Abstract: A valve includes a valve cap, a valve body, a diaphragm, biasing means and a locking mechanism. The valve cap includes a plurality of process conduits and process ports. The valve body faces the valve cap and includes a plurality of plunger passages extending therein. The diaphragm is positioned between the valve cap and the valve body. The valve body includes a plunger assembly, a first support structure and a second support structure. The plunger assembly includes a plurality of plungers, each slidable between a closed position and an open position. In the closed position, the plunger deforms the diaphragm in order to block communication between two of the process ports. In the open position, the plunger is retracted away from the diaphragm. Each plunger is either a normally closed plunger or a normally open plunger. The normally closed plungers are mounted upon first support structure and the normally open plungers are mounted upon the second support structure.

Abstract: An actuator for actuating a plunger of a valve is provided. The actuator has an inlet and includes first and second hollow caps. A main actuation assembly is provided between the caps. The main actuation assembly includes a deformable diaphragm; first and second chambers, static sealing elements and a main piston movable between actuated and unactuated positions. A biasing mechanism biases the piston in the unactuated position. When pressurized gas is flown through the inlet and/or drawn from the outlet of the actuator, the first chamber expands, moving the main piston from the unactuated position to the actuated position, an actuating stem connected to the main piston thereby sliding within a channel provided in the bottom cap. Stackable actuating assemblies can also be used between the caps. Using static sealing elements advantageously avoids friction between moving parts.

Abstract: This invention concerns a fitting component for receiving a tube. The tube has a tube end inserted through a ferrule, the portion of the tube end extending beyond the ferrule being called a pilot. The fitting component comprises a body including a cavity for receiving the tube end and the ferrule. The cavity is defined by an inner lateral wall and opens on an extremity of the body. The cavity includes a pilot receiving section and a channel connecting the cavity to another portion of the body. A radial annular flange is located at the interface of the pilot receiving section with the channel. The flange has an annular sealing lip protruding towards the cavity. The sealing lip is for forming a seal with a radial surface of the pilot, advantageously reducing dead volumes within the fitting component when in use.

Abstract: The invention provides a system and a method of eliminating interference for impurities measurement in noble gases based on emission spectroscopy which provide very stable, sensitive and interference free results. The method mainly relies on the use of a combination of particularly designed means serially connected for cancelling interferences and proper means for correcting linearity issues. The proposed method is particularly advantageous since it offers long-term stability while providing very accurate and reliable results, even at sub-ppb and up to 10,000 ppm levels, whatever the surrounding conditions and the additional impurities that could be present in the gas under analysis.

Abstract: A conical rotary valve for chromatographic applications is provided, including a valve stator, a valve rotor, a drive adaptor and a pair of stoppers each mounted to the stator. The drive adaptor is rotatable and coupled to the valve rotor for transmitting a rotating force thereto. The drive adaptor has a body and a pair of radial arms projecting from the body radially outward from the axis of rotation on opposite sides thereof. Each of the pair of radial arms is movable along a respective arcuate travelling course with respect to the stator. The stoppers are each positioned to obstruct one of the radial arms at an end of the corresponding travelling course. The stoppers are positioned to simultaneously engage the radial arms, thereby balancing the reaction forces created within the valve when the radial arms reach the ends of their travelling courses.

Abstract: Plungers and plunger assemblies for a diaphragm-sealed valve are provided. Each plunger is adapted to be received in a passage of the valve body and includes a base member and an upper member having a transversal play in this passage with respect to the base member. A resilient middle element is provided between the upper and base member. The base member is connected to a plunger actuating mechanism within the valve body. The upper member may therefore be self-aligning within the passage.

