Abstract: A method of filtration in a process vessel using a treated filter media which has been treated with a conditioner for improved filtration of contaminants is provided. The treated filter media can be used in process vessels for refining, petrochemical, and chemical plants to treat process streams. The conditioner can be the same material as what is expected to be captured during the fouling process. In other words, the conditioner that is added to the treated filter media can be the same material as the contaminant in the fluid stream to be treated. This allows for chemical compatibility with an existing process fluid stream. This also allows for the natural continuation of the filtration process.

Abstract: A capacitive pressure transducer includes a shielded spacer positioned between the capacitor electrodes and driven with a separate voltage source.

Abstract: Process vessels can contain one or more entry zones containing stability-improving materials. The entry zones address bed movement and filtration problems. The stability-improving material can be positioned above a treating zone or above a processing bed within the vessel. Entry Zones are intended to improve the stability of downstream operations.

Abstract: In some embodiments, a method for optimizing performance of a mass spectrometer comprises using an ion source to generate ions, collisionally cooling the ions within an ion guide, directing said ions from the ion guide through at least one ion lens to a downstream mass analyzer, ramping a DC voltage applied to the ion lens, performing a mass analysis of the ions within the mass analyzer while the DC voltage applied to the ion lens is ramped, estimating performance of the mass spectrometer by measuring one or more characteristics of at least one of an ion signal and the voltage ramp, and adjusting a DC voltage applied to said at least one lens element based on said measured one or more characteristics of at least one of the ion signal and the voltage ramp so as to enhance performance of the mass spectrometer.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for separating and distinguishing between isotopic or isobaric opioid and/or benzodiazepine species within a sample. The method comprises introducing ions of the sample to an inlet of a differential mobility spectrometer (DMS), introducing a transport gas to carry the ions through the DMS, supplying an acetate modifier to the transport gas to modify the differential mobility of the ions, transporting the ions through the DMS in the presences of the acetate modifier and selectively transporting each of the species by selectively applying a corresponding compensation voltage for that species to allow that species to transport through and exit from the DMS.

Abstract: An apparatus for improving stability of a recreational animal may comprise a stability enhancement component. The stability enhancement component may comprise a top component, a bottom component, and four side components and may be rectangularly shaped. The stability enhancement component may comprise a diffuse surface that is configured to absorb the pressure the recreational animal exerts and spread the exerted pressure firmly throughout the rest of the stability enhancement component. The stability enhancement component may further comprise a direct surface that is configured to exert pressure in a direction opposite of a direction in which pressure is exerted by the recreational animal.

Abstract: In some embodiments, a method for optimizing performance of a mass spectrometer comprises using an ion source to generate ions, collisionally cooling the ions within an ion guide, directing said ions from the ion guide through at least one ion lens to a downstream mass analyzer, ramping a DC voltage applied to the ion lens, performing a mass analysis of the ions within the mass analyzer while the DC voltage applied to the ion lens is ramped, estimating performance of the mass spectrometer by measuring one or more characteristics of at least one of an ion signal and the voltage ramp, and adjusting a DC voltage applied to said at least one lens element based on said measured one or more characteristics of at least one of the ion signal and the voltage ramp so as to enhance performance of the mass spectrometer.

Abstract: An apparatus for improving stability of a recreational animal may comprise a stability enhancement component. The stability enhancement component may comprise a top component, a bottom component, and four side components and may be rectangularly shaped. The stability enhancement component may comprise a diffuse surface that is configured to absorb the pressure the recreational animal exerts and spread the exerted pressure firmly throughout the rest of the stability enhancement component. The stability enhancement component may further comprise a direct surface that is configured to exert pressure in a direction opposite of a direction in which pressure is exerted by the recreational animal.

Abstract: In accordance with various aspects of the present teachings, methods and systems for differential mobility spectrometry are provided herein for simultaneously applying a plurality of SV/CV combinations to subsets of a population of ions generated by one or more ion sources. In various aspects, DMS devices in accordance with the present teachings can provide multiple channels (e.g., 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, or more) for operating in parallel and within which different electrical fields can be generated for filtering sample ions within those channels based on the characteristic mobilities of the ions within each channel. In this manner, devices and methods in accordance with the present teachings can, in various aspects, enable improved duty cycle, increased throughput, decreased sample consumption, increased sensitivity for a plurality of ions of interest, and/or increased resolution.

Abstract: In accordance with various aspects of the present teachings, methods and systems for differential mobility spectrometry are provided herein for simultaneously applying a plurality of SV/CV combinations to subsets of a population of ions generated by one or more ion sources. In various aspects, DMS devices in accordance with the present teachings can provide multiple channels (e.g., 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, or more) for operating in parallel and within which different electrical fields can be generated for filtering sample ions within those channels based on the characteristic mobilities of the ions within each channel. In this manner, devices and methods in accordance with the present teachings can, in various aspects, enable improved duty cycle, increased throughput, decreased sample consumption, increased sensitivity for a plurality of ions of interest, and/or increased resolution.

