a mechanical pulse applied to the liquid sample through a device acting by magnetostriction or by a piezoelectric system.

Abstract: An apparatus for controlling the injection passage of on-column injector is disclosed. The apparatus includes a valve having at least one channel inside it and leading to the injection passage for the injection syringe needle. The channel is connected outside the injector to a source for carrier gas introduction, when the valve is open, or to the atmosphere, when the valve is closed, so as to allow a quick-type injection without the drawbacks of this injection type, as well as to have a solvent exhaust after injection.