Abstract: A diaphragm-sealed valve having communication mechanisms operatively connecting neighboring pairs of grooves is provided. Each communication mechanism has a communication port opening in an interface of a valve cap, between the neighboring grooves. The communication mechanism also has a communication conduit extending within the valve cap and connecting the communication port and one of the neighboring grooves. It also has a recess within a valve body aligned with the communication port and with the other one of the neighboring grooves, a flexible sealing surface of the diaphragm being seated within the recess and resiliently biased away from the interface of the valve cap. A plunger assembly is also provided, including plungers movable to push flexible sealing surface towards the communication port.

Abstract: A valve includes a valve cap, a valve body, a diaphragm, biasing means and a locking mechanism. The valve cap includes a plurality of process conduits and process ports. The valve body faces the valve cap and includes a plurality of plunger passages extending therein. The diaphragm is positioned between the valve cap and the valve body. The valve body includes a plunger assembly, a first support structure and a second support structure. The plunger assembly includes a plurality of plungers, each slidable between a closed position and an open position. In the closed position, the plunger deforms the diaphragm in order to block communication between two of the process ports. In the open position, the plunger is retracted away from the diaphragm. Each plunger is either a normally closed plunger or a normally open plunger. The normally closed plungers are mounted upon first support structure and the normally open plungers are mounted upon the second support structure.

Abstract: A diaphragm-sealed valve provided with a valve cap and a valve body, a diaphragm and a plunger assembly. The diaphragm is compressibly positioned between the valve cap and the valve body. The valve body comprises a process purging channel extending along a main recess of the valve body, under a pre-formed deformation of the diaphragm. A process purging inlet passage and a process purging outlet passage, both opening on the process purging channel, allow for a purging gas to flow in the process purging channel.

Abstract: The present invention provides a chromatographic method for eliminating interference from interfering agents, coming from the gas sample itself or from the system material used to perform the impurities measurements, on impurities to be quantified in a gas sample. The method advantageously relies on the use of an additional valve and an additional sample loop particularly arranged in a G. C. system, and also on an additional supporting gas inlet operatively connected to the system through the additional sample loop for providing the system with a supporting gas comprising at least a predetermined portion of a predetermined active gas that will react with the unwanted interfering impurities, if any, or with the column material to cancel out unwanted active sites. Thus, the method of the present invention can advantageously be used in gas chromatographic systems to improve sensitivity thereof by acting on column separation material.

Abstract: Plungers and plunger assemblies for a diaphragm-sealed valve are provided. Each plunger is adpted to be received in a passage of the valve body and includes a base member and an upper member having a longitudinal play in this passage with respect to the base member. A resilient middle element is provided between the upper and base member. The base member is connected to a plunger actuating mechanism within the valve body. Optionally, the upper member may be self-aligning within the passage. The plunger can be used to compensate for temperature variations experienced by the valve in use.

Abstract: The present invention provides a chromatographic method for eliminating interference from interfering agents, corning from the gas sample itself or from the system material used to perform the impurities measurements, on impurities to be quantified in a gas sample. The method advantageously relies on the use of an additional valve and an additional sample loop particularly arranged in a G. C. system, and also on an additional supporting gas inlet operatively connected to the system through the additional sample loop for providing the system with a supporting gas comprising at least a predetermined portion of a predetermined active gas that will react with the unwanted interfering impurities, if any, or with the column material to cancel out unwanted active sites. Thus, the method of the present invention can advantageously be used in gas chromatographic systems to improve sensitivity thereof by acting on column separation material.

Abstract: A diaphragm-sealed valve provided with a valve cap and a valve body, a diaphragm and a plunger assembly. The diaphragm is compressibly positioned between the valve cap and the valve body. The valve body comprises a process purging channel extending along a main recess of the valve body, under a pre-formed deformation of the diaphragm. A process purging inlet passage and a process purging outlet passage, both opening on the process purging channel, allow for a purging gas to flow in the process purging channel.