Abstract: An apparatus for improving stability of a recreational animal may comprise a stability enhancement component. The stability enhancement component may comprise a top component, a bottom component, and four side components and may be rectangularly shaped. The stability enhancement component may comprise a diffuse surface that is configured to absorb the pressure the recreational animal exerts and spread the exerted pressure firmly throughout the rest of the stability enhancement component. The stability enhancement component may further comprise a direct surface that is configured to exert pressure in a direction opposite of a direction in which pressure is exerted by the recreational animal.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for performing differential mobility spectrometer (DMS) which includes decreasing the amount of time that ions spend inside fringing fields generated by the DMS. The apparatus includes an entrance electrode plate sealingly engaged to the entrance of the DMS, and is electrically separated from the parallel plate electrodes of the DMS, the entrance electrode plate has an aperture for allowing the traversal of ions into the DMS; wherein the cross-sectional area of the aperture is less than the cross-sectional area of the ion path, the ion path being located between the two parallel plate electrodes of the DMS. The entrance electrode plate may also have a focusing potential applied to it for focusing of ions.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for performing differential mobility spectrometer (DMS) which includes decreasing the amount of time that ions spend inside fringing fields generated by the DMS. The apparatus includes an entrance electrode plate sealingly engaged to the entrance of the DMS, and is electrically separated from the parallel plate electrodes of the DMS, the entrance electrode plate has an aperture for allowing the traversal of ions into the DMS; wherein the cross-sectional area of the aperture is less than the cross-sectional area of the ion path, the ion path being located between the two parallel plate electrodes of the DMS. The entrance electrode plate may also have a focusing potential applied to it for focusing of ions.

Abstract: A system including a differential mobility spectrometer is described as is a method of operating the system including the differential mobility spectrometer. The method and system involve a) providing ions to the differential mobility spectrometer; b) providing a drift gas to an inlet of the differential mobility spectrometer; c) adjusting a meter to define a selected volumetric flow rate for supplying a modifier liquid to the drift gas; and, d) supplying an actual volumetric flow rate of the modifier liquid to the drift gas, wherein the actual volumetric flow rate is within a percentage deviation from the selected volumetric flow rate.

Abstract: A mass spectrometer system and method of operating same are provided. The system comprises an ion conduit for receiving ions; a boundary member defining a curtain gas chamber containing the ion conduit; a curtain gas supply for providing a curtain gas to an inlet of the ion conduit to provide a gas flow into the conduit, and a curtain gas outflow out of a curtain gas chamber inlet; a mass spectrometer at least partially sealed to, and in fluid communication with, the conduit for receiving the ions from the conduit; a vacuum chamber surrounding the mass spectrometer operable to draw the gas flow including the ions through the conduit and into the vacuum chamber; and, a gas outlet for drawing a gas outflow from the gas flow located between the conduit and the mass spectrometer to increase the gas flow rate through the conduit.

Abstract: A mass spectrometer system including a differential mobility spectrometer and a mass spectrometer at least partially sealed to, and in fluid communication, with, the differential mobility spectrometer, together with a related method, are provided. The mass spectrometer system can be operable to, and method can comprise, a) maintaining the differential mobility spectrometer at an internal operating pressure; b) providing ions to the differential mobility spectrometer; c) maintaining the mass spectrometer at a vacuum pressure lower than the internal operating pressure to draw a gas flow including the ions through the differential mobility spectrometer and into the vacuum chamber; and, d) modifying the gas flow between the differential mobility spectrometer and the mass spectrometer to change a gas flow rate through the differential mobility spectrometer.

Abstract: A mass spectrometer system and a method of operating same are provided. The system comprises a) an ion conduit for receiving ions; b) a boundary member defining a curtain gas chamber containing the ion conduit; c) a curtain gas supply for providing a curtain gas directed by the boundary member to an inlet of the ion conduit to provide a gas flow into the ion conduit, and a curtain gas outflow out of a curtain gas chamber inlet; d) a mass spectrometer at least partially sealed to, and in fluid communication with, the ion conduit for receiving the ions from the ion conduit; a vacuum chamber surrounding the mass spectrometer operable to draw the gas flow including the ions through the ion conduit and into the vacuum chamber; and, e) a gas outlet for drawing a gas outflow from the gas flow located between the ion conduit and the mass spectrometer to increase the gas flow rate through the ion conduit.

Abstract: A system including a differential mobility spectrometer is described as is a method of operating the system including the differential mobility spectrometer.

Abstract: A mass spectrometer system including a differential mobility spectrometer and a mass spectrometer at least partially sealed to, and in fluid communication, with, the differential mobility spectrometer, together with a related method, are provided. The mass spectrometer system can be operable to, and method can comprise, a) maintaining the differential mobility spectrometer at an internal operating pressure; b) providing ions to the differential mobility spectrometer; c) maintaining the mass spectrometer at a vacuum pressure lower than the internal operating pressure to draw a gas flow including the ions through the differential mobility spectrometer and into the vacuum chamber; and, d) modifying the gas flow between the differential mobility spectrometer and the mass spectrometer to change a gas flow rate through the differential mobility spectrometer.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for performing mass spectroscopy uses an ion interface to provide the function of removing undesirable particulates from an ion stream from an atmospheric pressure ion source, such as an electrospray source or a MALDI source, before the ion stream enters a vacuum chamber containing the mass spectrometer. The ion interface includes an entrance cell with a bore that may be heated for desolvating charged droplets when the ion source is an electrospray source, and a particle discrimination cell with a bore disposed downstream of the bore of the entrance cell and before an aperture leading to the vacuum chamber. The particle discrimination cell creates gas dynamic and electric field conditions that enables separation of undesirable charged particulates from the ion stream.