Abstract: The invention provides a system and a method of eliminating interference for impurities measurement in noble gases based on emission spectroscopy which provide very stable, sensitive and interference free results. The method mainly relies on the use of a combination of particularly designed means serially connected for cancelling interferences and proper means for correcting linearity issues. The proposed method is particularly advantageous since it offers long-term stability while providing very accurate and reliable results, even at sub-ppb and up to 10,000 ppm levels, whatever the surrounding conditions and the additional impurities that could be present in the gas under analysis.

Abstract: There is provided a rotary valve for fluid analytical systems. The present valve provides improved characteristics such as an extended lifetime. The valve can fulfil different fluid analytical functions and can be a multi-ports and/or multi-positions valve. The valve is provided with extra recesses in the rotor and extra ports in the stator. These recesses allow to cancel the effect of any possible leaks by evacuating them. Such a valve then prevents cross-port leaks and can advantageously be used in highly critical applications. Moreover, the present valve can be used in an analytical system which is advantageously self-diagnostic.

Abstract: A diaphragm-sealed valve having communication mechanisms operatively connecting neighbouring pairs of grooves is provided. Each communication mechanism has a communication port opening in an interface of a valve cap, between the neighbouring grooves. The communication mechanism also has a communication conduit extending within the valve cap and connecting the communication port and one of the neighbouring grooves. It also has a recess within a valve body aligned with the communication port and with the other one of the neighbouring grooves, a flexible sealing surface of the diaphragm being seated within the recess and resiliently biased away from the interface of the valve cap. A plunger assembly is also provided, including plungers movable to push flexible sealing surface towards the communication port.

Abstract: An improved chromatographic method for measuring impurities in a gas sample that allows extraction of a peak of impurity masked by the sample background. An impurity peak is extracted from the sample background and put in a second sample loop and the second sample loop volume is injected into a second separation column. A “slice” is taken from the sample background to fill the second sample loop and the “slice”, whose width is preferably substantially equal to the impurities peak width, is injected into the second separation column. Another embodiment allows concentration of a predetermined impurity, thereby providing an improved precision on the results. The chromatographic method provides an improved measure of argon in oxygen, oxygen in argon and oxygen in hydrogen.

Abstract: There is provided a diaphragm sealed valve particularly advantageous in chromatographic systems. The valve is provided with first and second body and a seal member compressibly positioned therebetween. The first body comprises a first, a second and a common port, each opening and being interconnected to the others in a recessed fluid communication channel extending in a first interface of the first body. The valve is also provided with first and second plungers, each having a closed position wherein the plunger presses down the seal member against the seat of the corresponding port for closing said corresponding port, and an open position wherein the plunger extends away from the seat for allowing a fluid communication between the corresponding port and the channel. Complex valves are also provided as well as chromatographic systems and methods.

Abstract: The present invention provides an improved chromatographic system and an improved chromatographic method for measuring impurities in a gas sample that advantageously allow to extract a peak of impurity masked by the sample background. The method extracts an impurities peak from the sample background and put it in a second sample loop. Then, this second sample loop volume is injected into a second separation column. In fact, the system takes a “slice” from the sample background and fills the second sample loop with it. Then, the “slice”, whose width is advantageously substantially equal to the impurities peak width, is injected in the second separation column. In a further preferred embodiment, the method also advantageously allows to concentrate a predetermined impurity, thereby providing an improved precision on the results. The chromatographic method advantageously provides an improved measure of argon in oxygen, oxygen in argon and oxygen in hydrogen.

Abstract: There is provided a diaphragm sealed valve particularly advantageous in chromatographic systems. The valve is provided with first and second body and a seal member compressibly positioned therebetween. The first body comprises a first, a second and a common port, each opening and being interconnected to the others in a recessed fluid communication channel extending in a first interface of the first body. The valve is also provided with first and second plungers, each having a closed position wherein the plunger presses down the seal member against the seat of the corresponding port for closing said corresponding port, and an open position wherein the plunger extends away from the seat for allowing a fluid communication between the corresponding port and the channel. Complex valves are also provided as well as chromatographic systems and methods.